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.
4,338-acre Rade de Brest. South West France saltwater fishing map with official SHOM 5 m bathymetry, source-qualified fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, public shore-use context and current-rule links. The Brest roadstead and narrows, with deep channels, river plumes, harbor structure and protected rocky shores. This page covers the south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 106 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 drawn water covers 4,338 acres wrapped in 21.3 miles of bank, with 14 islands in the mix. A development index of 2.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 4% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 4.1 mi, about 3.3 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, Iroise Sea - Middle West 3, is 4 mi to the west.
Rade de Brest — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 32 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 Rade de Brest - South West hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 41 ft, prime for fall. 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 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (30 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 |
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. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 32 ft of water that rates good 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 | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (32 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. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 15 to 50 ft. Summer european flounder concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 32 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 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (31 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 80 ft. Start at Feeding flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 32 ft of water and rates prime come spring. 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 | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (32 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) |
Come spring, look for whiting tight to the bank in 15 to 55 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 70 ft. Start at SHOM-grid channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 51 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 | 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 |
Early season garfish use the shallows, holding in 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 2 to 20 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid shoal — gravel shoal, 18 ft, good for summer. 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 | SHOM-grid shoal (18 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (18 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (41 ft) |
Rade de Brest - South West 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.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 105 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 Rade de Brest - South 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 →
Rade de Brest - South West is about 106 ft (32 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, 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 Rade de Brest - South 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.
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in summer. 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 Rade de Brest - South 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.
Iroise Sea - Middle West 3 4 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 6 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 4 6 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 3 11 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 4 11 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 5 13 mi · Iroise Sea - Middle West 2 14 mi · Rade de Brest - South East 16 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 5 16 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 2 18 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South West 21 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South Central 22 mi
See how Rade de Brest - South West 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.