Salt water depth chart
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9,338-acre Cockburn Sound. West 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. West 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 57 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed 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 9,339 acres wrapped in 27 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 30% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 12 mi end to end and 2.2 mi across at its widest. Its nearest charted neighbour, Cockburn Sound - Northeast, is 6 mi to the west.
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.
Spring mulloway on Cockburn Sound - West hold shallow, usually 5 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 57 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 57 ft. The chart's best answer is Deepest basin — deep basin, 56 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (56 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (56 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 57 ft | midday | Deepest basin (56 ft) | see map |
Spring yellowtail kingfish on Cockburn Sound - West hold shallow, usually 8 to 45 ft. They move out to 9 to 57 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 57 ft. Put Shoreline point first on the milk run — a point near 17 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (17 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 12 to 57 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
Spring puts tailor in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 57 ft; cold water stacks them in 13 to 57 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for summer tailor. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (17 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 10 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 13 to 57 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
In spring, silver trevally run shallow here, mostly 4 to 30 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 57 ft, and winter fish settle into 13 to 57 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for summer silver trevally. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (17 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 10 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 13 to 57 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
In spring, gummy shark run shallow here, mostly 8 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 57 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. Deepest basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 56 ft, rated prime for summer gummy shark. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (56 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 57 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (56 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
Early season king george whiting use the shallows, holding in 3 to 18 ft. Summer is an 8 to 45 ft game here, winter an 11 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 20 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (17 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | see map |
Cockburn Sound - West carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 56 ft down.
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 - West 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 - West is about 57 ft (17 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 - West. 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.
Deepest basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 56 ft of water that rates prime for mulloway in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 - West 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 6 mi · Cockburn Sound - Central 13 mi · Cockburn Sound - Northwest 15 mi · Yanchep Lagoon 44 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 04 76 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 03 78 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 08 87 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 07 94 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 11 103 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 06 103 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 05 104 mi · Geographe Bay - Sector 10 105 mi
See how Cockburn Sound - West 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.