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.
22,900-acre Vilaine Estuary. South East 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 lower Vilaine and coastal approaches, with river plume, mud banks, rock points and tidal channels. This page covers the south east angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 49 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Vilaine Estuary - South East draws 22,884 acres inside 53.6 miles of shoreline — 2 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 59% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 13.8 mi with a 7.4-mi widest point. For a second option, Loire Estuary - North West 2 lies 9 mi northeast.
Vilaine Estuary — South East, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 15 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.
In spring, european seabass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 49 ft for winter. Summer european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a prime-rated current seam around 20 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (20 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (20 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (20 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 9 to 49 ft | midday | Deepest basin (49 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, common sole slide up into 6 to 30 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 30 ft, winter 14 to 49 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 18 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a light rolling-lead rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (25 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 14 to 49 ft | night | Deepest basin (49 ft) |
Early season european flounder use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 6 to 35 ft game here, winter a 15 to 49 ft one. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 18 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom jig with spinner blade and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (38 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 49 ft | midday | Deepest basin (49 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Spring puts european plaice in skinny water — 8 to 35 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 40 ft, wintering in 15 to 49 ft. Spring european plaice concentrate at Feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 18 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (18 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 49 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (25 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 15 to 49 ft | midday | Deepest basin (49 ft) |
Spring puts whiting in skinny water — 13 to 49 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 14 to 49 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 49 ft. Spring whiting concentrate at SHOM-grid channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 25 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 13 to 49 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (25 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 14 to 49 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (49 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 8 to 49 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (25 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 11 to 49 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (49 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: garfish in 1 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 49 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shoreline point, a point in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for garfish in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (20 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 15 to 49 ft | midday | Deepest basin (49 ft) |
Vilaine Estuary - South East also holds atlantic mackerel (9 to 49 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 49 ft in summer), thornback ray (8 to 49 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (14 to 49 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Vilaine Estuary - South East; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 49 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 Vilaine Estuary - South East 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 →
Vilaine Estuary - South East is about 49 ft (15 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, 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 Vilaine Estuary - South East. 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 20 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Vilaine Estuary - South East 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.
Loire Estuary - North West 2 9 mi · Vilaine Estuary - South Central 10 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 1 12 mi · Loire Estuary - South West 2 12 mi · Loire Estuary - North West 3 15 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - South East 15 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - South West 4 20 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - North West 21 mi · Golfe du Morbihan - Middle East 22 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - Middle West 4 24 mi · Quiberon and Belle-Île - South West 3 29 mi · Baie de Bourgneuf - South West 31 mi
See how Vilaine Estuary - South East 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.