Salt water depth chart
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37,353-acre Hervey Bay. Sector 15 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 15 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 77 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed 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.
Drawn out, this is 37,353 acres of water rimmed by 120.3 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 4.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 81% of this chart. Figure 13.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 8.3 mi at the beam. For a second option, Hervey Bay - Sector 14 lies 10 mi 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 10 to 77 ft; cold water stacks them in 13 to 77 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 77 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 | Shoreline point (10 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 10 to 77 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (77 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 77 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (77 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 13 to 77 ft | midday | Sharp break (77 ft) | see map |
Spring puts mulloway in skinny water — 5 to 30 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 11 to 77 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 77 ft. Deepest basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 77 ft, rated prime 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 | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 77 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (77 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 14 to 77 ft | midday | Deepest basin (77 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 | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (10 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, 10 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 | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (10 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 52 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 | Shoreline point (10 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 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 10 ft of water that rates prime for queenfish in fall. 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 (10 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (52 ft) | see map |
Hervey Bay - Sector 15 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 15 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 77 ft.
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 15 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 15 is about 77 ft (23 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 15. 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 77 ft of water that rates prime for australasian snapper in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 15 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 14 10 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 19 13 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 07 33 mi · Wide Bay - North 34 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 08 41 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 04 53 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 02 113 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 03 115 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 04 128 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 05 130 mi · Shoal Bay 142 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 08 142 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.