Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
53,922-acre Port Phillip. West 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. West 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 51 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 53,923 acres of water rimmed by 58.6 miles of bank. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 32% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 17.1 mi, about 9.6 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Port Phillip - Central, 12 mi to the east.
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.
Start shallow in spring: australasian snapper sit in 6 to 35 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 51 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 51 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 29 ft of water that rates prime for australasian snapper in summer. 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 | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 51 ft | midday | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
Spring puts king george whiting in skinny water — 3 to 18 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 45 ft, wintering in 11 to 45 ft. Spring king george whiting concentrate at Shallow measured flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (5 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
Start shallow in spring: sand flathead sit in 8 to 35 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 51 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Deepest basin, a deep basin in the 51 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 10 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (51 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 7 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (51 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | dawn | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, black bream slide up into 2 to 16 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 2 to 16 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 29 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (16 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (16 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 2 to 16 ft | dawn | Sharp break (16 ft) | see map |
Early season australian salmon use the shallows, holding in 4 to 30 ft. Summer is a 9 to 51 ft game here, winter a 4 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 29 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, silver trevally slide up into 4 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 51 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 51 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 29 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 51 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 51 ft | midday | Sharp break (29 ft) | see map |
Port Phillip - West also holds gummy shark (8 to 51 ft in summer), yellowtail kingfish (8 to 51 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
20 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 51 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 - West 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 - West is about 51 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 - West. 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 29 ft of water that rates prime for australasian snapper in summer. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Port Phillip - West 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 - Central 12 mi · Port Phillip - North 19 mi · Port Phillip - East 23 mi · Port Phillip - Northeast 24 mi · Port Phillip - Southeast 25 mi · Western Port - Northwest 26 mi · Western Port - West 38 mi · Western Port - Southwest 41 mi · Western Port - North 42 mi · Western Port - Central 45 mi · Western Port - South 50 mi · Western Port - East 53 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.