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9,422-acre Iroise Sea. Middle West 5 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 5 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 87 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 9,423 acres, worked by 37 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.7 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 70% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 8.3 mi with a 5.4-mi widest point. If the bite dies, Rade de Brest - South East is 3 mi to the southeast.
Iroise Sea — Middle West 5, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 27 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.
Early season european seabass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 55 ft. Put SHOM-grid current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 35 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (44 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
In spring, atlantic mackerel run shallow here, mostly 5 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 22 to 87 ft. Deepest basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 77 ft, rated prime for summer atlantic mackerel. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a feather rig or a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 22 to 87 ft | midday | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Small deep jig |
In spring, atlantic pollock run shallow here, mostly 7 to 87 ft. Summer keeps them at 7 to 87 ft, and they winter in 14 to 87 ft. Winter atlantic pollock concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 64 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 87 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (2 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 7 to 87 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 8 to 87 ft | dawn | Rock reef (2 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 14 to 87 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Early season saithe (coalfish) use the shallows, holding in 8 to 87 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 87 ft; winter keeps them in 12 to 87 ft. Put SHOM-grid current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 35 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a speed jig or a heavy paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 87 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 8 to 87 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (64 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 8 to 87 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (35 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 12 to 87 ft | midday | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
In spring, atlantic cod run shallow here, mostly 17 to 87 ft. Summer keeps them at 22 to 87 ft, and they winter in 20 to 87 ft. Winter atlantic cod concentrate at Deepest basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 77 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 87 ft | dawn | Sharp break (64 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 22 to 87 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 16 to 87 ft | dawn | Sharp break (64 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 20 to 87 ft | midday | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Early season ling use the shallows, holding in 15 to 87 ft. Even in summer they hold at 14 to 87 ft; winter keeps them in 16 to 87 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 64 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday. Tie on a heavy vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 87 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 14 to 87 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 15 to 87 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 16 to 87 ft | midday | Deepest basin (77 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 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.
Count 9 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deepest basin, sits near 77 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 Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 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 5 is about 87 ft (27 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 5. 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 35 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 5 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.
Rade de Brest - South East 3 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 4 7 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 7 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 5 11 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 4 13 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 13 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 17 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 3 20 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South Central 24 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 27 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 4 27 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 5 27 mi
See how Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 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.