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97,078-acre Iroise Sea. Middle 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 exposed Iroise Sea from Ushant through the Brest approaches, with reefs, islands and strong Atlantic tide races. This page covers the middle west 2 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 290 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 runs 96,986 acres with 73.3 miles of edge, broken up by 4 islands. Index 1.7 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 9% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 18.4 mi end to end and 14.3 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Iroise Sea - Middle West 1, 10 mi to the west.
Iroise Sea — Middle West 2, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 88 m; spots pour bar commun, maquereau commun. 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 | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| lieu noir (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| lingue (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | 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. 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 | open water | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 15 to 80 ft game here, winter a 30 to 120 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 77 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a feather rig or a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (52 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (77 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (77 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | Small deep jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic pollock tight to the bank in 8 to 100 ft. They move out to 12 to 150 ft in summer and finish the year down in 35 to 220 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid point: a point around 87 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A surface plug or a baitfish swimbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 12 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (87 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 160 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid point (87 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 35 to 220 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
In spring, saithe (coalfish) run shallow here, mostly 15 to 160 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 260 ft before dropping to 41 to 290 ft for winter. Spring saithe (coalfish) concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a prime-rated current seam around 116 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a speed jig or a heavy paddletail most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (116 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 25 to 260 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (77 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 20 to 220 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (116 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 41 to 290 ft | midday | Deepest basin (279 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic cod tight to the bank in 20 to 100 ft. They move out to 45 to 180 ft in summer and finish the year down in 50 to 220 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 77 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning. A heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Sharp break (77 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | Sharp break (77 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Deepest basin (279 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
In spring, ling run shallow here, mostly 52 to 290 ft. Summer keeps them at 48 to 290 ft, and they winter in 54 to 290 ft. Spring ling concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 77 ft. Fish it in midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 52 to 290 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 48 to 290 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 50 to 290 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 54 to 290 ft | midday | Deepest basin (279 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Iroise Sea - Middle West 2; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 279 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 Iroise Sea - Middle 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 →
Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 is about 290 ft (88 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 CGFS and coastal estuary monitoring regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), atlantic cod, ling, garfish, brill, thornback ray, common sole, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, european eel roster for Iroise Sea - Middle 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 point is the top-rated area: a point in about 87 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock 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 Iroise Sea - Middle 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.
Iroise Sea - Middle West 1 10 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 10 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 14 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 2 16 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 2 16 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 3 18 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 1 19 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 1 19 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 20 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 4 20 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 3 20 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 4 24 mi
See how Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 stacks up: best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole lakes in France · best thick-lipped grey mullet 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.