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.
29,705-acre Galway Bay. Aran East North 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 aran east north trip-scale survey reach of Galway Bay, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 214 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Galway Bay - Aran East North runs 29,692 acres with 142 miles of edge, broken up by 6 islands. A development index of 5.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 38% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 13.2 mi with an 11.2-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Galway Bay - Aran West North, 11 mi west of here.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mackerel (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| Pollack (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| Coalfish (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| Haddock (Haddock) | official species listing | — |
| Whiting (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| Cod (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| Plaice (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| Flounder (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| Thornback ray (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| Brill (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| Ling (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| Bass (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| Garfish (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
When the water first warms, atlantic mackerel slide up into 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 15 to 80 ft game here, winter a 30 to 120 ft one. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 4 ft of water and rates good come spring. The feeding windows run 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 | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (5 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (5 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured channel edge (117 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring atlantic pollock on Galway Bay - Aran East North hold shallow, usually 8 to 100 ft. They move out to 12 to 150 ft in summer and finish the year down in 34 to 214 ft. Put Shoreline point first on the milk run — a point near 4 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run 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 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 12 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 160 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 34 to 214 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured channel edge (117 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: saithe (coalfish) in 15 to 160 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 21 to 214 ft before dropping to 30 to 214 ft for winter. The spot to know is INFOMAR measured current seam, a current seam in about 95 ft of water that rates prime for saithe (coalfish) in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a speed jig or a heavy paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (95 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 21 to 214 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (95 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 19 to 214 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (95 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 30 to 214 ft | midday | Deepest basin (213 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: haddock in 34 to 214 ft. The depth story barely changes: 40 to 214 ft through summer, 37 to 214 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deepest basin, a deep basin in the 213 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a compact metal jig or a bottom rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 34 to 214 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (213 ft) | Small bottom jig, Beaded trace |
| Summer | 40 to 214 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (213 ft) | Compact metal jig, Bottom rig |
| Fall | 37 to 214 ft | midday | Feeding flat (41 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Winter | 37 to 214 ft | midday | Deepest basin (213 ft) | Deep bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: whiting in 15 to 55 ft. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 70 ft, wintering in 15 to 70 ft. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a small vertical jig gets it done.
| 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 |
Spring atlantic cod on Galway Bay - Aran East North hold shallow, usually 20 to 100 ft. They move out to 45 to 180 ft in summer and finish the year down in 49 to 214 ft. Put Deepest basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 213 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run 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 100 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured current seam (95 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured channel edge (117 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured channel edge (117 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 49 to 214 ft | midday | Deepest basin (213 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Galway Bay - Aran East North also holds european plaice (6 to 40 ft in summer), european flounder (6 to 35 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), ling (36 to 214 ft in summer), european seabass (2 to 30 ft in summer), garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 7 structure features on Galway Bay - Aran East North; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 213 ft.
Access data: Marine Institute — Fishing Ports. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Galway Bay - Aran East North 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 →
Galway Bay - Aran East North is about 214 ft (65 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 atlantic mackerel, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), haddock, whiting, atlantic cod, european plaice, european flounder, thornback ray, brill, ling, european seabass, garfish roster for Galway Bay - Aran East North. 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.
INFOMAR measured current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 95 ft of water that rates prime for saithe (coalfish) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For atlantic mackerel, 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 Galway Bay - Aran East North 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.
Galway Bay - Aran West North 11 mi · Galway Bay - Aran East South 14 mi · Galway Bay - Central West 14 mi · Galway Bay - Aran West South 17 mi · Galway Bay - Central East 22 mi · Killary Harbour - Middle 24 mi · Galway Bay - Inner 28 mi · Killary Harbour - Outer 33 mi · Clew Bay - Middle 39 mi · Clew Bay - Inner 39 mi · Clew Bay - West 41 mi · Shannon Estuary - Mouth North 42 mi
See how Galway Bay - Aran East North stacks up: best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best garfish lakes in Ireland · best european seabass lakes in Ireland · best european plaice 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.