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75,727-acre Hervey Bay. Sector 04 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. Sector 04 trip-scale surveyed footprint within Hervey Bay. A broad sheltered bay between the mainland and K'gari, with shallow banks, channels and deeper northern approaches. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 946 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Hervey Bay - Sector 04 runs 75,723 acres with 85.3 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.2) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 27% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 19.7 mi end to end and 14.2 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Hervey Bay - Sector 08, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| snapper (Australasian Snapper) | official species listing | — |
| mulloway (Mulloway) | official species listing | — |
| dusky flathead (Dusky Flathead) | official species listing | — |
| yellowfin bream (Yellowfin Bream) | official species listing | — |
| tailor (Tailor) | official species listing | — |
| queenfish (Queenfish) | official species listing | — |
| giant trevally (Giant Trevally) | official species listing | — |
| mangrove jack (Mangrove Jack) | official species listing | — |
| Spanish mackerel (Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts australasian snapper in skinny water — 6 to 35 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 16 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 21 to 120 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 44 ft, rated prime for summer australasian snapper. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 16 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
Spring puts mulloway in skinny water — 5 to 30 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 100 ft; cold water stacks them in 18 to 100 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 44 ft, rated good for summer mulloway. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 100 ft | midday | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
Spring puts dusky flathead in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 35 ft. Shallow measured flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring dusky flathead. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (15 ft) | see map |
Early season yellowfin bream use the shallows, holding in 2 to 16 ft. Summer is a 7 to 40 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 44 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, tailor slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is an 11 to 65 ft game here, winter a 15 to 65 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 44 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: queenfish in 3 to 25 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 25 ft through summer, 15 to 55 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 44 ft of water that rates prime for queenfish in winter. 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 | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (44 ft) | see map |
Hervey Bay - Sector 04 also holds giant trevally (4 to 30 ft in summer), mangrove jack (2 to 18 ft in summer), narrow-barred spanish mackerel (8 to 45 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Hervey Bay - Sector 04 carries 17 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 745 ft down.
No facility from the cited Queensland recreational boating facilities source was spatially attached within 3 km of this directly measured map footprint during the 2026-09-08 audit. This is an evidence gap, not a claim that public access is absent. Check the official portal, live site signs, tides, ramp condition, vessel suitability, fees, parking, working-port restrictions and landowner permissions before travel: https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities-queensland
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Queensland waters are set by the Queensland Government (current recreational-fishing rules) — and special regulations can apply to Hervey Bay - Sector 04 specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check Queensland's live tidal-water size and possession limits, closed seasons and closed waters before every trip. During a closed season, official guidance can prohibit targeting a species even for catch-and-release. Also verify marine-park zoning, protected and no-take species, gear rules, bait-movement controls and local access directions. A mapped survey footprint or fishing spot is not legal permission to fish, retain catch, enter, park or launch.
Check the official Queensland fishing regulations →
Queensland Government tidal-water limits →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Hervey Bay - Sector 04 is about 946 ft (288 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 Queensland Department of Primary Industries regional evidence informs the australasian snapper, mulloway, dusky flathead, yellowfin bream, tailor, queenfish, giant trevally, mangrove jack, narrow-barred spanish mackerel roster for Hervey Bay - Sector 04. 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 44 ft of water that rates prime for australasian snapper in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For australasian snapper, 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 Hervey Bay - Sector 04 is regulated by the Queensland Government (current recreational-fishing rules). Check the official Queensland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Hervey Bay - Sector 08 13 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 07 22 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 15 53 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 14 57 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 19 66 mi · Wide Bay - North 86 mi · Shoal Bay 128 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 03 161 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 02 162 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 04 178 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 05 179 mi · Statue Bay 179 mi
Browse all Queensland 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.