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8,128-acre West Cotentin Coast. South 4 Central France saltwater fishing map with official SHOM 100 m bathymetry, source-qualified fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, public shore-use context and current-rule links. The west Cotentin shore from Carteret to Granville, with islands, rock, sand banks and macrotidal channels. This page covers the south 4 central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 53 ft. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central draws 8,126 acres inside 26.3 miles of shoreline. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 31% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 10.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.2 mi at the beam. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West, 6 mi northwest of here.
West Cotentin Coast — South 4 Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 16 m; spots pour bar commun, maquereau commun. Pour préparer la pêche, jamais pour naviguer. Les profondeurs et les points de structure proviennent de la grille bathymétrique officielle du Shom. Les données servent à préparer la pêche et ne doivent jamais être utilisées pour la navigation.
Regional occurrence supports a search target, not equal abundance, child-specific catch rate, retention permission or a promised catch. Current national, EU, regional, protected-area and species rules always control. The roster may combine exact-water monitoring with habitat-filtered official regional evidence; it does not imply that every species is equally abundant throughout the mapped section.
| Species | Evidence basis | Count / date |
|---|---|---|
| bar commun (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| lieu noir (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| lingue (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 53 ft. Summer european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a prime-rated current seam around 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 53 ft | midday | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring atlantic mackerel on West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 53 ft, and by winter most fish are in 13 to 53 ft. The chart's best answer is Deepest basin — deep basin, 53 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a feather rig or a small vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 10 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 8 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 13 to 53 ft | midday | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic pollock slide up into 4 to 53 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 53 ft, winter 8 to 53 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 11 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (3 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 4 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 5 to 53 ft | dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 8 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Spring puts saithe (coalfish) in skinny water — 5 to 53 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 53 ft, and winter fish hold in 7 to 53 ft. Spring saithe (coalfish) concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a prime-rated current seam around 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A speed jig or a heavy paddletail covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 5 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (21 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 7 to 53 ft | midday | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic cod slide up into 11 to 53 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 13 to 53 ft, winter 12 to 53 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deepest basin: a deep basin around 53 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 53 ft | dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 13 to 53 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 9 to 53 ft | dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 12 to 53 ft | midday | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring puts ling in skinny water — 9 to 53 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 53 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 53 ft. Spring ling concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 35 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around midday. A heavy vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 9 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 9 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 10 to 53 ft | midday | Deepest basin (53 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (8 to 53 ft in summer), common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 53 ft.
Access data: European Environment Agency — 2025 Bathing Water Directive Sites (France). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for France waters are set by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes) — and special regulations can apply to West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. French recreational sea-fishing rules combine current national and European species measures with façade, prefectural, marine-protected-area, harbour and local access controls. Check live minimum sizes, quotas, seasonal or method closures, marking requirements and any no-take zone before every trip. A SHOM contour, fishing-spot marker or designated bathing-water lead is planning context only and never permission to fish, retain a catch, park, launch or enter restricted shore or port property.
Check the official France fishing regulations →
French Ministry for Ecological Transition — recreational sea fishing →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central is about 53 ft (16 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Ifremer CGFS and coastal estuary monitoring regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), atlantic cod, ling, garfish, brill, thornback ray, common sole, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, european eel roster for West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central. The mixed roster combines exact-water records where available with habitat-filtered regional evidence; not every species is documented at this exact water, and it is not a promise of equal abundance or a catch on a particular trip.
SHOM-grid current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For european seabass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central is regulated by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes). Check the official France regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West 6 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 West 11 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 Central 12 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South West 15 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 East 18 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South East 22 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 24 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North Central 24 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West 25 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 West 25 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 East 26 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North East 28 mi
See how West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central stacks up: best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole lakes in France · best thick-lipped grey mullet lakes in France
Browse all France fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.