Steep Point
Western Australia · Land-based cliffs
The most westerly point of mainland Australia and the most famous land-based game fishing platform in the country. Sheer cliffs drop into deep blue water where mackerel, tuna and GTs feed within casting range.
Fishing Steep Point
Anglers know Steep Point as a land-based cliffs in Western Australia. The species most people target here are Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Yellowfin Tuna and Cobia, and the mix shifts through the year with water temperature and bait movement.
Learn how the water moves here before you settle on a spot; the productive ground is usually smaller than it looks.
On seasonality, mar–oct — get your trips inside that period and you remove most of the guesswork.
Access is straightforward enough once you know it — remote 4WD only, permits and full self-sufficiency required.
The single thing that changes results most at Steep Point is the detail locals take for granted — balloon-drift live baits out from the ledges for mackerel and tuna. Everything else is refinement on top of that.
Local tips
- ▸Balloon-drift live baits out from the ledges for mackerel and tuna.
- ▸Carry everything — there is no fuel, water or phone reception.
- ▸Never fish the low ledges in a rising swell.
Check current closures, marine park zoning and licence requirements with the relevant state fisheries authority. Conditions on tidal and offshore water change quickly — always check the forecast and tell someone your plans.
Licences and rules
Western Australia sets its own licence requirements, size and bag limits and closed seasons, and they change through the year. Confirm the current position with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development — Fisheries before you fish Steep Point.
Species guides for Steep Point
- Spanish Mackerel — Blistering speed and long runs. Spaniards patrol current lines and shoals hunting bait schools.
- Giant Trevally — The most brutal topwater strike in Australian fishing, delivered by a fish built entirely of muscle.
- Yellowfin Tuna — Blue-water speedsters that hunt the continental shelf, prized for both the fight and the table.
- Cobia — A curious, powerful pelagic that shadows structure, rays and even boats — and pulls harder than its size suggests.
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Steep Point?
Steep Point holds Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Yellowfin Tuna, Cobia. The most westerly point of mainland Australia and the most famous land-based game fishing platform in the country. Sheer cliffs drop into deep blue water where mackerel, tuna and GTs feed within casting range.
When is the best time to fish Steep Point?
Mar–Oct. As a rule, the hours either side of a tide change and the dawn and dusk bite windows produce the most fish here.
How do you access Steep Point?
Remote 4WD only, permits and full self-sufficiency required.
Do you need a fishing licence at Steep Point?
A Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence is required for boat-based fishing. Separate licences cover rock lobster, abalone, marron, net fishing and freshwater angling. Confirm current rules with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development — Fisheries before you fish.
Nearby waters to Steep Point
Closest locations in the directory if Steep Point is blown out or crowded.
- Shark Bay and Denham, Western Australia46 km away · bay and flats
- Kalbarri, Western Australia199 km away · also holds spanish mackerel
- Geraldton and the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia290 km away · also holds spanish mackerel
- Coral Bay, Western Australia342 km away · also holds giant trevally
- Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia481 km away · also holds giant trevally
- Jurien Bay, Western Australia496 km away · bay and reef
What swims here
Species profiles for the fish Steep Point is known for.
- Spanish MackerelTrolled garfish — best tide changes around reef edges and shoals
- Giant TrevallyPoppers and stickbaits — best tide change over reef flats and bommies
- Yellowfin TunaCubing — best first light along shelf lines and current edges
- CobiaLive baits — best mid-tide over structure
Plan this session
- Fish Finder spot mapDepth contours and structure scoring centred on Steep Point (10–100 m).
- Bite times calculatorTide and moon windows for Western Australia so you fish Steep Point on moving water.
- Catch logLog sessions at Steep Point and build your own pattern over a season.
- Guided chartersLocal skippers who run Western Australia trips if you'd rather learn the water with a guide.
Where to fish for Steep Point right now
The Local Knowledge Fish Finder scores real Australian spots against live tide, moon phase, wind, water temperature and season, then ranks the best places to start today — with marine charts and depth contours built in.
- ▸ Ranked pins for Steep Point near you
- ▸ Depth contours and seamarks on the chart
- ▸ Live tide, moon, wind and water temp
- ▸ Free for 7 days, then $7.99/month
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