Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
96,179-acre Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays. Courtmacsherry saltwater fishing map with official INFOMAR survey bathymetry, measured-cell fishing spots, official fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, access context and current-rule links. The courtmacsherry trip-scale survey reach of Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 314 ft. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) 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:
Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry maps at 96,004 acres behind 64.3 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 1% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 17 mi long by 15.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Kinsale Harbour - Outer, is 6 mi to the north.
Marine Institute spawning, nursery, observation and range layers support the principal surveyed pelagic and groundfish. IFI's national and regional sea-angling publications support additional habitat-compatible recreational targets. This is occurrence and search guidance, not equal abundance, a section-level population estimate or a promised catch. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bass (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| Mackerel (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| Herring (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| Whiting (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| Flounder (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| Plaice (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| Sole (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| Thornback ray (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| Brill (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| Thick-lipped grey mullet (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| Garfish (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| Cod (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 55 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 5 ft that scores good in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic mackerel in 5 to 45 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 80 ft, wintering in 30 to 120 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 36 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a feather rig or a small vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic herring slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 36 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a herring feather rig or a small silver jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 15 to 55 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 70 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | open water | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | open water | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 15 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 36 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bottom jig with spinner blade gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | open water | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 80 ft. Put Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 42 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (42 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (42 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (42 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry also holds common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), atlantic cod (45 to 180 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 7 structure features on Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 314 ft.
The complete Marine Institute Fishing Ports layer returned no port point inside this operational section. DepthScout does not substitute a nearby road, beach or community slipway as verified public fishing access; confirm legal access, parking, tides and local restrictions before visiting.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ireland waters are set by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations) — and special regulations can apply to Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the current national and water-specific rules before every trip, including bass measures, the 2026 recreational pollack controls, salmon and sea-trout licences and river-specific status, protected areas, harbour directions, private land and local signs. A mapped fishing port or measured seabed feature is not permission to fish, park, launch or enter a working harbour.
Check the official Ireland fishing regulations →
Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (2026 salmon and sea-trout status) →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry is about 314 ft (96 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic herring, whiting, european flounder, european plaice, common sole, thornback ray, brill, thick-lipped grey mullet, garfish, atlantic cod roster for Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry. 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.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder 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 Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry is regulated by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations). Check the official Ireland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Kinsale Harbour - Outer 6 mi · Kinsale Harbour - Inner 12 mi · Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Clonakilty 12 mi · Roaringwater Bay - East 22 mi · Cork Harbour - West 22 mi · Cork Harbour - Middle 26 mi · Roaringwater Bay - Middle 31 mi · Cork Harbour - East 33 mi · Bantry Bay - Inner South 33 mi · Youghal Bay - Outer 35 mi · Bantry Bay - Inner North 38 mi · Roaringwater Bay - West 41 mi
See how Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in Ireland · best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best garfish lakes in Ireland · best european seabass lakes in Ireland
Browse all Ireland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) INFOMAR All Survey bathymetry mosaic (Source-survey vertical references retained in the INFOMAR All Survey mosaic; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). 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.