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64,979-acre Southern Opal Coast. North West 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 Channel coast from Le Touquet toward Berck, including the Canche mouth and exposed sand-bar structure. This page covers the north west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 102 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 64,992 acres, worked by 40.4 miles of shoreline. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 1% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 12.5 mi long by 11.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Southern Opal Coast - North East, is 6 mi to the east.
Southern Opal Coast — North West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 31 m; spots pour bar commun, maquereau commun. 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 | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| hareng (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring european seabass on Southern Opal Coast - North West hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 2 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 55 ft. Put SHOM-grid current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 41 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run 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 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (29 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (41 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring puts atlantic mackerel in skinny water — 5 to 45 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 80 ft; cold water stacks them in 26 to 102 ft. SHOM-grid current seam is the standout, a current seam at roughly 41 ft, rated prime for fall atlantic mackerel. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A feather rig or a small vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (41 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (33 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (41 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 26 to 102 ft | midday | Deepest basin (100 ft) | Small deep jig |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. They move out to 6 to 40 ft in summer and finish the year down 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. Best bite is 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 | 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 (51 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common sole in 6 to 30 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 30 ft through summer, 20 to 70 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 29 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a light rolling-lead rig gets it done.
| 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 (51 ft) |
Spring puts european flounder in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 50 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 29 ft, rated prime for summer european flounder. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bottom jig with spinner blade covers the summer program.
| 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 | Sharp break (33 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (33 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Come spring, look for whiting tight to the bank in 15 to 55 ft. They move out to 20 to 70 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid channel edge: a channel edge around 51 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (51 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Southern Opal Coast - North West also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), atlantic herring (15 to 50 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), atlantic pollock (8 to 102 ft in summer), atlantic cod (26 to 102 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 100 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Southern Opal Coast - North West 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 →
Southern Opal Coast - North West is about 102 ft (31 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 CGFS and coastal estuary monitoring regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, european plaice, common sole, european flounder, whiting, garfish, atlantic herring, brill, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, atlantic pollock, atlantic cod roster for Southern Opal Coast - North West. 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 41 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in fall. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Southern Opal Coast - North West 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.
Southern Opal Coast - North East 6 mi · Boulogne Bay - South West 11 mi · Southern Opal Coast - South West 11 mi · Southern Opal Coast - South East 11 mi · Boulogne Bay - South East 13 mi · Boulogne Bay - North West 20 mi · Baie de Somme - North West 20 mi · Boulogne Bay - North East 22 mi · Baie de Somme - South West 26 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West 31 mi · Alabaster Coast - North West 5 32 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South East 37 mi
See how Southern Opal Coast - North West stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in France · best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass 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.