Stratched The Stanage Itch

[notenoughsickies]

My Cousin and I AKA Cods Wallup have just returned from anepic seven days at Stanage Bay.After a year in the planning and a million texts and phone calls we headed offjust over a week ago. Got to the notorious road at about 230am and grabbed afew hours rest before hitting the last 100kms.

Upon arrival our fears of bad weather were realised whengiven a strong wind warning for the next 4 days by Von at SB bait ant tackle.However we picked our chins up knowing that unlike other places Stanage offersplenty of sheltered water options and Dinosaur Mudcrabs. We got the boat readylaunched the Awesome “green mullet” 6.6hydracraft with 250 suzi and headed off on our 7day adventure. First port ofcall set the pots and poke out the front to see just how bad it was. A decisionwas made to punch out to the marbles and to say we got wet was anunderstatement but at this stage we were so keen we didn’t care.


We set up camp in as protected waters as possible and whilewe were beginning to feel sorry for ourselves and dry out the rods went off andit all began. A few fish later and a couple of beers laced with Stones GG offto bed. In the morning we woke to bait fish and Meter plus Queeny’s on popperseach and the spirits were looking up. We headed back into Stanage and spent theNext night up the sound and got a few monster bream and crabs on board. Whilemunching on some 2minute noodles I attended a bite and as I picked up the rodexpecting another Bream got nailed and rod was gone. Standing shattered Codssays to me were not in Kansas anymore . Then not twenty minutes later he was winding in and noticed some looseyellow braid on his line “no way’ on the other end was my rod and reel, no fishbut thank you fishing gods.

We pulled the boat out on Wed to reorganise or as Billyliked to call it “minimise to maximise” as we had almost enough gear to sink aship so to speak. Went up the shop tosus out the weather and nearly wet ourselves to hear no wind or swell for thenext four days. Hurried back to finish sorting out the boat, unloaded a heap ofgear into the back of the ute and got back in the water.


The next four days were some of the most memorable fishingdays of both of our lives. We camped at Hexam Island and to be fishing in Fivemins each day was amazing and a big saving on fuel. The first trout on boardwent 66cm well done Bill. We bagged out on our reef fin plus and awesome dayand a half on the plastics singling out more quality fish, Golden TrevallyTrout, Cod, bigger sweety’s another meter plus queeny and then a red hotsession on massive Golden Trevally.


Oh yeh im failing to mention the GPS / Souder caught fire onday one so we were very proud to have fished blind and deaf with only ourinstincts and experience to guide us. This did stop us from fining any sizedReds which seemed to be the only thing to elude us. We got about a dozen withthe best 53cm could not stretch that last 20mm.


We came in Sat arvo through the need for more Ice only toget talking with some fellow fisherman who had nailed some bigs reds and werekeen to let us tag along on Sunday as more glass was predicted and they weresympathetic to out technical issues. To those boys if your on Ausfish you knowwho you are and we thank you. I wish more blokes were this generous. Boy did weget a lesson though. They bagged out on the reds and all we got was busted upand a shitload of sweety’s and a few Noahs. Hope to see you again next yearboys.


With cut up fingers and aching arms, lower back and boxes offish a crabs and being blessed with suchamazing conditions we decided we had had enough “Icing on the cake” and pulledup stumps a day early. Shocked the missus when we surprised them a day earlyand got to cuddle the kids.


To the people of Stanage especially at the Bait and Tacklestore thank you for your great and generous service and advice. We will be backand we hope they don’t touch the road cause its all part of the experience ofStanage, it takes total commitment. Billy if you can add to this mate take over thanks for a memorable trip.


Notenoughsickies.

[jtpython]

Great story guys least ya got out and had a ball and great pics to boot.
JT

[Cods Whallup]

Yeah good stuff Ronald, we didnt make our plan of getting to the Percy's but Hexham more than made up for it with our own little paradise beach, which made it comfortable for sleeping and for cooking lunch. The soft plastic fishing was awesome with better quality fish and variety, with those predatory trout just loving them!! Everything we did just turned to gold ( including the 3 hour session on the Goldens), but like all trips there is something that drives you to go back and try and bust it again, next time we will have a sounder and gps ( and a hand held back up gps, so at least if you lose the sounder and your drifting and getting fish then you can at least repeat those drifts! Gee it was hard work, and like back in the old days trying to use landmarks!) and a tonne of information on how to fish the area better, and how to fish in 4-6 knts of run and still pull quality fish! That was one of the best fishing trips of my life Ronny, That Mullet is a weapon, and am looking forward to our next adventure Brother! Cheers ps i still dont know how to put photos on here lol

[notenoughsickies]

Mate I scrolled under the txt and there is a section called manage attachments you can upload files in there and they show up on the thread.

[netmaker]

that looks like an awesome adventure. great fish too!

[Horse]

Sounds like a great trip. I run 2 chart plotters and carry a handheld as well. I'm a bit paranoid that way.
Its a great part of the world with huge challenges but plenty of rewards.
How did the Crabbing end up?

[Cods Whallup]

Sounds like a great trip. I run 2 chart plotters and carry a handheld as well. I'm a bit paranoid that way.
Its a great part of the world with huge challenges but plenty of rewards.
How did the Crabbing end up?

Gday horse we didnt break any records on the crabs but we brought home 8 big bucks, enough for a feed and more of a bonus really while we were stuck in shelter, did have two pots knocked off after the first run though, just put that down to a tax for the crabbing gods!! lol

[Cods Whallup]

Mate I scrolled under the txt and there is a section called manage attachments you can upload files in there and they show up on the thread.

Ronny I can find fish mate but when it comes to these computers ive deadset got ten thumbs! lol I'll have to get the minister for war and finance onto the job! Aka the wife!

[notenoughsickies]

You may have to start the thread to add attachments bill

[Dignity]

Sounds like you had a great trip, that's what it is all about, fishing, drinking, eating, comradeship with all four life is sweet. As mentioned by others I still take my hand held GPS with me and all the waypoints are duplicated on both systems so if one goes gaga then there is a back up.

[Cods Whallup]

Sounds like you had a great trip, that's what it is all about, fishing, drinking, eating, comradeship with all four life is sweet. As mentioned by others I still take my hand held GPS with me and all the waypoints are duplicated on both systems so if one goes gaga then there is a back up.

Cheers Dignity, mate we had two and three of everything, Spare motor, prop, eskies and fridge freezers, we had a tonne of gear, the gps crapped itself while finding crab pots, and I turned around at Hexham and there was smoke billowing off the top of the sounder/gps combo, my heart sank and was greatful that I a)didnt burn myself too much just undoing the power cord and b)the electrics didnt interfere with starting the motor and c)the boat didnt burn to the water line!!! After that ordeal we were just glad to be able to keep fishing fullstop! It was one of those trips where you could write a story about 100 different things that happened along the way, from nearly running out of fuel on the up and having a lovely lady open the door to the Monto servo after hours and helping us out with Diesel to Ronny losing his rod over the back of the boat from a big fish, to that Golden Trevally session that we had, it was something that both of us had dreamed of! When Netmaker started a thread a little while ago about enigmatic fishing destinations and talked about scratching your fishing itch, Mate we scratched the hell out of ours and every time we thought, How bout a break, that thought was quickly squashed by, this kind of trip may never happen again!!

[Boat Hog]

Fantastic trip and write up lads. Some top quality fish there. Well done.

Cheers,

[notenoughsickies]

Thanks for the positive feedback. thought it may have been a tad long winded but was so hard to make sure I gave it justice . pleasure to contribute

[Goodoo haven]

Great report there guys. It sounds as though you's had a great trip up there except for your sounder/GPS burning out on you's. Great photos too. Well done.

[alba]

Guys looks like you have had a great trip. We are going back up in september for the 3rd year in a row and hope we can half your success.
Alba