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65,745-acre Marennes-Oléron Basin. South Central 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 Marennes-Oléron and Seudre system, with oyster grounds, tidal channels, island shore and outer-bank transitions. This page covers the south central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 114 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 65,739 acres, worked by 67.2 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. A middling shoreline index (1.9) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 20% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 16.9 mi long by 13.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West sits 11 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Marennes-Oléron Basin — South Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 35 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.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 55 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 4 ft that scores good in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 6 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 30 ft, and they winter in 20 to 70 ft. Spring common sole concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 30 ft. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a light rolling-lead rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 15 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bottom jig with spinner blade gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 80 ft. Put Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 30 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 15 to 55 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 70 ft. Put SHOM-grid channel edge first on the milk run — a channel edge near 57 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (57 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
When the water first warms, garfish slide up into 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 2 to 20 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (46 ft) |
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 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.
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central carries 10 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 114 ft down.
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 Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 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 →
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central is about 114 ft (35 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 Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central. 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 30 ft of water that rates prime for common sole 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 Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 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.
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 11 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 11 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 12 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - North West 14 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 16 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 17 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 19 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South East 19 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South Central 19 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 23 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 26 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South West 27 mi
See how Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 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.