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65,621-acre Iroise Sea. North West 3 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 north west 3 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 331 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 season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 65,711 acres wrapped in 62.7 miles of bank. With a 1.7 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 6% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 17.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 13.3 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Iroise Sea - North West 2 is 9 mi to the west.
Iroise Sea — North West 3, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 101 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. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shoreline point — point, 6 ft, good for fall. Best bite is 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 (6 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
In spring, atlantic mackerel run shallow here, mostly 5 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 80 ft before dropping to 30 to 120 ft for winter. Spring atlantic mackerel concentrate at Shoreline point, a good-rated point around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (132 ft) | Small deep jig |
In spring, atlantic pollock run shallow here, mostly 8 to 100 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 12 to 150 ft, and winter fish settle into 35 to 220 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 132 ft, rated prime for winter atlantic pollock. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 12 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 160 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 35 to 220 ft | midday | Sharp break (132 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Early season saithe (coalfish) use the shallows, holding in 15 to 160 ft. Summer is a 25 to 260 ft game here, winter a 45 to 320 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 132 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (132 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 25 to 260 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (132 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 20 to 220 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (132 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 45 to 320 ft | midday | Deepest basin (330 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
In spring, atlantic cod run shallow here, mostly 20 to 100 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 45 to 180 ft, and winter fish settle into 50 to 220 ft. Rock reef is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 6 ft, rated good for fall atlantic cod. Time it for early morning. 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 | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | Sharp break (132 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Rock reef (6 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Early season ling use the shallows, holding in 59 to 331 ft. Even in summer they hold at 55 to 331 ft; winter keeps them in 61 to 331 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 132 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is midday. Tie on a heavy vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 59 to 331 ft | midday | Sharp break (132 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 55 to 331 ft | midday | Sharp break (132 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 57 to 331 ft | midday | Sharp break (132 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 61 to 331 ft | midday | Deepest basin (330 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Iroise Sea - North West 3 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 330 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 - North West 3 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 - North West 3 is about 331 ft (101 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 - North West 3. 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.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 132 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock in winter. 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 Iroise Sea - North West 3 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 - North West 2 9 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 4 10 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 1 19 mi · Iroise Sea - North West 5 20 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 20 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 23 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 24 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 4 24 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 25 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 1 27 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 29 mi · Baie de Morlaix - South West 30 mi
See how Iroise Sea - North West 3 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.