HI Folks,

I see that the use of Balloons seemed to have resurfaced.
Years back we used balloons particularly around Smoky Cape and the Gutter around from the Jail at SWR.
Found it was easier to get the bait out further and when hit by Spanish or Snook it would break off any way.
Today it brings up the subject of pollution with NON degradable balloons ? ?
Always was a trick to tie the balloon to the line.
See now there is clips and more simpler ideas.
.....Has anyone used helium ?? find that interesting ??
Interesting also is the SLIDER Baitng .... any ideas or tricks ? ?

A couple of years back I sat a house not far from SWR, at Kinchela.. .)

SWR = South West Rocks...For those wondering and yes, South West Rocks is the actual name of the town !!

I have done a lot of ballooning off Windang and Tabourie.

I always tie the balloon to the top eye of the top swivel.

How do you get helium for your balloons?

Any party hire place.

Thanks for that, I know KINCHELA well, my family have been going to South West Rocks for many years. Before I was born.
................... So have you fished the Gutter around from the jail ?? A lot of boaties I know have fished there.
For those who may not know, GORDON YOUNG Drive at S W R is named after Gordon Young my dads friend who was a professional fisherman, even in his 70's was a powerful 'big' man, he was unique as he could hold his breathe I think for three minutes +- can' t remember exactly, but understand his lungs are in a museum in Sydney.
Was discovered when he retrieved the bodies of a family, from a car which accidently ran off the ferry at Frederickton, amazed the police so that led to him being examined.
As a much younger fisher with my dad and pop, at the wall (river side) they hooked 32 jewfish in a long night, pulled out 32 heads, sharks around the mouth of the Macleay have to be seen to be believed.
My first Spanish at the gutter was 28lb, stripped the GRAEME reel I was using, no star drag in those days, my thumbs were knocked around trying to thumb the drum and stop its run; had trouble writing for a week, next night same time, bigger reel, 'OCEAN CITY'... wire trace, four 6/0 Mustads and a heap of 35lb MASON du Pont mono took sometime battling a big one ?? after a battle, on last run as I had it near the rocks, I felt a distinct 'BUMP'; the water turned brown, we did not have a gaff but my dad grabbed my line and dragged the fish up the rocks, about two thirds was all that remained, 39lb Spanish....... the teeth marks 'tears' were lengthwise, so the shark had the best part in its mouth from behind ? ? .

Why I was a coward in the surf and on my board, never happy, two people i knew were taken by sharks in Newcastle years back, one was on the day I had to do my Surf Bronze ."Nobbys Beach, Newcastle .... never did do it, since then .....never go 'out the back' like I did before.
Waterskiing in the Clarence same deal ..... lots of nasties there, but some folks are oblivious.

..... Ah memories !!