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105,164-acre Gironde Estuary. South 2 West 1 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 Gironde mouth and lower estuary, a large turbid channel-and-bank system requiring multiple trip-scale survey windows. This page covers the south 2 west 1 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 161 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 105,079 acres wrapped in 51.2 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 0% of this chart. Figure 16.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 15.3 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2, is 8 mi to the east.
Gironde Estuary — South 2 West 1, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 49 m; spots pour bar commun, sole commune. 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 | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
| saumon atlantique (Atlantic Salmon) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. The feeding windows run 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 | 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 |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 6 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 30 ft, and they winter in 20 to 70 ft. SHOM-grid channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 81 ft, rated good for winter common sole. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a light rolling-lead rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (81 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 35 ft before dropping to 15 to 50 ft for winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | open water | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | open water | Small bottom jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Summer is a 6 to 40 ft game here, winter a 25 to 80 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid channel edge — channel edge, 81 ft, good for winter. Best bite is 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 | open water | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (61 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (81 ft) |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 15 to 55 ft. Summer is a 20 to 70 ft game here, winter a 15 to 70 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 64 ft, good for fall. Best bite is 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (64 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (64 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (81 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
When the water first warms, garfish slide up into 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly rigged through the warm months.
| 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 |
Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 also holds atlantic mackerel (15 to 80 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (20 to 70 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 157 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 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 →
Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 is about 161 ft (49 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 EVHOE and PELGAS regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, common sole, european flounder, european plaice, whiting, garfish, atlantic mackerel, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, brill, thornback ray, european eel, atlantic salmon roster for Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1. 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 64 ft of water that rates good for whiting in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 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.
Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 8 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 12 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 1 14 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 14 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 2 14 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 24 mi · Bassin d’Arcachon - North West 25 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 26 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 27 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 28 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 28 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 3 30 mi
See how Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 stacks up: best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole 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.