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98,258-acre Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast. South West 4 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 south west 4 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 124 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 rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 98,141 acres wrapped in 55.4 miles of bank. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Roughly 5% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 20.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 15.8 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Pertuis Breton - North West is 8 mi to the east.
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast — South West 4, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 38 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.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 31 ft that scores good in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| 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 (31 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (31 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic mackerel in 5 to 45 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 80 ft, wintering in 30 to 120 ft. Top water on the chart: SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in the 50 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a feather rig or a small vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (50 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (50 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Deepest basin (124 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, garfish slide up into 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 2 to 20 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at SHOM-grid shoal. It's a gravel shoal holding about 22 ft of water and rates good come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (22 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (31 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (50 ft) |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 6 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 30 ft, and they winter in 20 to 70 ft. Winter common sole concentrate at SHOM-grid channel edge, a good-rated channel edge around 62 ft. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a light rolling-lead rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) |
In spring, brill run shallow here, mostly 10 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 50 ft before dropping to 30 to 90 ft for winter. Spring brill concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 43 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small shad on a bottom jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 45 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) |
In spring, thornback ray run shallow here, mostly 15 to 60 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 65 ft before dropping to 30 to 100 ft for winter. Spring thornback ray concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 43 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 60 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 75 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) | |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (62 ft) |
Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 4 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 - South West 4; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 124 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 - South West 4 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 - South West 4 is about 124 ft (38 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 - South West 4. 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 50 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in fall. 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 - South West 4 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.
Pertuis Breton - North West 8 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 3 12 mi · Pertuis Breton - South West 13 mi · Pertuis Breton - North Central 14 mi · Pertuis Breton - South Central 20 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 3 21 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 2 24 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - North West 24 mi · Pertuis Breton - South East 27 mi · Pertuis d’Antioche - North Central 29 mi · Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - North West 2 29 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South Central 31 mi
See how Vendée and Île d’Yeu Coast - South West 4 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.