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16,598-acre Iroise Sea. South 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 south west 5 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 76 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:
The outline encloses 16,599 acres, worked by 22 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.2), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Roughly 13% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 8.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.3 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Iroise Sea - South West 4, is 7 mi to the west.
Iroise Sea — South West 5, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 23 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.
Come spring, look for european seabass tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 55 ft. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (23 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 5 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 76 ft, and winter fish settle into 19 to 76 ft. The spot to know is Deepest basin, a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 14 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 19 to 76 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic pollock in 6 to 76 ft. The depth story barely changes: 6 to 76 ft through summer, 12 to 76 ft in winter. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 6 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (23 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 7 to 76 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 12 to 76 ft | midday | Sharp break (37 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Come spring, look for saithe (coalfish) tight to the bank in 7 to 76 ft. Through summer count on 7 to 76 ft; the winter hold is 11 to 76 ft. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A speed jig or a heavy paddletail is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 7 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (37 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 7 to 76 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 11 to 76 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 15 to 76 ft. The depth story barely changes: 19 to 76 ft through summer, 17 to 76 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deepest basin, a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in winter. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 76 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 19 to 76 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 14 to 76 ft | dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 17 to 76 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for ling tight to the bank in 14 to 76 ft. Through summer count on 13 to 76 ft; the winter hold is 14 to 76 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 37 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in midday. A heavy vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 14 to 76 ft | midday | Sharp break (37 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 13 to 76 ft | midday | Sharp break (37 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 13 to 76 ft | midday | Sharp break (37 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 14 to 76 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Iroise Sea - South 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 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deepest basin, sits near 75 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 - South 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 - South West 5 is about 76 ft (23 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 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 30 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass 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 - South 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.
Iroise Sea - South West 4 7 mi · Rade de Brest - South East 10 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 11 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 13 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 4 14 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South Central 14 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 16 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 3 17 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North East 19 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South West 19 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North Central 20 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 20 mi
See how Iroise Sea - South 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.