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43,298-acre Dunkirk and Flanders Coast. East 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 French North Sea shore from Dunkirk to the Belgian frontier, including harbor approaches, sand banks and tidal beach structure. This page covers the east angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 79 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East maps at 43,311 acres behind 36.8 miles of shoreline — one island included. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 37% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 13.2 mi long by 9.8 mi wide at the broadest reach. If the bite dies, Belgian Coast - Sector 04 is 6 mi to the east.
Dunkirk and Flanders Coast — East, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 24 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 | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| hareng (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Early season european seabass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 32 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic and you're in the game.
| 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (32 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (32 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
In spring, atlantic mackerel run shallow here, mostly 5 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 79 ft before dropping to 20 to 79 ft for winter. Summer atlantic mackerel concentrate at Deepest basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 75 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a feather rig or a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (32 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 79 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (32 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 20 to 79 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, european plaice slide up into 8 to 35 ft. Summer is a 6 to 40 ft game here, winter a 24 to 79 ft one. Start at Feeding flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 24 to 79 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: common sole sit in 6 to 30 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 30 ft covers summer, 20 to 70 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for common sole in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a light rolling-lead rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | Deepest basin (75 ft) |
In spring, european flounder run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 35 ft before dropping to 15 to 50 ft for winter. Spring european flounder concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 14 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bottom jig with spinner blade most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (14 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (9 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Small bottom jig |
When the water first warms, whiting slide up into 15 to 55 ft. Summer is a 20 to 70 ft game here, winter a 15 to 70 ft one. Start at SHOM-grid channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 40 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a small vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (40 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), atlantic herring (15 to 50 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), atlantic pollock (6 to 79 ft in summer), atlantic cod (20 to 79 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 75 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East 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 →
Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East is about 79 ft (24 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, european plaice, common sole, european flounder, whiting, garfish, atlantic herring, brill, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, atlantic pollock, atlantic cod roster for Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East. 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 32 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 Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East 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.
Belgian Coast - Sector 04 6 mi, BE · Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - Central 10 mi · Belgian Coast - Sector 05 15 mi, BE · Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - West 20 mi · Belgian Coast - Sector 01 21 mi, BE · Belgian Coast - Sector 02 27 mi, BE · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North East 30 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South East 34 mi · Zeebrugge Outer Harbour 35 mi, BE · Belgian Coast - Sector 03 37 mi, BE · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North West 40 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West 43 mi
See how Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - East stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in France · best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass 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.