Salt water depth chart
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94,137-acre Cockburn Sound. Northwest Australian saltwater fishing map showing only directly measured AusBathyTopo 2026 cells, source-qualified fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage context, access guidance and current-rule links. Northwest trip-scale surveyed footprint within Cockburn Sound. Perth's island-sheltered sound, with shipping channels, seagrass, reefs, jetties and measured port approaches. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 121 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 94,143 acres of water rimmed by 53.4 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 2% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 15.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 14.2 mi at the beam. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Cockburn Sound - Northeast, 13 mi south of here.
Regional occurrence does not mean equal abundance, child-specific catch rate, retention permission or a promised catch. Live state, territory, Commonwealth, protected-area and local 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 |
|---|---|---|
| mulloway (Mulloway) | official species listing | — |
| yellowtail kingfish (Yellowtail Kingfish) | official species listing | — |
| tailor (Tailor) | official species listing | — |
| silver trevally (Silver Trevally) | official species listing | — |
| gummy shark (Gummy Shark) | official species listing | — |
| King George whiting (King George Whiting) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: mulloway in 5 to 30 ft. As the season builds they drop to 14 to 100 ft, wintering in 18 to 100 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 52 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 100 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
Spring puts yellowtail kingfish in skinny water — 8 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 19 to 121 ft, wintering in 25 to 121 ft. Summer yellowtail kingfish concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 52 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 19 to 121 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 91 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 25 to 121 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
Spring tailor on Cockburn Sound - Northwest hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 11 to 65 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 65 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 12 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
Come spring, look for silver trevally tight to the bank in 4 to 30 ft. Expect a summer slide to 14 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 18 to 80 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 52 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
Come spring, look for gummy shark tight to the bank in 8 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 18 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Start at Deepest basin. It's a deep basin holding about 117 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 18 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (117 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Feeding flat (32 ft) | see map |
In spring, king george whiting run shallow here, mostly 3 to 18 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 45 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 45 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 12 ft, rated good for summer king george whiting. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (12 ft) | see map |
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 117 ft.
Access data: Western Australia Department of Transport Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Western Australia waters are set by the WA DPIRD (current recreational-fishing rules) — and special regulations can apply to Cockburn Sound - Northwest specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check WA DPIRD's live regional guide, licences, demersal-management measures, species limits, seasonal and spatial closures, marine parks, protected species and permitted gear before every trip. Species available to target can change by bioregion and date; a regional occurrence record is not an open-season signal. A directly measured contour, fishing spot or access lead never grants fishing, retention, port entry, parking or launching permission.
Check the official Western Australia fishing regulations →
WA DPIRD current recreational-fishing guides →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Cockburn Sound - Northwest is about 121 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development regional evidence informs the mulloway, yellowtail kingfish, tailor, silver trevally, gummy shark, king george whiting roster for Cockburn Sound - Northwest. 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.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 52 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail kingfish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For mulloway, 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 Cockburn Sound - Northwest is regulated by the WA DPIRD (current recreational-fishing rules). Check the official Western Australia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cockburn Sound - Northeast 13 mi · Cockburn Sound - West 15 mi · Cockburn Sound - Central 26 mi · Yanchep Lagoon 29 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 04 89 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 03 91 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 08 100 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 07 107 mi · Jurien Bay - West 112 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 05 114 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 06 114 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 11 115 mi
See how Cockburn Sound - Northwest stacks up: best mulloway lakes in Western Australia · best yellowtail kingfish lakes in Western Australia · best king george whiting lakes in Western Australia · best tailor lakes in Western Australia
Browse all Western Australia 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.