Headed to Tire Reef with Larry Page and Wayne Radloff for cobia and spades( yes the Ross has more cobia- but also more boats). Menhaden non existent and jelly balls hard to find ( although several HHI lifeguards were apparently trying to help us find some by yelling at us on the beach). After a few hours of catching blackfish and ringtails, gave up on cobia and switched to spades. None on top so we sent 4 or 5 jellyballs down deedp After 10 minutes, felt some bites and brought up a nice school of around 30. First fish straightened hook. Switched to stronger hooks, again using jelly balls to lure fish to surface. After 3 or 4 fish in the boat, we were low on jellyballs as spades were eating all of the chum on each effort to lure them to the surface… We then noticed they were schooled around our yellow ballon holding a live bait. Fish thought ballon was a jellyball and stayed right on the surface by balloton… We ended up keeping 9, with a triple hookup.
Looking forward to trying yellow ballon trick on next trip.
Anyone with a good spadefish recipes, please share same. I have lots of filets to experiment. Thanks:smiley:
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha8ed78WVN0
I have got to go do that with the kids this year. We tried once last year and got skunked.
Great report - thanks!
Not to hijack your thread, but does anyone else have problems with the lifeguards? What is the law or regulation?
I’ve always been tempted to fire egg sinkers at them…
Let’s get together and feel alright
Spadefish are great sport and I’m surprise more people dont target them. On light tackle they can spool you. Wildlifesc swears he’s caught em on cantaloupe.
Honeydew…not cantelope. Was out and took a break from the spades for lunch, tossed in a honeydew rind and they started smacking it like a jellyball!
Thanks for the trip Russell, and thanks for teaching me how to catch spades. I am glad you didn’t post the video of me yelling at Larry for getting us crossed up on our triple hook up!!!
One Love, this is what is on the SCDNR website, I haven’t found anything on Hilton Head website yet. If I find anything else I will post it.
All Boats
In South Carolina, vessels may not be operated in excess of idle speed within 50 feet of an anchored vessel, wharf, pier, dock, or a person in the water. Vessels may not operate in excess of idle speed within 100 yards of the Atlantic coastline (Sec. 50-21-870).
Nope…did not fish with it. Just tossed the rind over. But who knows…if you’re heading out to the reefs and can’t find jellyballs, take a honeydew along. 
