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18,514-acre Marennes-Oléron Basin. South East 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 east angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 97 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.
The outline encloses 18,509 acres, worked by 26.5 miles of shoreline. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 18% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 10.1 mi long by 5.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. If the bite dies, Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 is 8 mi to the southeast.
Marennes-Oléron Basin — South East, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 30 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.
Early season european seabass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 55 ft. Put SHOM-grid current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 39 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Start shallow in spring: common sole sit in 6 to 30 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 30 ft covers summer, 20 to 70 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 29 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a light rolling-lead rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) |
In spring, european flounder run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 50 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 29 ft, rated prime for summer european flounder. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bottom jig with spinner blade most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (53 ft) | Small bottom jig |
When the water first warms, european plaice slide up into 8 to 35 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 29 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) |
When the water first warms, whiting slide up into 15 to 55 ft. By summer they slide out to 20 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid channel edge: a channel edge around 49 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a small vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (49 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring garfish on Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East hold shallow, usually 1 to 15 ft. They move out to 2 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Put Shoreline point first on the milk run — a point near 19 ft that grades good for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | SHOM-grid shoal (17 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (39 ft) |
Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 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.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 97 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 East 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 East is about 97 ft (30 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 East. 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 39 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 East 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.
Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 3 8 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South Central 11 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 2 15 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 3 18 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - South West 21 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 3 West 1 22 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 23 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 4 23 mi · Marennes-Oléron Basin - North West 25 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - South East 26 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 4 West 1 28 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 28 mi
See how Marennes-Oléron Basin - South East 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.