Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
45,730-acre Loire Estuary. 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 lower Loire, Saint-Nazaire approaches and adjacent coast, with navigation channels, plume edges and broad sand banks. This page covers the south west 2 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 84 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 follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Loire Estuary - South West 2 runs 45,741 acres with 47.1 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. About 38% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 13 mi of water from one end to the other, 9.7 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is Baie de Bourgneuf - North West, 10 mi to the southwest.
Loire Estuary — South West 2, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 26 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.
Start shallow in spring: european seabass sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 55 ft. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (25 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (34 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (34 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Early season common sole use the shallows, holding in 6 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 20 to 70 ft. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 28 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a light rolling-lead rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) |
Come spring, look for european flounder tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 50 ft. Start at Feeding flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 28 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bottom jig with spinner blade is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Start shallow in spring: european plaice sit in 8 to 35 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 25 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 28 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (28 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | Deepest basin (84 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: whiting sit in 15 to 55 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 20 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 70 ft. Top water on the chart: SHOM-grid channel edge, a channel edge in the 42 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (42 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring puts garfish in skinny water — 1 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 20 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Spring garfish concentrate at SHOM-grid shoal, a prime-rated gravel shoal around 15 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | SHOM-grid shoal (15 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (15 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (6 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (34 ft) |
Loire Estuary - South West 2 also holds atlantic mackerel (15 to 80 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (20 to 70 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 84 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 Loire Estuary - 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 →
Loire Estuary - South West 2 is about 84 ft (26 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 - 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.
SHOM-grid current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. 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 Loire Estuary - 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.
Baie de Bourgneuf - North West 10 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 1 10 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South East 12 mi · Loire Estuary - North West 2 17 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South Central 18 mi · Loire Estuary - North West 3 18 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South West 19 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South Central 24 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - South East 26 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - South West 4 28 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 2 32 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - Middle East 33 mi
See how Loire Estuary - South West 2 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.