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68,790-acre West Cotentin Coast. South 4 West 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 west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 98 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West runs 68,751 acres with 43.4 miles of edge. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 1% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 13.8 mi end to end and 10.7 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central, 6 mi to the southeast.
West Cotentin Coast — South 4 West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 30 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.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 55 ft. Top water on the chart: SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in the 39 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, atlantic mackerel slide up into 5 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 98 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid current seam: a current seam around 39 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a feather rig or a small vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 25 to 98 ft | midday | Deepest basin (97 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring atlantic pollock on West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West hold shallow, usually 8 to 98 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 8 to 98 ft in summer, 16 to 98 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Shoreline point — point, 8 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 98 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 8 to 98 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 9 to 98 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 16 to 98 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: saithe (coalfish) in 9 to 98 ft. The depth story barely changes: 9 to 98 ft through summer, 14 to 98 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in the 39 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a speed jig or a heavy paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 98 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 9 to 98 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 9 to 98 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 14 to 98 ft | midday | Deepest basin (97 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring atlantic cod on West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West hold shallow, usually 20 to 98 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 24 to 98 ft in summer, 22 to 98 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deepest basin — deep basin, 97 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 98 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 24 to 98 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (97 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 18 to 98 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 22 to 98 ft | midday | Deepest basin (97 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: ling in 17 to 98 ft. The depth story barely changes: 16 to 98 ft through summer, 18 to 98 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 21 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for midday. Summer baits: a heavy vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 98 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 16 to 98 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 17 to 98 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 18 to 98 ft | midday | Deepest basin (97 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 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.
The chart marks 7 structure features on West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 97 ft.
No official 2025 EEA designated bathing-water point matched within 400 metres of this SHOM-grid shoreline. This is an access-evidence gap, not a statement that public fishing access does not exist. Verify local fishing rights, land ownership, posted restrictions, protected areas, tidal and surf safety, and municipal permission before entry.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
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 West 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 West is about 98 ft (30 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 West. 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 39 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. The interactive chart above rates every 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 West 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 Central 6 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South West 11 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 West 13 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 Central 16 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West 22 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 East 23 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South East 23 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North Central 24 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 West 27 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 28 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North East 28 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 East 31 mi
See how West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West 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.