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88,409-acre Port Darwin. Northwest 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. Northwest trip-scale surveyed footprint within Port Darwin. Darwin Harbour's arms, flats, reefs, wrecks and deep tide-scoured channels, divided around operational trip areas. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 122 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.
On the chart, Port Darwin - Northwest draws 88,400 acres inside 55.9 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 7% of this chart. The basin spans about 19.5 mi end to end and 14.2 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Bynoe Harbour - Northeast, 4 mi to the southeast.
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.
Come spring, look for barramundi tight to the bank in 2 to 18 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 18 ft; the winter hold is 11 to 35 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 24 ft of water and rates good come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, golden snapper slide up into 8 to 35 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 8 to 35 ft, winter 21 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 24 ft that scores good in fall. 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 (18 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (58 ft) | see map |
Start shallow in spring: black jewfish 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 90 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 58 ft of water that rates good for black jewfish 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 (18 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 63 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (58 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (84 ft) | see map |
Come spring, look for king threadfin tight to the bank in 2 to 16 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 16 ft; the winter hold is 10 to 35 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 24 ft of water and rates good come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
In spring, queenfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 25 ft, and they winter in 15 to 55 ft. Fall queenfish concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 24 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
Come spring, look for giant trevally tight to the bank in 4 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 18 to 80 ft. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (18 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (58 ft) | see map |
Port Darwin - Northwest 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 16 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 119 ft.
No facility from the cited Northern Territory boat ramps 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://nt.gov.au/marine/for-all-harbour-and-boat-users/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 Northern Territory waters are set by the Northern Territory Government (current recreational-fishing rules) — and special regulations can apply to Port Darwin - Northwest specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the Northern Territory's live possession and size limits and rules for specific areas before every trip. Seasonal barramundi controls, protected species, marine-park and Aboriginal land or sea-country permissions, method limits, vessel rules and local closures can apply. Remote-water access often needs separate landowner or permit approval. A mapped survey footprint, fishing spot or access lead never grants fishing, retention, entry, parking, camping or launching permission.
Check the official Northern Territory fishing regulations →
Northern Territory possession and size limits →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Port Darwin - Northwest is about 122 ft (37 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 Northern Territory Department of Agriculture and Fisheries regional evidence informs the barramundi, golden snapper, black jewfish, king threadfin, queenfish, giant trevally, mangrove jack, narrow-barred spanish mackerel, coral trout roster for Port Darwin - Northwest. 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 24 ft of water that rates prime for queenfish in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Port Darwin - Northwest is regulated by the Northern Territory Government (current recreational-fishing rules). Check the official Northern Territory regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bynoe Harbour - Northeast 4 mi · Port Darwin - North 10 mi · Bynoe Harbour - North 10 mi · Bynoe Harbour - East 16 mi · Port Darwin - Central 18 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 50 18 mi · Port Darwin - West 19 mi · Bynoe Harbour - Northwest 21 mi · Fog Bay - Northeast 21 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 43 27 mi · Bynoe Harbour - West 28 mi · Fog Bay - North 33 mi
Browse all Northern Territory 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.