Cleeland Bight

Cleeland Bight is the sheltered, east-facing bight between the Newhaven bridge and the rocks of Cape Woolamai. It is about 3 km wide, with 4.7 km of curving sandy beaches and low waves. For anglers it is the calm-water foil to Woolamai's surf: sand patches and a sandbar edge for King George whiting and flathead, weed beds for squid, and the channel edge for pinkies and gummies. When a north-westerly blows everything else out, this is where the island's anglers end up.

Cast into the sand patches between the weed with pipi, mussel or a pipi-and-squid cocktail on small hooks for whiting; the beach side toward Woolamai and the edge of the sandbar are the usual targets. Soft plastics dragged along the sandbar edge find flathead on the right day. Squid come off the weed on jigs, especially early. Heavier baits fished toward the channel edge on a rising tide give a shot at pinkies and gummies.

King George whiting (27 cm, bag 20) and flathead (27 cm, combined bag 20 — rock flathead are a feature near the entrance) are the main catch. Squid (combined bag of 10) work the weed, and snapper (28 cm, no more than three of the 10 at 40 cm or over), gummies (two combined with school shark) and salmon are bonuses. Most of the bigger fish here come to anglers who fish toward the channel rather than the shallows.

Much of the bight is snaggy wire weed — pick a clean sand patch before casting. Low tide shows you where the sand is; fish it on the flood. Churchill Island Marine National Park is north-west of the bridge, a few kilometres away, and is no-take. The wire weed here lands more rigs than most anglers land whiting — budget for terminal tackle the way you budget for petrol.

Access is from The Esplanade at Cape Woolamai and from Newhaven at the bridge end, with short tracks over the dunes to the sand. Facilities are in Newhaven and San Remo. The beaches are low-wave and suit families.

The bight faces east, so it is sheltered from the westerly winds and swell that batter Woolamai Surf Beach, and it fishes best in north-westerly to westerly weather. Easterly winds blow straight in. Surfers head for the other side of the cape, and the whiting anglers are happy to let them. The eastern entrance bar beyond the bight can stand up badly when wind opposes the tide.

The bight is low-wave, but the entrance channel carries a strong current — don't wade out toward it. Wire weed and soft sand patches make wading awkward. There is no lifesaving patrol here.

Yes. King George whiting work the sand patches between the weed beds and along the sandbar edge. Use small hooks and pipi, mussel or a pipi-and-squid cocktail, and fish the rising tide.

Yes, from the west. It faces east and has low waves, so it stays fishable in north-westerly and westerly weather when Woolamai Surf Beach is blown out. An easterly blows straight into it.

No. The nearest protected area is Churchill Island Marine National Park, north-west of the bridge and a few kilometres away, where all fishing is banned.