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26,558-acre Wide Bay. North 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. North trip-scale surveyed footprint within Wide Bay. The Great Sandy Strait's southern ocean gateway, with bars, channels, island edges and tidal flats. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 65 ft. The depth chart comes from Geoscience Australia / AusSeabed bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 26,558 acres of water rimmed by 97.9 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Tip to tip the water measures near 18.9 mi with a 7.5-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Hervey Bay - Sector 19, 21 mi north of here.
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 | — |
| dusky flathead (Dusky Flathead) | official species listing | — |
| yellowfin bream (Yellowfin Bream) | official species listing | — |
| tailor (Tailor) | official species listing | — |
| queenfish (Queenfish) | official species listing | — |
| giant trevally (Giant Trevally) | official species listing | — |
| mangrove jack (Mangrove Jack) | official species listing | — |
| Spanish mackerel (Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts australasian snapper in skinny water — 6 to 35 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 65 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 65 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 26 ft, rated prime for summer australasian snapper. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 11 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
Spring puts mulloway in skinny water — 5 to 30 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 65 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 65 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 26 ft, rated good for summer mulloway. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 9 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 5 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 12 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
Spring puts dusky flathead in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 35 ft. Shallow measured flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring dusky flathead. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow measured flat (7 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
Early season yellowfin bream use the shallows, holding in 2 to 16 ft. Summer is a 7 to 40 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 26 ft, good for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 7 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 2 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
When the water first warms, tailor slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is an 11 to 65 ft game here, winter a 15 to 65 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 26 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 11 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 65 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: queenfish in 3 to 25 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 25 ft through summer, 15 to 55 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for queenfish in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | see map |
Wide Bay - North also holds giant trevally (4 to 30 ft in summer), mangrove jack (2 to 18 ft in summer), narrow-barred spanish mackerel (8 to 45 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
10 pieces of structure are mapped here — Sharp break, around 38 ft, is the deepest of them.
No facility from the cited Queensland 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://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities-queensland
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Queensland waters are set by the Queensland Government (current recreational-fishing rules) — and special regulations can apply to Wide Bay - North specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check Queensland's live tidal-water size and possession limits, closed seasons and closed waters before every trip. During a closed season, official guidance can prohibit targeting a species even for catch-and-release. Also verify marine-park zoning, protected and no-take species, gear rules, bait-movement controls and local access directions. A mapped survey footprint or fishing spot is not legal permission to fish, retain catch, enter, park or launch.
Check the official Queensland fishing regulations →
Queensland Government tidal-water limits →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Wide Bay - North is about 65 ft (20 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 Queensland Department of Primary Industries regional evidence informs the australasian snapper, mulloway, dusky flathead, yellowfin bream, tailor, queenfish, giant trevally, mangrove jack, narrow-barred spanish mackerel roster for Wide Bay - North. 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 26 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 Wide Bay - North is regulated by the Queensland Government (current recreational-fishing rules). Check the official Queensland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Hervey Bay - Sector 19 21 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 15 34 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 14 36 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 07 67 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 08 73 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 02 80 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 03 82 mi · Hervey Bay - Sector 04 86 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 04 94 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 05 96 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 08 108 mi · Moreton Bay - Sector 07 108 mi
Browse all Queensland 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.