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20,980-acre Cwb-Ii-3A. Central West Portugal coastal fishing map with an exact official national water-body boundary, EMODnet 2024 CDI-audited Portuguese hydrographic and research-survey/composite DTM contours, source-assessed fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, public-access review and current-rule links. Official Portuguese WFD named coastal or transitional assessment water in Central Portugal Atlantic Coast. This child is clipped to the exact source polygon and a trip-scale ownership window. Coverage classes and uncertainty limits are disclosed; this is a fishing-planning chart, not a navigation chart or catch forecast. The water tops out around 247 ft. The depth chart comes from EMODnet, with national hydrographic source-reference audit 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.
Drawn out, this is 20,986 acres of water rimmed by 25 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 1% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 8.9 mi, about 6.9 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Cwb-Ii-3A - Central, 4 mi to the east.
Occurrence evidence does not promise a catch or establish that retention is legal. Current seasons, closures, protected species, gear rules and local restrictions 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| (Gilthead Seabream) | official species listing | — |
| (Meagre) | official species listing | — |
| (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| (Atlantic Bonito) | official species listing | — |
| (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 55 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | open water | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring gilthead seabream on Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West hold shallow, usually 3 to 35 ft. They move out to 2 to 45 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 100 ft. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 35 ft | dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 20 to 100 ft | midday | open water | see map |
When the water first warms, meagre slide up into 12 to 80 ft. Summer is an 8 to 100 ft game here, winter a 40 to 180 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 83 ft of water and rates good come winter. The feeding windows run the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 80 ft | dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 100 ft | dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 15 to 130 ft | dusk | Sharp break (83 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 40 to 180 ft | midday | Sharp break (83 ft) | see map |
Spring atlantic mackerel on Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 30 to 120 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 83 ft that grades good for summer. The feeding windows run 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 | open water | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (83 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (83 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring puts atlantic bonito in skinny water — 15 to 100 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 90 ft, and winter fish hold in 50 to 220 ft. Fall atlantic bonito concentrate at Sharp break, a good-rated drop-off around 83 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (83 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 5 to 90 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (83 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (83 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Sharp break (199 ft) | see map |
Start shallow in spring: garfish sit in 1 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water |
Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West also holds common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Sharp break, sits near 220 ft.
Portuguese Environment Agency official SNIAmb bathing-water review was reviewed, but no stable government record establishes a public fishing entrance, parking or launch for this exact mapped child. This is an access-evidence gap, not a claim that public access does not exist. Verify land ownership, port and harbour rules, protected areas, local signs, parking, safety, permits and fishing 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 Portugal waters are set by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (recreational fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check Portugal's live DGRM, regional, port-authority and protected-area rules before every coastal trip. A current licence, RecFishing catch reporting, daily possession limits, minimum sizes, species closures, method limits, bathing-season restrictions, navigation-channel exclusions and local maritime notices may apply. Marine protected areas including Berlengas, Arrábida, the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast, Ria Formosa and other reserves impose additional zoned restrictions or authorizations. A WFD boundary, source-audited contour, fishing-spot marker or bathing-water record is planning context only and never grants fishing, retention, shore entry, parking, launching, port access or safe navigation permission.
Check the official Portugal fishing regulations →
DGRM current species, minimum-size and closure guidance →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West is about 247 ft (75 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from EMODnet, with national hydrographic source-reference audit bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Portugal national fisheries and coastal monitoring agencies informs the european seabass, gilthead seabream, meagre, atlantic mackerel, atlantic bonito, garfish, common sole, thick-lipped grey mullet roster for Cwb-Ii-3A - Central 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.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 83 ft of water that rates good for atlantic bonito 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 Cwb-Ii-3A - Central West is regulated by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (recreational fishing). Check the official Portugal regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cwb-Ii-3A - Central 4 mi · Cwb-Ii-3A - North West 5 mi · Cwb-Ii-3B - Sector 02 6 mi · Cwb-Ii-3A - North 9 mi · Cwb-Ii-3B - Sector 05 15 mi · Cwb-Ii-2 - Central 31 mi · Cwb-Ii-3B - Sector 10 38 mi · Cwb-Ii-2 - North 40 mi · Cwb-Ii-4 - Sector 02 50 mi · Cwb-Ii-4 - Sector 01 51 mi · Cwb-Ii-4 - Sector 04 57 mi · Cwb-Ii-4 - Sector 03 59 mi
Browse all Portugal fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: EMODnet, with national hydrographic source-reference audit EMODnet Bathymetry DTM 2024 mean-depth grid — CDI-audited Portuguese hydrographic and research-survey/composite DTM (Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT); 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.