Salt water depth chart
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15,849-acre Port Phillip. Northeast 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. Northeast trip-scale surveyed footprint within Port Phillip. Victoria's largest enclosed marine bay, divided around its shallow banks, deep central basin, reefs and narrow entrance. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 53 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.
Port Phillip - Northeast maps at 15,848 acres behind 25.2 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. About 24% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 8.3 mi end to end and 4.5 mi across at its widest. Its nearest charted neighbour, Port Phillip - North, is 6 mi to the 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 | — |
| King George whiting (King George Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| sand flathead (Sand Flathead) | official species listing | — |
| black bream (Black Bream) | official species listing | — |
| Australian salmon (Australian Salmon) | official species listing | — |
| silver trevally (Silver Trevally) | official species listing | — |
| gummy shark (Gummy Shark) | official species listing | — |
| yellowtail kingfish (Yellowtail Kingfish) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring australasian snapper on Port Phillip - Northeast hold shallow, usually 6 to 35 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 53 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 53 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 35 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
Early season king george whiting use the shallows, holding in 3 to 18 ft. Summer is an 8 to 45 ft game here, winter an 11 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 35 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (19 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
Come spring, look for sand flathead tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 11 to 53 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 35 ft. Start at Deepest basin. It's a deep basin holding about 48 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (48 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (48 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | dawn | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
In spring, black bream run shallow here, mostly 2 to 16 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 16 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 35 ft, rated good for summer black bream. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 2 to 16 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: australian salmon in 4 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 9 to 53 ft before dropping to 4 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for australian salmon in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
In spring, silver trevally run shallow here, mostly 4 to 30 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 53 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 53 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 35 ft, rated prime for summer silver trevally. 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 (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 12 to 53 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | see map |
Port Phillip - Northeast also holds gummy shark (8 to 53 ft in summer), yellowtail kingfish (8 to 53 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 10 structure features on Port Phillip - Northeast; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 48 ft.
No facility from the cited Victorian 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://discover.data.vic.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Victoria waters are set by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (current recreational-fishing guide) — and special regulations can apply to Port Phillip - Northeast specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the live Victorian recreational-fishing guide and licence requirements before every trip. Size and possession limits, closed seasons and waters, marine parks, protected species, permitted equipment and local port or council directions may all apply. A directly measured bathymetry footprint, fishing-spot marker or nearby access lead is planning context only; it never grants fishing, retention, entry, parking or launching permission.
Check the official Victoria fishing regulations →
Victorian Fisheries Authority →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Port Phillip - Northeast is about 53 ft (16 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 Victorian Fisheries Authority regional evidence informs the australasian snapper, king george whiting, sand flathead, black bream, australian salmon, silver trevally, gummy shark, yellowtail kingfish roster for Port Phillip - Northeast. 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 35 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 Port Phillip - Northeast is regulated by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (current recreational-fishing guide). Check the official Victoria regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Port Phillip - North 6 mi · Port Phillip - East 12 mi · Port Phillip - Central 13 mi · Western Port - Northwest 22 mi · Port Phillip - West 24 mi · Port Phillip - Southeast 25 mi · Western Port - North 33 mi · Western Port - West 39 mi · Western Port - Central 40 mi · Western Port - Southwest 44 mi · Western Port - East 44 mi · Western Port - South 48 mi
Browse all Victoria 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.