AS the weather heats up on Australia’s East Coast, the pelagics come out to play!
Schools of Tuna and Mackerel follow balls of bait up and down the coast, which in turn, entices us anglers out to chase them.
Anyone who has fished a bait ball will know how exhilarating it is. You’ll be able to pick a bait ball by a number of factors. Firstly, birds. When you’re on the hunt for these fish, the birds can be a great indicator. Use them as your eyes from above. You know there’s a bit of action going on under the surface when you see birds diving into the surf.
Secondly, as you approach a suspected bait ball, it’s not uncommon to see bigger fish breaking the surface of the water as they feed.
Fishing a bait ball is the fun part. The technique is simple, cast small slugs past the edge of the bait, let it sink for a couple of seconds then wind as fast as you can! The feeding pelagics will often see the shimmer of movement of your lure and take a swipe at it. Then it’s a matter of holding on and enjoying the fight.
A simple spin setup will easily do the job for you. A 3000 to 5000 size reel with 15-20 pound braid is a pretty safe bet.
If you’d like a little assistance tracking down these bait balls, then we’d recommend enlisting the help of Gavin Platz. Platzy is a bit of a legend on the Sunshine Coast, and can sniff out a feeding pelagic from miles away!
He also loves his fly fishing! So if that’s something you have always wanted to try, get in touch, or better yet, check out his new shop in Marcoola.
