Salt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
98,726-acre Iroise Sea. South 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 south west 2 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 282 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Iroise Sea - South West 2 runs 98,773 acres with 58.1 miles of edge — one island included. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 2% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 18.6 mi long by 15.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Iroise Sea - South West 3, 10 mi east of here.
Iroise Sea — South West 2, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 86 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.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 55 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid flat, a feeding flat in about 28 ft of water that rates good for european seabass in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic gets it done.
| 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 | SHOM-grid flat (28 ft) | 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 |
When the water first warms, atlantic mackerel slide up into 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 15 to 80 ft game here, winter a 30 to 120 ft one. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 113 ft of water and rates good come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a feather rig or a small vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (51 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (85 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (113 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring atlantic pollock on Iroise Sea - South West 2 hold shallow, usually 8 to 100 ft. They move out to 12 to 150 ft in summer and finish the year down in 35 to 220 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 12 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (85 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 160 ft | dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 35 to 220 ft | midday | Sharp break (157 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: saithe (coalfish) in 15 to 160 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 260 ft before dropping to 40 to 282 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 113 ft of water that rates prime for saithe (coalfish) in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a speed jig or a heavy paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (113 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 25 to 260 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (157 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 20 to 220 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (113 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 40 to 282 ft | midday | Deepest basin (282 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring atlantic cod on Iroise Sea - South West 2 hold shallow, usually 20 to 100 ft. They move out to 45 to 180 ft in summer and finish the year down in 50 to 220 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades good for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | Sharp break (157 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Deepest basin (282 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: ling in 50 to 282 ft. The depth story barely changes: 47 to 282 ft through summer, 52 to 282 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 157 ft of water that rates prime for ling in spring. Plan around midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 50 to 282 ft | midday | Sharp break (157 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 47 to 282 ft | midday | Sharp break (157 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 49 to 282 ft | midday | Sharp break (157 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 52 to 282 ft | midday | Deepest basin (282 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Iroise Sea - South 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 - South West 2; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 282 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 - South 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 - South West 2 is about 282 ft (86 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 - South 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.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 - South 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 - South West 3 10 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 1 10 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South West 14 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 15 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North West 16 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 16 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 18 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 1 18 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 4 20 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South Central 20 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 23 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North Central 23 mi
See how Iroise Sea - South 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.