Salt water depth chart
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21,353-acre Killala Bay. Outer saltwater fishing map with official INFOMAR survey bathymetry, measured-cell fishing spots, official fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, access context and current-rule links. The outer trip-scale survey reach of Killala Bay, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 153 ft. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) 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:
On the chart, Killala Bay - Outer draws 21,365 acres inside 54.8 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 2.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 10% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 13.3 mi, about 8.5 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Sligo and Ballisodare Bays - Outer Sligo, 19 mi to the east.
Marine Institute spawning, nursery, observation and range layers support the principal surveyed pelagic and groundfish. IFI's national and regional sea-angling publications support additional habitat-compatible recreational targets. This is occurrence and search guidance, not equal abundance, a section-level population estimate or a promised catch. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bass (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| Mackerel (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| Herring (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| Whiting (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| Flounder (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| Plaice (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| Sole (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| Thornback ray (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| Thick-lipped grey mullet (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| Garfish (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| Sea trout (Sea Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 55 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 8 ft range, good in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | 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. By summer they slide out to 15 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 120 ft. If you only fish one area, make it INFOMAR measured current seam: a current seam around 68 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (79 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (68 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (79 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic herring in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 50 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 8 ft range, good in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a herring feather rig or a small silver jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: whiting in 15 to 55 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 70 ft before dropping to 15 to 70 ft for winter. The spot to know is INFOMAR measured current seam, a current seam in about 68 ft of water that rates good for whiting in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured current seam (68 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (68 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured channel edge (83 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
When the water first warms, european flounder slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 24 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom jig with spinner blade rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Small bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european plaice in 8 to 35 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 40 ft before dropping to 25 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for european plaice in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (24 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured channel edge (83 ft) |
Killala Bay - Outer also holds common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), sea trout (15 to 50 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Killala Bay - Outer carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at INFOMAR measured basin, about 139 ft down.
The complete Marine Institute Fishing Ports layer returned no port point inside this operational section. DepthScout does not substitute a nearby road, beach or community slipway as verified public fishing access; confirm legal access, parking, tides and local restrictions before visiting.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ireland waters are set by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations) — and special regulations can apply to Killala Bay - Outer specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the current national and water-specific rules before every trip, including bass measures, the 2026 recreational pollack controls, salmon and sea-trout licences and river-specific status, protected areas, harbour directions, private land and local signs. A mapped fishing port or measured seabed feature is not permission to fish, park, launch or enter a working harbour.
Check the official Ireland fishing regulations →
Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (2026 salmon and sea-trout status) →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Killala Bay - Outer is about 153 ft (47 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic herring, whiting, european flounder, european plaice, common sole, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, garfish, sea trout roster for Killala Bay - Outer. 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.
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in spring. 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 Killala Bay - Outer is regulated by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations). Check the official Ireland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Sligo and Ballisodare Bays - Outer Sligo 19 mi · Donegal Bay - West South 20 mi · Sligo and Ballisodare Bays - Inner Sligo 24 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Inner 28 mi · Donegal Bay - Central West South 29 mi · Donegal Bay - West North 33 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Middle 35 mi · Clew Bay - Inner 36 mi · Donegal Bay - Central West North 36 mi · Donegal Bay - Central East 39 mi · Blacksod Bay - North 41 mi · Clew Bay - Middle 41 mi
See how Killala Bay - Outer stacks up: best sea trout lakes in Ireland · best atlantic herring lakes in Ireland · best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best garfish lakes in Ireland
Browse all Ireland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) INFOMAR All Survey bathymetry mosaic (Source-survey vertical references retained in the INFOMAR All Survey mosaic; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). 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.