Author Topic: balloon fishing - R&S (Read 19731 times)

kevf · « **on:** June 13, 2014, 08:31:33 AM »

what must one look out for when the conditions are right to put a bait (live shad) out with a balloon? winds, tides, etc ? i'm guessing using a rip current is obviously the best way to get it out.
what sort of trace? normal sliding trace but instead of the slide clip use a swivel straight onto the leader? trace length?
if anyone has some knowledge or experiences to share it would be appreciated

SAfish · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2014, 08:34:52 AM »

I am no expert with this but I think the wind direction will be more important than rip currents. The wind will have a much bigger affect on your balloon than the current. Obviously if you can combine the two it will be a great advantage.

kevf · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2014, 08:38:07 AM »

Thanks SAfish, that sounds right, cant be very often that the conditions are right to use his method, otherwise i'm sure it would be used a lot more

SAfish · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2014, 08:46:16 AM »

It should work when there are offshore conditions. I have been playing around with the idea in my head for a while and even thought of taking my pellet gun with me to scupper my bait at the correct position.

Wave action will also have a negative effect but it is worth a try.

Lenny · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2014, 09:58:28 AM »

Seen guys use it, have tried a couple of years back , was not very successfull . But I must have done something wrong .

I have had better luck with a Tennisball as float and casting a big livie , Big ElF , and Leervis .

Worth to give it a go in your areas you fish , I bet you will get pulls .

chrisquinton · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2014, 10:11:31 AM »

Wind is the most important factor since the almost all of the balloon remains out of the water and acts like a "sail". In winter, kzn, our morning offshores help nicely. Tides and currents will have an effect, but due to both the bait and the line being in that current.
Point selection is also vital. You must be clleared of the surf zone, and ideally on a point where you can take advantage of both wind and tide.

A mate of mine used to use a bin bag to take out larger baits. there are very few places it works though.

SAfish · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2014, 10:12:34 AM »

Lenny, this might help us get our baits out for the Brasse when the Westerly pumps on the Plaat.

kevf · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2014, 04:46:46 PM »

thanks CQ, hope the conditions are right while im down there

Lenny · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2014, 06:24:31 PM »

What I can tell you , is that , you have to have a bit of water in your balloon , when floating a bait out .

I know we , messed a round with a few Ideas , how to connect Balloon to line , and We ended up using 2 elastic bands , very simple .

I would just go with a , big Circle on steel , 800mm long , Swivel 2 ounce ball sinker , then you have a few options .
1 Tie it straight to your leader . Balloon not fixed .
2 , another 2 m thick mono to another Power swivel , this will also be you tie up point for the balloon , fixed balloon .

there must be some guys that has tried it ??

pieta · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2014, 09:27:51 PM »

Charles it would have been nice to send out a bait with a baloon and drop it on an exact spot, but you will have to usd something more than a air rifle. Water act like a magnet to a bullet and hitting your target on 150m plus would be very tricky. Get your self a bait boute.

kevf · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2014, 05:38:54 AM »

thanks lenny, pity I have a limited amount of time at the coast otherwise i'd play around with the concept a bit more

pieta, I just pictured lining up that balloon with my 30.06, can you imagine

pieta · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2014, 07:19:10 AM »

That eould at leadt give you some distance. A friend of my have one of those surf bait boutes that they use to get behind the breakers. Saw them take out a little bronzie of about 11kg with it. You can go out upto 800m with it. Baloon fishing and kite fishing originated in the sesrch for distance. A bait boate will set you back abit more than a balloon but you will hit your target every time. With the balloon and kite it will be up to the weather.

Lenny · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2014, 04:56:55 PM »

Pending on the Elastic thickness ,and the weight [ trace sinker and bait ] You should be able to break the elastic ...

Even the drag of a big wave will snap the elastic .

Poenskop · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2014, 08:44:05 AM »

I've been researching the dropping of bait with a balloon. The best idea I've found was using something disolvable between the balloon and the trace. Something like the lifesaver sweets with the hole in then.

pieta · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2014, 08:51:29 AM »

The bad thing is you will never have complete control over the drop.

Lenny · « **Reply #15 on:** June 16, 2014, 09:45:08 AM »

the Carp Guys in FW , uses material that desolve in water , I wonder if one would be able to use it in the Salt ?

Lofty · « **Reply #16 on:** June 16, 2014, 03:31:00 PM »

we fished for sharks using balloons/condoms before if the bait was too big and needed to get to a spot a bit further into the water than possible to cast to.This method only works when fishing off a deepwater spot where waves are minimal.The wind needs to be at your back too,to blow the bait out after you casted/lobbed it in that direction as far as possible.We tied our 800mm - 1m wire trace straight to a power swivel and the mainline too,usually the bait was heavy enough to make the casting/lobbing possible,then the wind takes over.I don't think the elastic band is needed as the balloon usually pops anyway when the shark pulls it underwater,so most of the popped balloon stays connected to the trace,so less rubber left behind in the ocean...

pieta · « **Reply #17 on:** June 16, 2014, 04:35:47 PM »

Quote from: Lenny on June 16, 2014, 09:45:08 AM

the Carp Guys in FW , uses material that desolve in water , I wonder if one would be able to use it in the Salt ?

they use PVA and that desolves with in second after it hit the water.

Lenny · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2014, 03:14:26 PM »

Quote from: pieta on June 16, 2014, 04:35:47 PM

Quote from: Lenny on June 16, 2014, 09:45:08 AM
the Carp Guys in FW , uses material that desolve in water , I wonder if one would be able to use it in the Salt ?

they use PVA and that desolves with in second after it hit the water.

BLewww , I would suggest ditching the balloon idea , and just opt for a Tennis ball trace .

hardfisher · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2014, 07:19:12 AM »

Sending out a live bait with a balloon is totally different than having a dead shark bait and wanting to drop it on a specific spot. The idea of the balloon and live bait is to keep the live bait close to the surface in the strike zone and also to create a 'panic mode' which the game fish will pick up. I have done this and it is amazing to see how much ground gets covered by the livey, I have had them swim out in a rip current past the banks and back. I do it on free spool and stand ready, when something takes you do not want to be caught off guard, a smaller livey you can put in the rod stand on a loose drag. I used to use the double J hook method but recently changed to a single circle in the top lip or with Dacron through the eye sockets. The fish seems to stay alive longer with these two methods.