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.
77,920-acre Gironde Estuary. South 3 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 3 west 1 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 153 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 draws 77,821 acres inside 51.2 miles of shoreline. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 0% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 15.5 mi with a 13.2-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2, 8 mi east of here.
Gironde Estuary — South 3 West 1, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 47 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.
In spring, european seabass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 55 ft for winter. Fall european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid point, a good-rated point around 46 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic most summer days.
| 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 | SHOM-grid point (46 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, common sole slide up into 6 to 30 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 30 ft, winter 20 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 44 ft that scores good in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a light rolling-lead rig rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (77 ft) |
Early season european flounder use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 6 to 35 ft game here, winter a 15 to 50 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid flat — feeding flat, 44 ft, good for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom jig with spinner blade and you're in the game.
| 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 | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Spring puts european plaice in skinny water — 8 to 35 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 40 ft, wintering in 25 to 80 ft. Summer european plaice concentrate at SHOM-grid flat, a good-rated feeding flat around 44 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (77 ft) |
Spring puts whiting in skinny water — 15 to 55 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 70 ft, wintering in 15 to 70 ft. Fall whiting concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a good-rated current seam around 61 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (61 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid current seam (61 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (61 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (77 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: garfish in 1 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 20 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 61 ft of water that rates good for garfish in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly gets it done.
| 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (61 ft) |
Gironde Estuary - South 3 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.
Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 149 ft down.
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 3 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 3 West 1 is about 153 ft (47 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 3 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 flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 44 ft of water that rates good for european plaice in summer. 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 Gironde Estuary - South 3 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 3 West 2 8 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 12 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 12 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 14 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 16 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 16 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - North West 21 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 22 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 2 25 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 1 26 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 26 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South Central 28 mi
See how Gironde Estuary - South 3 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.