OK - lets talk about Stanage

[NAGG]

In a pure glass out all those places probably fish just as good as one another to be honest.

Stanage is more headlands/island/creek/bluewater fishing rolled into one. If you like a bit of do it all stanage is great. however its only worth doing if you really really want to. issue is if you drive in there and the weather is shit you're kind of stuck.
where if you are on the coast at say airlie, you can easily drive up to lucinda if the weather is better there.

Me personaly id rather go to the barrier reef in a glass out based out of airlie/lucinda/mission beach or port douglas or anywhere else in between . and its much much easier and has barrier reef access.
check out Beau Gower fishing on you tube, he showcases stanage bay fairly well in his videos

Pelagic pursuit is going out a fair way from airlie. He's likey fishing the outer edge reefs alot of his trips for the flats fishing to be that red hot. not undoable but its a long run if your boat cant cruise at 30+ knots.
Come further north around mission beach and you only need to run 50-60km out to have amazing reef fishing.

I actually have a trip to Etty Bay in August ...... there is good reef off Mourilyan Hbr Its not far to drive to Clump point - depending on conditions .

I like Lucinda & even in crap conditions - you can fish the Palm islands or if really bad the channel - the crabbing is good there too . This was my point with Stanage . How many people go to Stanage because its only a days drive from Brisbane ( even with the 100ks of dirt) .

When you are towing from Sydney - you need those options ..... Happy to cast lures in creeks as the boat can handle that - but ultimately looking to throw big lures , drop some jigs ..... but reef flats would be #1

With pelagic pursuit - yeh a fair bit is wide .... but there is a lot of in between on the run out to the reef . Unfortunately if you are coming out of Shute or Able Pt ...... its still a 40-50km run each way . If that was Lucinda - you'd be fishing at Bramble or Britomart reefs doing a run like that .

Chris

[Flex]

Etty bay is a nice area. Not far form the reef.
although id argue August isnt a great time of year due to trade winds and potential cold water.

yeah the 100k of dirt makes peple feel tough in going to stanage. The road isnt that big of a deal.

if your after reef flats id go as far north as you can, reef much much closer and get into a lagoon in 10-15k forecast if they are only 30-40km offshore