Stanage Bay at Christmas

[lunatic]

Hi All!
I have been reading the reports on Stanage Bay and really want to go and check it out for myself. I assume that it gets pretty packed over the Christmas break. Do any of you regulars know if I would be able to get a camp site over the Christmas break, or will it be full? Also, I have a 4x4 Hilux and a 3.95 Bluefin Tinny. The trailer has just the normal tinny trailer wheels (little ones), how do you reckon it would go on the 100km of dirt road into Stanage?
Cheers!
Lunatic

[steve99]

Its 100klms but 30klms is sealed. For the most part the road is good except for the last 15-20klms which in certain areas is rough and corrugated. Sorry,cant help with the camping side of things.

[Breno89]

hey lunatic
i went up there at easter this year, camping was a little tight but i think youll still be able to camp somewhere even if it isnt in the main camp ground, there are other places back towards the other settlements and past the boat ramp. As for the road in you will have to watch flooding and washouts going at christmas. as for little wheels dont worry to much about size just the condition and berrings. i have a standard trailer with a lot of weight and took it steady with no problems. we also seen 8m plate boats get towed in there so as long as your smart about it you should be fine.

the sound is a very big place we found our 4.4m tinney was a little small to explore as much as we wanted to but we still got out to the closest islands and went and caught some massive crabs up the sound and we all enjoyed ourselves and will be back.

[lunatic]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Yeah Breno89, I would be heading up to mainly go crabbing, and try to hit some estuary species. Maybe if the day is calm enough head out in the bay a bit.
Cheers!!
Lunatic

[krusey]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Yeah Breno89, I would be heading up to mainly go crabbing, and try to hit some estuary species. Maybe if the day is calm enough head out in the bay a bit.
Cheers!!
Lunatic

mate if you want crabs at stanage you need to be able do the km's 40 to 50km's to get decent crabs

[lunatic]

Crikey! That's a fair hike! Is that 40 to 50 km to find the decent creeks for the crabs in the boat? I dunno if I could carry enough fuel to do that.

[krusey]

Crikey! That's a fair hike! Is that 40 to 50 km to find the decent creeks for the crabs in the boat? I dunno if I could carry enough fuel to do that.

Mate i go there fairly often and the tourists have flogged everywhere close so you've got to do the miles for the smiles and trust me you'll get big crabs and plenty of them as for fishing the place out the front you can do ok but up the creeks it takes time to work out how to fish it

[zedjack33]

Just spent a week there....my 6th time....some good fishing out front then with some salmon in the sounds. Crabs to 220mm all full.........n didnt travel far for crabs as suggested from previous posts. Not even to bottom of quail.

2 tyres on way in n none on the way out

[Pirate Pete]

Lunatic,

I go up to stanage a couple of times a year. The road (as of 2 weeks ago) was bit below average. 100km is in fact 10km bitumen and 90km dirt. I dont think there is water available at the campground, but I never stay at the campground so not 100% sure on that. You will find that boat is to small for the area.The ebb tide in the sound is generally rough, so unless you fish only the flood tide it will be uncomfortable. You can not launch at the bottom part of the lower tides due to the ramp not going in far eneough.

Stop regularly on the way in and out and check your bearings, tie downs etc. Last time the trip in took me 2.5 hours, but that was with a newish boat. Be prepared for stones to be thrown onto your boat, so if you value your paint work cover it up.

Hope this helps.

[tunaticer]

I would replace your bearings immediately before your trip, the Stanage road is nasty on the poor trailer suspensions and bearings if it has not been recently graded. Take good inspections of attachments like mud guards, towing hitches, light mounts and roller mounts, these are the common things to rattle free or break off. Make sure your spring U-bolts are definitely tight or your springs could snap at the centre bolt.

As mentioned earlier, the sound can really get rough with an outgoing tide and the currents are 8-16 knots depending on the tide. Take care if you venture near the middle in such conditions.

Best to ring the boat shop up there about numbers of people expected to arrive, many people pre-order bait and gear rather than hauling it up themselves. You will need to bring your own water, the camp area tank is minimal and should be reserved for the toilets there.

You will like the place even if it is fairly full.