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23,832-acre Van Diemen Gulf. Sector 39 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 39 trip-scale surveyed footprint within Van Diemen Gulf. A very large tropical gulf between the Top End and Cobourg Peninsula, divided across major channels and coastal sectors. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 141 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 maps at 23,832 acres behind 47.3 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.2) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 9% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 16.2 mi, about 8.6 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 38, is 13 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
| Spanish mackerel (Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| coral trout (Coral Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
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. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 63 ft range, good in winter. 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 | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 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. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 63 ft of water and rates good come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 63 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 21 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 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. 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 | open water | see map |
| Summer | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 35 ft | midday | open water | 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. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 63 ft that grades good for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (43 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 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. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 63 ft of water that rates prime for giant trevally in winter. 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 (39 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
Early season narrow-barred spanish mackerel use the shallows, holding in 8 to 45 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 45 ft; winter keeps them in 27 to 120 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 63 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (39 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 27 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (63 ft) | see map |
Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 also holds coral trout (8 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 139 ft down.
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 Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 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 →
Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 is about 141 ft (43 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 golden snapper, black jewfish, king threadfin, queenfish, giant trevally, narrow-barred spanish mackerel, coral trout roster for Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39. 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 63 ft of water that rates prime for giant trevally in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For golden 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 Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 39 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.
Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 38 13 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 46 16 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 31 20 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 47 24 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 33 27 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 30 28 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 37 29 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 24 31 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 26 32 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 44 35 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 48 36 mi · Van Diemen Gulf - Sector 34 40 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.