Balloon Fishing

[tandrews]

lately I've been growing keener and keener to try out balloon fishing as I'm land based and would just really like to give something different a crack, but I have no real clue as to how it works. As in, do we use helium balloons and let it fly out, or just blow the balloons up with our mouths and let them act as large floats and float out. And then once we have the bait out there, is there a method to detach it from the balloon and let it sink or do we continue on as if we are fishing with a float and leave the bait suspended in the water column.

Any help or advice is much appreciated because with uni exams over in 3 and a half weeks I'm ready for a nice long summer trying to expand my knowledge.

Thanks in advance!!

[foggybottom]

check out this post from this morning.

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6289" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its generally a good idea to search for related posts before ripping open a newie.

[Fish-cador]

No need for helium balloons. buy party balloons, inflate it in any way you wish. Tie the balloon to the swivel or sinker using a sewing tread. Float it out. Let the wind take it as far as you want. Once in position, yank your rod hard. This should severe the sewing thread and your sinker will sink in the area you want to fish.

[Robbie1950]

Great topic. I've always wondered myself what the proper way of balooning was.

Please define 'sewing thread'??

[Robbie1950]

I found this interesting and informative clip on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRziw-DgSI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does this same knot apply if you want the balloon to come off the line when you yank it?

[rixter]

I found this interesting and informative clip on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRziw-DgSI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does this same knot apply if you want the balloon to come off the line when you yank it?

That is the balloon knot you use to allow the balloon to release. Once far enough out , you strike your rod to release the balloon, allowing your line to slip out of the balloon knot and drop your bait and sinker to the bottom.

That Balloon knot/rig setup works well with lighter baits and sinkers, although with bigger heavier baits and sinkers your line can often accidently slip out of the balloon knot; releasing the balloon when you don't want it too. Also you loose the balloon each fish or retrieve of the line with this method.

Remember NOT to 'cast out' a balloon setup , just drop it in the water and let it drift out. Slowly release more line as the balloon drifts out, try not to put any tension on the line as it drifts out or you might release the balloon. Casting with a balloon setup will just release the balloon straight away also, so that's a no no.

A great method of getting your bait out a few hundred meters, although I got sick of loosing balloons; and use my own modified method of balloon fishing now.

Cheers , Rick

[hsv2ko]

I found this interesting and informative clip on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRziw-DgSI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does this same knot apply if you want the balloon to come off the line when you yank it?

That is the video I posted a while ago when I started getting the idea of using balloon it will came on the line it when u yank it just got to know how tight the knot is the tighter the know the less looped line u want as it will be harder to pull out. First time I done it it was way too tight and way too much line nearly ended up pulling the balloon back till the line came out. Its quiet easy to get used to it just need the wind going the right way lol.

[kaotay]

I found this interesting and informative clip on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRziw-DgSI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does this same knot apply if you want the balloon to come off the line when you yank it?

That's exactly the method I use. When you yank it, you lose the balloon and your terminal tackle drops to the bottom.
The bigger the balloon, the more wind it catches and it deploys quicker.

[complete-anglerz-12]

No need for helium balloons. buy party balloons, inflate it in any way you wish. Tie the balloon to the swivel or sinker using a sewing tread. Float it out. Let the wind take it as far as you want. Once in position, yank your rod hard. This should severe the sewing thread and your sinker will sink in the area you want to fish.

the same as said here but tie elastic to a swivel then the ballon to the end of the elastic thats how i do it also the bigger the balloon the better

[Fish-cador]

That's exactly the method I use. When you yank it, you lose the balloon and your terminal tackle drops to the bottom.
The bigger the balloon, the more wind it catches and it deploys quicker.

too big and your sinker and bait will fly with the balloon. :rofl: