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5,365-acre Thau and Montpellier Coast. North 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. Étang de Thau, its canals and the Montpellier coast, with lagoon flats, shellfish grounds, passes and beach contours. This page covers the north central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 74 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 5,364 acres wrapped in 13.3 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 20% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 5.4 mi end to end and 3 mi across at its widest. Thau and Montpellier Coast - North East sits 8 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
Thau and Montpellier Coast — North Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 23 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 | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| tassergal (Bluefish) | official species listing | — |
| dorade royale (Gilthead Seabream) | official species listing | — |
| rouget-barbet (Red Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| maigre (Meagre) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring european seabass on Thau and Montpellier Coast - North Central 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, 30 ft, prime for summer. 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 | SHOM-grid point (22 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (37 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 30 ft of water that rates prime for common sole in spring. 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 (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 | SHOM-grid channel edge (37 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | Deepest basin (72 ft) |
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, 13 ft, prime for spring. 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 (13 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (13 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) |
Spring thick-lipped grey mullet on Thau and Montpellier Coast - North Central hold shallow, usually 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 1 to 18 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid channel edge — channel edge, 37 ft, good for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and midday. The summer box starts with a bread fly or a small shrimp fly.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly, Tiny algae-pattern fly |
| Summer | 1 to 18 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Bread fly, Small shrimp fly |
| Fall | 2 to 22 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (37 ft) |
Spring puts flathead grey mullet in skinny water — 2 to 18 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 1 to 22 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 45 ft. SHOM-grid channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 37 ft, rated good for winter flathead grey mullet. Plan around early morning and midday in the warm months. A bread fly or a small algae-pattern fly covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly, Tiny shrimp fly |
| Summer | 1 to 22 ft | dawn & midday | Feeding flat (30 ft) | Bread fly, Small algae-pattern fly |
| Fall | 4 to 28 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Bread fly |
| Winter | 12 to 45 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (37 ft) |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 40 ft. Put SHOM-grid current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (13 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | SHOM-grid shoal (13 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Thau and Montpellier Coast - North Central also holds gilthead seabream (2 to 45 ft in summer), red mullet (4 to 70 ft in summer), atlantic mackerel (14 to 74 ft in summer), meagre (6 to 74 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 72 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 Thau and Montpellier Coast - North 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 →
Thau and Montpellier Coast - North Central is about 74 ft (23 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 MEDITS and PELMED regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, common sole, garfish, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, bluefish, gilthead seabream, red mullet, atlantic mackerel, meagre, european eel roster for Thau and Montpellier Coast - North 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.
SHOM-grid current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Thau and Montpellier Coast - North 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.
Thau and Montpellier Coast - North East 8 mi · Thau and Montpellier Coast - South Central 9 mi · Thau and Montpellier Coast - South East 11 mi · Béziers and Agde Coast - North East 14 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - North West 1 14 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - South West 1 19 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - North West 2 20 mi · Béziers and Agde Coast - South East 22 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - South West 2 23 mi · Béziers and Agde Coast - South Central 28 mi · Narbonne and Gruissan Coast - North East 31 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - North West 3 31 mi
See how Thau and Montpellier Coast - North Central stacks up: best bluefish 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.