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17,424-acre Port Stephens. 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 Stephens. A large drowned-river harbour of channels, sand shoals, seagrass and exposed entrance structure. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 154 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.
Port Stephens - Northeast maps at 17,424 acres behind 26.3 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. Roughly 10% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 10.7 mi with a 4.6-mi widest point. If the bite dies, Port Stephens - West is 9 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 | — |
| mulloway (Mulloway) | official species listing | — |
| yellowtail kingfish (Yellowtail Kingfish) | official species listing | — |
| dusky flathead (Dusky Flathead) | official species listing | — |
| yellowfin bream (Yellowfin Bream) | official species listing | — |
| Australian salmon (Australian Salmon) | official species listing | — |
| tailor (Tailor) | official species listing | — |
| silver trevally (Silver Trevally) | official species listing | — |
| luderick (Luderick) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Early season australasian snapper use the shallows, holding in 6 to 35 ft. Summer is a 16 to 120 ft game here, winter a 21 to 120 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 32 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 16 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
Early season mulloway use the shallows, holding in 5 to 30 ft. Summer is a 14 to 100 ft game here, winter an 18 to 100 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 32 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 100 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
Early season yellowtail kingfish use the shallows, holding in 8 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 130 ft, then a winter hold in 27 to 130 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 32 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 20 to 130 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 91 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 27 to 130 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
Early season dusky flathead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 7 to 35 ft game here, winter a 9 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 13 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
Spring puts yellowfin bream in skinny water — 2 to 16 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 13 ft, rated good for summer yellowfin bream. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
Start shallow in spring: australian salmon sit in 4 to 30 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for australian salmon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (13 ft) | see map |
Port Stephens - Northeast also holds tailor (11 to 65 ft in summer), silver trevally (14 to 80 ft in summer), luderick (6 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 154 ft, is the deepest of them.
No facility from the cited Transport for NSW Maritime 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://data.nsw.gov.au/data/dataset/2-maritime-nsw-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 New South Wales waters are set by the NSW DPIRD (current saltwater recreational-fishing guide) — and special regulations can apply to Port Stephens - Northeast specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the live NSW saltwater guide before every trip, including current size and possession limits, seasonal and spatial closures, marine parks, protected species, permitted gear, intertidal collection rules and any local harbour or council directions. A directly measured depth cell, fishing-spot marker or access lead does not establish permission to fish, retain a catch, enter port land, park or launch, and rules can differ across one mapped operational section.
Check the official New South Wales fishing regulations →
NSW DPIRD fish species and current rules →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Port Stephens - Northeast is about 154 ft (47 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 NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development regional evidence informs the australasian snapper, mulloway, yellowtail kingfish, dusky flathead, yellowfin bream, australian salmon, tailor, silver trevally, luderick roster for Port Stephens - 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 32 ft of water that rates prime for australasian snapper in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Stephens - Northeast is regulated by the NSW DPIRD (current saltwater recreational-fishing guide). Check the official New South Wales regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Port Stephens - West 9 mi · Port Stephens - North 16 mi · Broken Bay - Northwest 59 mi · Broken Bay - North 64 mi · Sydney Harbour 80 mi · Botany Bay 91 mi · Trial Bay - Northwest 152 mi · Batemans Bay - North 221 mi · Byron Bay - North 302 mi · Byron Bay - Northwest 310 mi · Wommin Lagoon 335 mi · Isman Inlet 349 mi, VIC
See how Port Stephens - Northeast stacks up: best australasian snapper lakes in New South Wales · best mulloway lakes in New South Wales · best yellowtail kingfish lakes in New South Wales · best dusky flathead lakes in New South Wales
Browse all New South Wales 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.