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129,163-acre Nickol Bay. Sector 08 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 08 trip-scale surveyed footprint within Nickol Bay. A Pilbara bay around Dampier and Karratha, with island channels, reefs, port structure and tidal flats. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 100 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.
The drawn water covers 129,179 acres wrapped in 77.4 miles of bank — one island included. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 7% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 20.7 mi end to end and 19.8 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Nickol Bay - Sector 13 is 10 mi to the south.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| barramundi (Barramundi) | official species listing | — |
| golden snapper (Golden Snapper) | official species listing | — |
| black jewfish (Black Jewfish) | official species listing | — |
| king threadfin (King Threadfin) | 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 | — |
| coral trout (Coral Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: barramundi in 2 to 18 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 18 ft through summer, 11 to 35 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 8 ft range, good in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) | see map |
Start shallow in spring: golden snapper sit in 8 to 35 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 8 to 35 ft covers summer, 21 to 80 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates good for golden snapper in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, black jewfish slide up into 8 to 35 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 8 to 35 ft, winter 21 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deepest basin: a deep basin around 89 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 63 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 90 ft | midday | Deepest basin (89 ft) | see map |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: king threadfin in 2 to 16 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 16 ft through summer, 10 to 35 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow measured flat, a feeding flat in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (4 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (4 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (4 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) | see map |
Early season queenfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 25 ft; winter keeps them in 15 to 55 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 8 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (42 ft) | see map |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: giant trevally in 4 to 30 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 30 ft through summer, 18 to 80 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. 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 (6 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
Nickol Bay - Sector 08 also holds mangrove jack (2 to 18 ft in summer), narrow-barred spanish mackerel (8 to 45 ft in summer), coral trout (8 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Nickol Bay - Sector 08 carries 24 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 89 ft down.
No facility from the cited Western Australia Department of Transport Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033) 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://catalogue.data.wa.gov.au/dataset/boat-ramps
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
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 Nickol Bay - Sector 08 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 →
Nickol Bay - Sector 08 is about 100 ft (30 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 barramundi, golden snapper, black jewfish, king threadfin, queenfish, giant trevally, mangrove jack, narrow-barred spanish mackerel, coral trout roster for Nickol Bay - Sector 08. 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 89 ft of water that rates prime for black jewfish in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For barramundi, 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 Nickol Bay - Sector 08 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.
Nickol Bay - Sector 13 10 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 09 14 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 07 16 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 14 19 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 12 19 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 06 29 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 10 29 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 15 31 mi · Nickol Bay - Sector 11 35 mi · Forestier Bay 53 mi · Diver Inlet 66 mi · Claret Bay 95 mi
See how Nickol Bay - Sector 08 stacks up: best barramundi lakes in Western Australia · best golden snapper lakes in Western Australia · best black jewfish lakes in Western Australia · best king threadfin 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.