Recently the wind has been the biggest hurdle for our fishers and boating crews. If you can call it Blowin’ Bowen, what can we nickname Stanage?

Although the road into Stanage is always a challenge for first-time visitors, you soon learn to slow down and take in the beauty Queensland really offers. The council road crew have copped a lot of criticism from contract road crews. However, it is what it is, simply slow down for everyone’s sake. Repeat visitors, such as Pacific Villa renters, who drove over the road towing sizeable boats have commented that corrugation is pretty full one with some huge potholes.

At the beginning of the Stanage Road, right at the turn off, is a small sign with the property names and distances listed. It’s a good idea to stop off the side of the road and take note, and then you will have no dramas.

Thirsty Sound (which includes Quail Island and Long Island), has been uncooperative with sharing the monster muddies and estuary caught fish. Maybe we are simply too spoilt up here and expect too much. Berty and his crew, who stayed in Pacific Oasis, have caught a feed of crabs with a lot of hard work, along with some nice size grunter. It does help if you can get your sounder working correctly!

Steve, Jen and Ethan did well as per usual in their fishing spots. They pulled in some nice, barra, grunter, golden snapper and jacks. While the Pacific Villa crew, Trent, Greg and Imran did battle with the Coral Sea, to pull in a couple of nice brag fish, with a standout 16kg mackerel.

All fishers should know that it’s almost a waste of time to fish in the estuary when the tidal waters are in the mangroves. This is where the bait will be, followed by the bigger fish. Always take two different types of bait along with an assortment of lures and jigs.

The tides have been a bit of a hit in the backs of the mangrove and creek ends to get your pots set, even though we haven’t had any run-off rain, the bigger tides generally cause movement at the tops of the gutters and creeks with the lazy muddies. I love exploring crab places as I usually can never get to with the smaller average tides.

With the 6-7m tides on the drop, and hopefully the wind, it will be time to hit the islands for some reefies. The coastal trout was a popular target, get them on the last set of small tides mixed in with some grassy sweetlip, red emperor and nannygai.

Stanage Bay Marine & Accommodation (in the boatyard) sells quality fresh frozen Australian pilchards, prawns, mullet, yorkies, herring, squid and roo, along with the popular squid, cuttlefish, gar, slimy mackerel and ribbonfish.

Still need extra information on this last fishing frontier, give me a call on (07) 4937 3145, or send an email to --e-mail address hidden--

Until next time, enjoy the pictures!

•Remember the latest fishing reports are on www.fishingmonthly.com.au and for queries on Stanage Bay fishing, call me on (07) 4937 3145.