Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
22,831-acre Cleveland Bay. 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 Cleveland Bay. Townsville's tropical bay, including creek mouths, port channels, reef approaches and Magnetic Island-facing water. The displayed footprint is not a legal boundary or a claim of complete named-water coverage. The water tops out around 75 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.
Cleveland Bay - West maps at 22,831 acres behind 41.8 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 10% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 11.8 mi long by 8.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. Bowling Green Bay - West sits 8 mi south — the closest neighbouring chart.
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 | — |
| 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, 20 to 75 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 32 ft range, good in fall. 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 (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 20 to 75 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 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 18 to 75 ft. Start at Deepest basin. It's a deep basin holding about 75 ft of water and rates prime come winter. 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 | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 63 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 18 to 75 ft | midday | Deepest basin (75 ft) | 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 32 ft that grades prime for fall. 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 | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 15 to 55 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 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, 17 to 75 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for giant trevally in fall. 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 | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 17 to 75 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 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 17 to 75 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 32 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 | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 7 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 17 to 75 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
Early season coral trout use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 35 ft; winter keeps them in 16 to 75 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 32 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Fall | 8 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
| Winter | 16 to 75 ft | midday | Sharp break (32 ft) | see map |
Cleveland Bay - West carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 75 ft down.
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 Cleveland Bay - West 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 →
Cleveland Bay - West is about 75 ft (23 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 golden snapper, black jewfish, queenfish, giant trevally, narrow-barred spanish mackerel, coral trout roster for Cleveland Bay - 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.
Deepest basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for black jewfish 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 Cleveland Bay - West 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.
Bowling Green Bay - West 8 mi · Cleveland Bay - East 9 mi · Bowling Green Bay - Central 13 mi · Bowling Green Bay - South 18 mi · Cleveland Bay - Northeast 19 mi · Bowling Green Bay - East 25 mi · Bowling Green Bay - Southeast 30 mi · Coconut Bay 104 mi · White Bay 150 mi · Trinity Inlet - North 182 mi · Trinity Inlet - Northwest 185 mi · Joseph Bay 194 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.