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3,768-acre Loire Estuary. 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 lower Loire, Saint-Nazaire approaches and adjacent coast, with navigation channels, plume edges and broad sand banks. This page covers the north west 3 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 23 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.
Loire Estuary - North West 3 maps at 3,769 acres behind 28.2 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 3.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 80% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 12.1 mi end to end and 2.5 mi across at its widest. Loire Estuary - North West 2 sits 7 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Loire Estuary — North West 3, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 7 m; spots pour bar commun, sole commune. 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 | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
| saumon atlantique (Atlantic Salmon) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring european seabass on Loire Estuary - North West 3 hold shallow, usually 3 to 23 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 23 ft in summer, 4 to 23 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 9 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (9 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (9 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 2 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (9 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 4 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest basin (23 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common sole in 5 to 23 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 23 ft through summer, 7 to 23 ft in winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid flat, a feeding flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for common sole in summer. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a light rolling-lead rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 2 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (2 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | night | Deepest basin (23 ft) |
Spring puts european flounder in skinny water — 5 to 23 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 23 ft, and winter fish hold in 7 to 23 ft. Fall european flounder concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bottom jig with spinner blade covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (2 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 4 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest basin (23 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 5 to 23 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 23 ft; the winter hold is 7 to 23 ft. Start at SHOM-grid channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 3 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (2 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest basin (23 ft) |
Come spring, look for whiting tight to the bank in 6 to 23 ft. Through summer count on 7 to 23 ft; the winter hold is 5 to 23 ft. Start at SHOM-grid channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (23 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 23 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (12 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (23 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Early season garfish use the shallows, holding in 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 2 to 20 ft game here, winter a 7 to 23 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shoreline point — point, 11 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (9 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest basin (23 ft) |
Loire Estuary - North West 3 also holds atlantic mackerel (4 to 23 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), brill (3 to 23 ft in summer), thornback ray (4 to 23 ft in summer), european eel (5 to 23 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (7 to 23 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Loire Estuary - North West 3 carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 23 ft down.
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 Loire Estuary - 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 →
Loire Estuary - North West 3 is about 23 ft (7 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 EVHOE and PELGAS regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, common sole, european flounder, european plaice, whiting, garfish, atlantic mackerel, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, brill, thornback ray, european eel, atlantic salmon roster for Loire Estuary - 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.
SHOM-grid current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Loire Estuary - 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.
Loire Estuary - North West 2 7 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South East 15 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 2 18 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South Central 25 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 1 25 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - South East 28 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - North West 28 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - Middle East 31 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - South West 4 35 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - Middle West 4 36 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South West 36 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South Central 38 mi
See how Loire Estuary - North West 3 stacks up: best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole 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.