Ballooning Baits for monster Mackies at swains. HELP REQUIRED!

[poddy mullet]

G"Day all,
Kendall 249 and Trublue have provided some top advice on baits and riggs for us big mackeral hopefull Swains first timers, but I am wondering if anyone can tell us how to balloon baits for monster mackies?????
I am assuming that you simply tie a ballon on your braid about 5 feet above the trace and gangs, and just float her out on the breeze untill a mackie cruises past and smahes it????
Is this assumptoin correct or am I missing some crucial elements? Any advice from those in the know would be greatly appreaciated! Cheers!

[hooknose]

Mate,
You usually attach a balloon to a short length of very light line ( 3kg ) or cotton. you then use a rubber band or split match stick( or similar ) to attach it to the main line at the required depth( 3 metres ). If the current is humping, as it does at Swains at times, you may have to put a small ball sinker above the bait to get it down off the surface. Small hussars make a top bait under a balloon and you are guaranteed to pick up some while bottom bashing.
You often pick up Spanish at Swains by trolling lures between the reefs when moving spots, try bibbed minnows such as Halco's or Rapala's or even the humble mackeral spoon would do.
Cheers !!

[poddy mullet]

Thanks mate! You are a champ! sounds like you have caught a mackie or two in your day!
We are from the sticks in central NSW so we think swains might be just a little different to chasing Murrays and Yellas with spinnerbaits! Your advice is much appreciated and I will be sure to post a report on out trip to let you know how we got on.
Cheers.

[Kendall249]

Experiment with depths with up to 5m below (or even more), when the sun gets higher it helps to set it deeper.

If trolling lures I like the rapala cd22 in blue mackeral colour, red/white is also a popular colour.

[poddy mullet]

How fast do you blokes troll for mackies in the tinnies at swains? We have a dozen rapala magnum x rap 20's to take (20 foot divers) in assorted colours and we are hoping they will work?!?!?

[Kendall249]

i usually troll at 4-5kts, trying to work them close to structure, bait, or both,

[ifishcq1]

Poddy,

Kendall is right , and if you know they are around and not playing the game just let the lures out a tad more and slowly increase your speed until they pop out then backoff a little bit until they sink again so you are trolling as quick as the lure will effectively go.. that really gets spannoes firing

SL

[thirks]

most mackerel caught on swains trips are"by catch" caught while fishing for the more esteemed and(in my opinion)over rated coral trout.keep it simple. you will be able to catch 90% of the fish in 90% of the areas worked(not counting deep country) with nothing more than a 70lb handline.use ganged 8/o hooks and the smallest amount of lead you can.make sure you take a bike tyre tube to use as finger stalls.if you are more confident with a rod get a large alvey/snapper winch with matching rod.fill it with mono,its a lot cheaper than braid(you will go through a lot of line,hooks &sinkers)and the deckies will love you -no cut fingers.
this is a pic of one i got while cooking breakfast

[poddy mullet]

I caught my first mackie in Darwin a few months back and have been busting to have a crack at them ever since! The darn thing (30 pounds) had the drag screamin, so I am hoping to catch a couple more at swains in two weeks time- don't know how I would go pulling in the one thirks is holding on a handline though!!!!????!!!!

[Imfiik]

It's not all spaniards sometimes the shark mackerel can be a downright pest specially when you are sitting just off the reef with a handline casting lightly noseweighted pilchards just short of the reef. you are expecting to get slammed by a trout but it gets mighty interesting when a sharkie takes off for the horizon.
they aren't bad eating but the strong smell puts a lot of people off.

[BARRAkid]

To use a balloon you tie a swivel onto you main line and then tie a clip swivel onto one end of your leader and a hook onto the other end.
clip the clip swivel onto the normal swivel and when you want to put the balloon on just blow it up tie it up and bite or cut a hole between the ring of the balloon and the knot then get the clip swivel and put the balloon on through the hole in the balloon and out the ring of the balloon'
This way its all neat and tidy and when the fish takes your bait the balloon rips of and just leaves the ring on your clip swivel and when you get the fish it just take the ring off and throw it in the bin or just add anouther balloon.



cheers BK

[mamu]

most mackerel caught on swains trips are"by catch" caught while fishing for the more esteemed and(in my opinion)over rated coral trout.keep it simple. you will be able to catch 90% of the fish in 90% of the areas worked(not counting deep country) with nothing more than a 70lb handline.use ganged 8/o hooks and the smallest amount of lead you can.make sure you take a bike tyre tube to use as finger stalls.if you are more confident with a rod get a large alvey/snapper winch with matching rod.fill it with mono,its a lot cheaper than braid(you will go through a lot of line,hooks &sinkers)and the deckies will love you -no cut fingers.
this is a pic of one i got while cooking breakfast

That wouldnt be the back of the Kinimbla that you are standing on is it?

[Willo]

http://www.gcfishing.com/ballooning.htm

Here's a link that might help

[poddy mullet]

Hey Willo,
Thats a top link mate! A bl_$dy beauty infact! Simple, Fast and effective! Cheers Mate!

[Willo]

Yeh Poddy
When i use it fishing live bait I use a small piece of foam pulled up against ballon.Put a little slit on each side of foam as this will hold the line and will make it easier for the foam to snap when a bait gets hit
Cheers Willo