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3,890-acre Gironde Estuary. South 4 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 4 west 1 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 118 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 3,891 acres, worked by 26.1 miles of shoreline. A development index of 3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 5% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 12.7 mi end to end and 0.5 mi across at its widest. Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West sits 7 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Gironde Estuary — South 4 West 1, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 36 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 european seabass on Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 55 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic.
| 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 |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common sole in 6 to 30 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 30 ft through summer, 20 to 70 ft in winter. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a light rolling-lead rig gets it done.
| 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 | open water |
Spring puts european flounder in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 15 to 50 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bottom jig with spinner blade covers the summer program.
| 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 |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 80 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | open water | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Come spring, look for whiting tight to the bank in 15 to 55 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 70 ft. Prime time lands in early morning. A small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 |
Early season garfish use the shallows, holding in 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 2 to 20 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly and you're in the game.
| 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 4 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 118 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 4 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 4 West 1 is about 118 ft (36 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 4 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.
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 4 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.
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 7 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - North West 8 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South West 14 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South Central 15 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 16 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 17 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 20 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South East 22 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - North West 27 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 27 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 28 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - North Central 29 mi
See how Gironde Estuary - South 4 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.