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12,643-acre Gironde Estuary. South 2 West 4 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 4 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 28 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 12,645 acres of water rimmed by 45.5 miles of bank — one island included. A development index of 2.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 66% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 13.6 mi end to end and 2.9 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 3, 5 mi northwest of here.
Gironde Estuary — South 2 West 4, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 9 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.
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 28 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 28 ft. SHOM-grid current seam is the standout, a current seam at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for summer european seabass. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (11 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (11 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 3 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (11 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 5 to 28 ft | midday | Deepest basin (27 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Come spring, look for common sole tight to the bank in 6 to 28 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 28 ft; the winter hold is 8 to 28 ft. Start at SHOM-grid flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in the evening. A light rolling-lead rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (14 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (3 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (14 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | night | Deepest basin (27 ft) |
Spring european flounder on Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 4 hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 5 to 28 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 28 ft. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 3 ft that grades good for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bottom jig with spinner blade.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (3 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 5 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (3 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | Sharp break (3 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Deepest basin (27 ft) | Small bottom jig |
In spring, european plaice run shallow here, mostly 6 to 28 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 28 ft, and they winter in 8 to 28 ft. SHOM-grid channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for fall european plaice. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (3 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 4 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (3 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (14 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Deepest basin (27 ft) |
In spring, whiting run shallow here, mostly 8 to 28 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 28 ft, and they winter in 6 to 28 ft. SHOM-grid channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for spring whiting. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (14 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (27 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 5 to 28 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (14 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 6 to 28 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (27 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
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 8 to 28 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 14 ft range, prime in spring. 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 | Shoreline point (14 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (14 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 7 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (11 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Deepest basin (27 ft) |
Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 4 also holds atlantic mackerel (5 to 28 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), brill (3 to 28 ft in summer), thornback ray (4 to 28 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (8 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 27 ft.
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 4 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 4 is about 28 ft (9 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 4. 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 11 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 4 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 3 5 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 4 12 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 15 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 23 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 24 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 27 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 2 27 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 32 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 32 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 1 34 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 34 mi · Bassin d’Arcachon - North West 39 mi
See how Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 4 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.