I had a few days on a housboat out of Cardwell a couple of weeks ago and stayed around the Missionary Bay area.

Pretty much went there blind with no local knowledge, only had what I could gather from forums and a little bit of private information from a couple of people.

The first night was spent on the Northern side of Garden Island and had a bit of fun with a few small queenies off the back of the boat using gar as live bait. Flicked the rocky shore line around Garden extensively using a variety of hard bodies and plastics for zip. Found a little rock bar on the Eastern side of Goold that produced a small GT and some follows from other queenies/trevally style fish, all on 4" Atomic Prongs in natural colours.

The next night was spent up creek 3 at a junction below a rocky spire. Apparently a local jack haunt............I will never know! Again flicked alot of weedles plastics up in the mangroves and trolled hardbodies up and down this bank for 1 half hearted hit. The only 'decent' fish for the whole trip was a nice grunter of about 3kg from here on a herring.

Back out the front to Macushla for the next 2 nights, what a nice spot. The local powertail and black tip sharks kept us entertained each night but apart from that, no luck here.
Put in a few hours around the rocks of Macushla, throwing just about everything in the tacklebox with not a touch. The southern bank at the entrance to creek 2 has some very nice snags that we pulled another small GT out of..........and here was the only place that actually looked likely. A bit of bait being chased around suggested that more time there could have proved fruitful, but the call of the impatient "skippers" overode our wishes.

Worked pots pretty hard through the various islands, creeks etc etc for not one legal crab. Very dissapointing, although we were forewarned by the houseboat staff that the crabs had dissapeared 6 weeks ago.

Hichinbrookrentayacht from Cardwell, (Port Hinchinbrook) can't say a bad word about the whole operation, highly recommended to anyone thinking about it. No affiliation, just a happy customer.

Will probably go back to Missionary Bay again as it has the potential to be a cracking spot with so many options within a short range. As with anywhere, it will take time no doubt take time to learn the area and tides etc etc.

all the creeks have fish small lures eg 2=3 inch lively mullet in deep work a treat .i find it important to start early as boats turning the banks over put the fish off and a electic is a must stealth is the go.staying with the tide as it pushs in very important too good luck hope this helps

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Prepare yourself for some dirty water if you fish the creeks on the mainland side of the channel. We are grtting ridiculous amounts of rain up here atm. There is also a very good chance of constant SE/E winds which means Missionary bay could be a little exposed but the island side of the channel should be fairly well protected