Salt water depth chart
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48,545-acre Moreton Bay. Sector 03 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 03 trip-scale surveyed footprint within Moreton Bay. A vast subtropical bay of banks, channels, islands, river plumes and multiple ocean entrances. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 449 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 48,545 acres of water rimmed by 140.4 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. An index of 4.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Roughly 3% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 18.3 mi, about 12 mi across. For a second option, Moreton Bay - Sector 02 lies 14 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 | — |
| tailor (Tailor) | official species listing | — |
| queenfish (Queenfish) | official species listing | — |
| giant trevally (Giant Trevally) | 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. As the season builds they drop to 16 to 120 ft, wintering in 21 to 120 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| 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 | open water | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 120 ft | midday | open water | see map |
Spring puts mulloway in skinny water — 5 to 30 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 14 to 100 ft, wintering in 18 to 100 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| 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 | open water | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 100 ft | midday | open water | see map |
When the water first warms, tailor slide up into 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. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 65 ft | midday | open water | 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. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | open water | see map |
Early season giant trevally use the shallows, holding in 4 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 18 to 80 ft. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | open water | see map |
Spring puts narrow-barred spanish mackerel in skinny water — 8 to 45 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 8 to 45 ft, and winter fish hold in 27 to 120 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 | open water | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 27 to 120 ft | midday | open water | see map |
The chart marks 7 structure features on Moreton Bay - Sector 03; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 449 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 Moreton Bay - Sector 03 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 →
Moreton Bay - Sector 03 is about 449 ft (137 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, tailor, queenfish, giant trevally, narrow-barred spanish mackerel roster for Moreton Bay - Sector 03. 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.
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 Moreton Bay - Sector 03 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.
Moreton Bay - Sector 02 14 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 05 23 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 04 31 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 08 35 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 07 40 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 11 47 mi · Wide Bay - North 82 mi · Wommin Lagoon 93 mi, NSW · Hervey Bay - Sector 19 103 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 15 115 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 14 118 mi · Byron Bay - Northwest 119 mi, NSW
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.