Has anyone seen any jellyballs around St.Helena or Port Royal lately the last three times I looked for them I found a total of one,went to the wrecks anyway and the Spades were hungry but I had nothing that they wanted to eat.Thanks for any help on sightings
Tibona 20
Twin 90 E-TEC’s
I have a friend who is captain of a shrimp boat who is working St. Helena/Port Royal Sounds , he told me that he was hardly seeing any in his nets about 2 weeks ago . Not sure whats up .
More proof of what a truly strange season this has been. I have never seen as many jelly balls as there were in Port Royal earlier this year. Now they are nowhere to be found. Maybe they are with the Mayans…
Let’s get together and feel alright
Thanks for the followup fellas I thought that I was the only one having trouble finding jellyballs,next trip out I’m taking my gear and getting in the water,switching from a fishing pole to a pole spear that has always proved to be a little more productive for the Spades but I do enjoy catching them on light tackle no other fight like it out there.
Tibona 20
Twin 90 E-TEC’s
Bft,SC
i have heard of people using jellyballs as bait but not sure how yall use them. we only come down once a year with our boat always thought about using them but wasnt sure on how to rig them up? cut them up or use the whole? sure would like your input thanks in advance. caint wait to be down there we have two more weeks we will be down aug 3-11 staying on harbor island
180cc Sea Pro
140hp Johnson
I put a jellyball on a stringer behind my boat to keep the Spades close,then cut one up in 1"x1/2" strips for chum and bait.Then throw some out for chum and put some on a small hook tied straight to the line with no weight and let it sink with the chum and then hold on for a great fight.Others my have different methods but this one works for me.Hope this helps 98seapro18 good luck.
Tibona 20
Twin 90 E-TEC’s
Bft,SC
Can’t go wrong with that
Thanks ill have to try it out
180cc Sea Pro
140hp Johnson
Guys…as summer progresses the jellyballs will get smaller and smaller, so they’ll get more and more difficult to spot. They’ll be golf-ball sized by September, but you can put one of these small ones on whole and hang on!
Here’s a litle Power Point (no sound/narration) I put together for use when I teach a Spadefish seminar…it does show some rigging, etc, but may only help a novice. You may have to download, then open.
http://www.technautica.com/spadefish.html
Jim
Hey Jim, what happens to the large ones? Move back offshore perhaps??
Thanks Man,
Glenn
06 200 Bay Scout 150 Yam
So the jellyballs are smaller but they are still out there?
Is that something that should be confirmed when planning to go out of a certain area by someone who has been out recently?
Or is it just a matter of fact that they are for sure still around and just small?
Curious because nothing’s more of a let down than planning on catching jellyballs and getting out to find none.
Thanks for all the input…I got hooked on catching spades about two years ago and they are FUN!
The jellyballs are there…you just have to look harder for them. Best just before and after high tide in the tide lines and rips with weeds and other debris so you can narrow your search.
Thanks wildlife. Maybe even running out of Fripp Inlet for a scouting mission only would be a good idea one day.
I downloaded your .ppt presentation. Pretty cool to share it with everyone.
Hay wildlifesc have you ever heard of freezing them I talked to a friend of mine today whose son runs a shrimp boat and I asked him to start saving them for me instead of throwing them over the side I was going to put them in the freezer until the wind lays down and I can make it out there.What do think?
Tibona 20
Twin 90 E-TEC’s
Bft,SC
Kept them in ice chest…not even going to describe that! 
Never tried freezing. I’ve tried putting them in a bait pen tied to the dock overnight…not so good on that either!
Let me know if you try freezing…how they hold up upon thawing.
Saluda…it’s always good to scout ahead. You don’t get as frustrated and systematically cover more ground searching when you aren’t frantic.
NN…I’m not sure if the larger jellyballs survive. I don’t know their life cycle, but I suspect they are short-lived and just move in with the tides to spawn.
I froze em in coffee cans. They get mushy and stink but they still worked…not as well as fresh. Beats getting out there and not finding any!
Cut them up and freeze in ziplock bags - do not put many in a bag. I have also used peeled shrimp to catch spades when jelly balls are hard to find.
EWC
You gotta love the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Well my buddy’s kid has been dragging for a week now and has not caught one jellyball in his nets plenty of jellyfish no jellyballs.I quess they have left and went to where ever it is that they go far away from here.
Tibona 20
Twin 90 E-TEC’s
Bft,SC
Several reports of small jelltyballs showing up…keep your eyes open. It’s really fun fishing for spadefish with a whole jellyball the size of a persimmon…even if it’s not glassy, you can weight it on a fishfinder rig and fish straight down to them.