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121,917-acre Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast. North West 1 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 Vendée coast and Île d’Yeu approaches, with reefs, surf beaches, island current and port structure. This page covers the north west 1 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 215 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 runs 121,710 acres with 68.2 miles of edge. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. About 1% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 20.2 mi, about 18.9 mi across. For a second option, Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 2 lies 12 mi east.
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast — North West 1, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 66 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 | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | 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 | — |
| bonite à dos rayé (Atlantic Bonito) | official species listing | — |
| dorade royale (Gilthead Seabream) | official species listing | — |
| maigre (Meagre) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Start shallow in spring: european seabass sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 55 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 4 ft range, good in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Come spring, look for atlantic mackerel tight to the bank in 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 30 to 120 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (108 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring puts garfish in skinny water — 1 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Shoreline point is the standout, a point at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring garfish. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly covers the summer program.
| 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 (12 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water |
Early season common sole use the shallows, holding in 6 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 20 to 70 ft. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 22 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a light rolling-lead rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
Early season brill use the shallows, holding in 10 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 90 ft. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 22 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small shad on a bottom jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 45 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | open water |
Early season thornback ray use the shallows, holding in 15 to 60 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 65 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 100 ft. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 22 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 75 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (22 ft) | |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (108 ft) |
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 also holds thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), bluefish (5 to 30 ft in summer), atlantic bonito (5 to 90 ft in summer), gilthead seabream (2 to 45 ft in summer), meagre (8 to 100 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.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 211 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 Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 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 →
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 is about 215 ft (66 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, atlantic mackerel, garfish, common sole, brill, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, bluefish, atlantic bonito, gilthead seabream, meagre, european eel roster for Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1. 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.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for garfish in spring. 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 Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 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.
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 2 12 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South West 16 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 1 17 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South Central 21 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 2 21 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 3 23 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - North West 23 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 3 29 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 1 33 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 2 33 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 4 40 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South Central 42 mi
See how Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 1 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.