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20,944-acre Gironde Estuary. South 3 West 2 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 2 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 70 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 20,940 acres wrapped in 26.6 miles of bank. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 15% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 10 mi long by 3.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. If the bite dies, Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 is 8 mi to the west.
Gironde Estuary — South 3 West 2, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 21 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. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 28 ft of water and rates prime come summer. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | 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. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for spring 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 | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | Deepest basin (70 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. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in summer. 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 | Sharp break (21 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | 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 21 to 70 ft one. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 30 ft, prime for spring. 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 | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 21 to 70 ft | midday | Deepest basin (70 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 channel edge — channel edge, 35 ft, prime for spring. 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 | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (70 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 15 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | Shoreline point (15 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) |
Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 also holds atlantic mackerel (13 to 70 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.
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deepest basin, sits near 70 ft.
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 Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 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 2 is about 70 ft (21 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 2. 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 28 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Open the map above to see every rated 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 2 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 1 8 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 11 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 12 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 14 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 14 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 15 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 18 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 20 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - North West 22 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 3 23 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 2 24 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 1 27 mi
See how Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 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.