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Can anyone help me. I want to try the balloon and glowstick fishing method. Can someone post some pics of how it is rigged and maybe give me some advice. I want to try something different saturday night out in Boca Grande. What do I need and any pics would be great. depths from balloon to bait, how balloon hooked, size of glow sticks. etc.

Glowstick? They hunt primarily by smell.

Now, if you're gonna use balloons, you're gonna need a lot of them

Make sure you buy biodegradable balloons.

No offense but shark fishing is not rocket science. Paddle the baits out and let them sit. I would put some on a float a few feet under and a few on the bottom. If the sharks are there it is a pretty easy hook up, the hard part is knowing if the sharks are there.

This is my question exactly. I will be in a bigger boat. How do I rig up the float you speak of. We will be chumming and we will be in moving current next to cayo costa. I believe we will have dead mullet. ladyfish and maybe some dead stingray. By the way Rik that was funny.lol I think I am going to need a whole lot of balloons like you said. What I meant by the balloons is that I have seen people put glow sticks in the balloons and when the shark hits the line it pops the balloon. This making like a big glowing bobber.

I've seen people tie the balloon to the line. Requires some dexterity to make a square knot using just the nipple part of the balloon and you'll always have a problem with the line slipping through the knot.

Others tie a clove hitch using the running line. This clove hitch goes around the nipple of the balloon above (balloon side) the knot. The nice thing about the clove hitch is that your set depth will stay the same and, once the balloon pops, the line will go straight as the knot unravels. Make sure you tie the clove hitch correctly or you'll add a knot in the line that will undoubtedly weaken it if you don't.

http://www.netknots.com/html/clove_hitch.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

what about tying a line that is connected at the swivel above the leader and then it cannot move. the leader is six to eight feet long. I could tie some line to swivel and then to balloon? then no depth issues. I like both ideas. thanks for your help as usual Rik.

remember when shark fishing to use a leader equivalent to the size of the shark of more. I know for a fact theres over 16' sharks there. you might want to rethink leader length.

i agree but was reading waterline and the guides were saying that the sharks out there now are on the smaller side and to adjust the equipment accordingly. I am not a expert at all just doing some research thanks for the help

I'm not a swivel guy. I don't like any hardware in the running line. Many guys use swivels and, if you do, that method would work.

There aren't as many big sharks in the pass now as the tarpon have thinned out. Floats are primarily used with live baits, dead baits work better on the bottom. If you must, just tie the balloon on your line with an overhand knot 10ft away from the hook and drift. The current in the pass is crazy so I'm not sure how that's going to play out. This time of year the majority of the sharks are smaller and inhabit the inside of Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound. If you want numbers fish these bays, if you want big ones fish the pass but know that it's hit or miss, especially with mullet and ladyfish for bait.

damn wish me and my pro angler were good enough to be on the hobie fishing team thanks doug I believe we are going to fish the outside of hog island instead. Thanks for the info-Ken