Salt water depth chart
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25,020-acre Western Port. 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 Western Port. A tidal bay of branching channels, extensive flats, islands and high-current ocean entrances. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 108 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 25,020 acres of water rimmed by 25.8 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. About 17% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 9.8 mi, about 6.2 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Western Port - Southwest, 6 mi to the south.
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, 14 to 108 ft, and winter fish settle into 19 to 108 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 34 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 (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 108 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (34 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 19 to 108 ft | midday | Sharp break (34 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. Summer king george whiting concentrate at Sharp break, a good-rated drop-off around 11 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 | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (11 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 16 to 80 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 34 ft range, good 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 | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 16 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (34 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | dawn | Sharp break (11 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 11 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 (11 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 2 to 16 ft | dawn | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
Early season australian salmon use the shallows, holding in 4 to 30 ft. Summer is a 14 to 80 ft game here, winter a 4 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 34 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 (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (34 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (15 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, silver trevally slide up into 4 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 14 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 18 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 34 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 (15 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 14 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (34 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (11 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (34 ft) | see map |
Western Port - West also holds gummy shark (16 to 108 ft in summer), yellowtail kingfish (17 to 108 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 96 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 Western Port - 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 →
Western Port - West is about 108 ft (33 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 Western Port - 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 34 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 Western Port - 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.
Western Port - Southwest 6 mi · Western Port - Central 10 mi · Western Port - South 12 mi · Port Phillip - Southeast 15 mi · Western Port - North 16 mi · Western Port - Northwest 17 mi · Western Port - East 20 mi · Western Port - Southeast 23 mi · Port Phillip - East 27 mi · Port Phillip - Central 32 mi · Port Phillip - West 38 mi · Port Phillip - Northeast 39 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.