Reply With QuoteI always encourage people to fish and cruise in the Southern Bay
Not much to tell anyone about the northern bay - no fish, too rough, too shallow, long way to Moreton etc etc etc.
Cheers
Greg
I am trying to decide what part of the bay is better for general cruising, bit of fishing and taking the family out for the day in the boat. I currently have my boat up at Scarborough and go to Moreton, which we absolutely love, but the weather is always the issue. Anything over 15 knots and you can forget it, but down the Pin there is always somewhere you can go and get out of the wind.
Moreton has beautiful beaches and clear water, not too sure about the Pin area. It may have a few nice little beaches, but nothing like Moreton.
What does everyone else think?
I always encourage people to fish and cruise in the Southern Bay
Not much to tell anyone about the northern bay - no fish, too rough, too shallow, long way to Moreton etc etc etc.
Cheers
Greg
A short time ago we had someone wanting advice on moving to Brisvegas, which ignited the old southside vs northside debate.
The bay is a bit the same, except for one thing. While I live IN the city, I base my boat at the pin (Horizon Shores) because you can usually find somewhere sheltered. This is imprtant to the deckie I'm married to, who isn't all that fussed about big wind and waves. I can roam from Dunwich to the Nerang River without fear, and thats a lot of territory and potential fishing spots. Can go to South Straddie and walk across to do some beach fishing, so lots of versatility.
Doesn't stop the "wonder whats on the other side" dreaming from time to time though
Fish2eat, what do you think of the quality of the water and are there many nice sandy beaches around these spots? One's I remember from the past seem to alsways have a bit of that hard sort of mud in with the sand. Also I have heard sandflies are a problem in Summer. Any truth?
What's Horizon Shore like as a place to leave your boat and get to places from?
There are some really nice beaches at the top end of South Straddy. Very popular with the families and the white shoe brigade. Sand is white and the water clear. Its is always nicest at the top of the tide - a lot of the time its crystle clear no matter what tide (rainwater run-off affects it), but its comparable to the water you'll find at Moreton. If you're looking for a nice spot to swim, fish, picnic, try the 'Lagoons' at the tip of South Straddy. Even better, put your boat in there this weekend and do your own trip! At least you wont be dissappointed by rough seas.
Dane
Hi Rusty,
aaahhhhhh the sandflies......and not only summer. I was in Cobby Passage a week or so ago and on a pretty cool Sunday morning they were out for a feed. Anywhere around mangroves, you will always find 2 things - fish and sandflies. However, there are plenty of places that you can escape (relatively), especially if you look around the northern end of South Staddie.
Also the beaches there are excellent, both on the calm side and in places its less than 5oometres walk to the ocean beach.
Quality of the water is better the closer you are to the pin, but after good rain there is a fair bit of dirty water. That too creates some good fishing opportunities along the tide lines of clean and discouloured water. I've found some of the biggest flatties hunting the borders.
Any fine day around "millionares row" you'll see heaps of people swimmng, and the water quality is usually good to excellent.
One of my favourite trips is a chug up Canaipa Passage (along the western side of Nth Straddie) where it is impossible to travel (esp early or late) without seeing LARGE numbrers of turtles and dugong all the way up from Russell Is past Blakesleys to Dunwich. This are is also very productive for sand crabs.
Finally Horizon Shores is very handy to the pin. My old Baycruiser only goes 7.5knots flat chat but its only 50 minutes from Horizon Shores to anchr up in Tiger Mullet. In 1.5 hours I can be anywhere from Canaipa Pt in the North to the mouth of the Coomera River in the south. I read last week that the marina has been sold and over the next few years will be greatly expanded. It already has all the facilities you need (except for grog which you have to pick up from the Gem on way through)
Cheers
Stu
I also leave my boat at Horizon Shores...all the options you could want...good weather..hang a left and head north...foul weather..turn right and stay in the protected waters of the southern bay.
fish..I could have told you quite a few months back that the marina was selling...they are proposing to put in about 100 more berths....they are certainly needed.
Rusty_Hook
I use to have my boat stored at Horizon in the trailer storage.Cost is about $1500/year but you get great service with valet launching or just turn up and get the boys to hook you up and put you in .when you get back they bring the trailer down and you just drive on.No wet feet putting in or getting out.Great area around the pin and you can always find somewhere out of the wind.As the others have said there are somenice beaches and great fishing spots around the Pin.
Best thing to do is go down and have a look for yourself.You won't be dissapointed.
Cheers Dazza
Isn't anyone out there going to bat for the Northern Bay??
Is this another clear win for the Southside??
Originally Posted by fish2eat
Isn't anyone out there going to bat for the Northern Bay??
Is this another clear win for the Southside??
Nup! Go south!!! More fish for us "northerners" then...
Okay, okay we have a Northsider coming into bat.
I must admit Woof and myself ventured to Peel Island a couple of weeks back and I must say I was impressed. High tide was wonderful but what is it like at low tide.
Travelling to the bay islands form the northside is a bit of a hike but is worth it.
Moerton Island admittedly is a fair hike from Sandgate or Scarborough but once you are there you can find a spot and more than likely have it all to your self. Peel Island on a weekend is just like the Queen Street Mall.
On another matter I think you have all discounted the Pumicestone Passage. It doesn't matter what the weather conditions are it is all protected and there are actually fish there if you are prepared to put the time in and actually find them. The day out will land you up at Caolundra.
One thing I found with the passage is that you can basically pull up at any town on the water and the local shop is also a bottlo with all of your alcholic requirement.
Come on Northsiders where are you all.
Is anyone keen for a Mission Point M&G?
Cheers
Mark
Mark, Places like Tangalooma can be packed full on a good day! I don't think there are less boats at Moreton as such... There's just more room to find a spot...
Travelling to Mud Island (Or even St Helena & Green) is not that far from the Northside either. I'd much prefer to drive from say the Kedron Brook to Mud than from Cleveland.
Pumistone Passage (from my understanding) can get really choppy as well though. And the problem I guess if you don't launch there, you still have to contend with the weather getting home. Please correct if I am wrong though, as I don't know that area very well.
Righto,
Let me rephrase the Passage section of my comments.
Fair enough you will get a small amount of chop, but from my limited experience in the Passage it isn't all that bad. Given that it is a passage/large creek/river, protection/refuge can be sought very easily as opposed to island hopping down south.
As for Mud / St Helena Islands
1) Mud Island may be good for fishing at times but there is no sandy beaches that i know of so there goes the family outiong.
2) Correct me if I am wrong but you are not permitted on St Helena without the appropriate guide. (Someone told me this a while back).
Anyway thats my 2 cents.
I like your approach on keeping the Mexicans down south Fishin_Dan, keep it up.
Cheers
Mark
Mark & Dan, you are both right. The passage definately does offer more protection than a bay crossing, but I have seen the passage whip up in the wrong sort of wind and white caps are not uncommon. Also coming back across Deception bay can be very bumpy.
Surprisingly it really isn't any closer going to Mission Pt than Tangalooma wrecks from Newport Marina, and it's hard to beat the clean white sand of Tangalooma. Even Mission Pt has it's share of hard mud on the bottom.
I guess I was just wondering if it's worth moving my boat to southern parts or if I would regret it later. I have a berth at Newport and don't want to lose that if the southern bay isn't up to scatch compared to the north.
Love all the comments so far though...
Gotta agree with Dan and Rusty, Deception Bay isn't very deep and it gets very messy on the run back from the passage.
Of course if you can launch in the passage, you can escape a lot of the mess in the open bay water. # There's plenty of sheltered spots, but if it's gotten bad enough to whip up the passage, it's probably not worth going anyway.
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