ballooning help

[jake_snapper_king]

hay aus fishos
i have been balooning two days in a row and havent sem to be able to lose a bait. the im useing is gar live or close to beeing live. heaps of guys are cathen them at moffets and this is where im, balooning from. the way im doin it is running 4ocm of traces with a baloowning running inbetween, then running 45cm of 60lb to a G-stinger or a set of gangs

is this the best way to use the balloooning effect

ps while i was down at mofffets today i caught 12 good size squid so any one looking for good reef bait moffets near the rocks on the northen side any info would be good i wont give up until i get a feed from useing balloons

[BenDover]

I dont know jake... I usually balloon from my boat. But i use a much much longer trace. 3 - 4 metres and just 2 single circle hooks (1 behind the head where 99% of the time thats the 1 that hooks up, and 1 in the tail) and i use a papperclip for my balloon which comes away when a fish grabs the bait and dives... I only really use a balloon because the live bait usually heads for the safety of straight under my boat with out it when he hits the water. And also it blows away from the current line and clears my normal floating baits down the water collumn. (meaning current goes 1 way and wind and balloon go the other).
hope this helps ya
bd

[jake_snapper_king]

yep does thanks yeh im just ballooning of the beach casue theres no swelll adn heaps of bait around ( gar )

[choppa]

perserverance jake,,,,,, and more of it

there was a small piece on (i think) creek to coast a month or so back,,,,, when it showed how the guys in the states do it,,,,, WITH KITES,,,,,

i kid you not,,,, they string a series of kites out the back of the boat and attached whatever to them,,,,, as the kites rise and fall in the wind,,, the lures/bait does the same,,,,,brings a new meaning to the phrase to go fly one!!!!!!

i'm much the same as ben though mate,,, mainly play with balloons when on the water,,,,and adjust the leader to suit the depths etc,,, there was a post floating about recently how to attach a balloon,,,, do a search and you may find some further info here

choppa

[tunaticer]

Jake,
When I used to balloon off the rocks I used 1 or 2kg line between the balloon and a small small swivel. On the main line i would have a float stopper (little rubber ball that you buy on very thin strnds of wire and sort of like a ringpull handle if you see them in the shop you will know them straight away). Anyway that little float stop would be big enuff to not go thru the tiny little swivel connected to the balloon. The float stop i would place about 2-3m up the line to give me a depth max of about 3m or so just so im not snagging on the reefs.
On the main line i would also place a small round sinker about 1/4 to 3/8" diameter depending on current or wash or winds.i want the bait not on the surface but usually within about a metre of it.
My rig at the bottom was depending on the bait i was using for live gar it was 1m of 30lb jinkai or better and two 2/0 suicides top one snooded and bottom one tied off. Bottom hook was placed in the shoulders from rear to front with the barb exposed and the eye against the body nearer the tail the top hook was placed closer to the tail in a similar fashion on the bottom side of the fish.
You have to be careful not to place the hook too deeply to hit either the spine or go under the lateral line. Finer suicide hooks work better than live bait hooks as they dont damage the livie too much.
Usually i would have a black swivel of the right kg rating between the jinkai and the main line.

Balloons work good at times but winds need to be correct to be useable.

Jack.