for the last month i have been watching bait ball after bait ball cruise past my window, generally they are targeted by various birds but on occasion the bait seem to be getting smashed by something from below as well, i cant work out what the bait is, or what fish are targeting them?? would it be salmon or trevs?? the water doesnt seem to bubble like a salmon school, what else could it be?

Watched one the other day off olivers hill just before we jumped in. Didn't get anywhere near it but exciting prospect getting right in the middle of it. Birds were smashing it pretty hard. Next time gonna have to make the effort and do the swim. I'd be betting on salmon with the reports that have been coming from the fishos.

_________________
Like a farken underwater ninja!

The fish were blinded by overexposure to his pure awesomeness!

Hey Badger

As you know, my sister used to live in the area so I have seen the birds working this coastline before whilst walking the dog on the beach. Apparently dudes have been out before but found nothing chasing the bait fish. That being said, there is no reason why salmon would not cruise through from time to time. It may be a bit of hit and miss. Give it a go and let us know.

Cheerio

Gig

_________________
RIDE THE BULL!!!!!

prob jus birds feeding on krill guys happens alot along the peninsula.

_________________
muff diving madness

Definately a bait ball. Dived with Christian today off Carrum looking for Salmon and saw the birds smashing the surface a bloody long way out. Had to do some serious leg work to get out there and when we finally did they moved even further out. Stayed where we were and put out some berley hoping it was salmon but nothing.



Then the birds started smashing just to our left right in line with us and after a short wait on came the bait ball. Nothing at all hitting it though. It was about 300 mts round and that thick that you couldn't see the bottom. The green water and sh1tty vis stopped any really good photos but some of the video came out o.k.







Dived Portsea before hand first thing. No squid or whiting. Lot of boats out there looking for the squid though. Best thing was probably the lunch at Pub down there although Christian lost a fair bit of his!



All in all still heaps better than a day at the office!

_________________
Like a farken underwater ninja!



The fish were blinded by overexposure to his pure awesomeness!

The bait ball was awesome, dive to the bottom and sit there, and they would all wall up around you at equidistance all facing the same direction in a pattern. The resident toadies would swim through them and they would do the same for them too! The school was massive in area, and thick. But yeh, as rhino says nothing around them apart from toadies, I am sure a few frogs were having a good time too!

Yeh, cheeky bloody birds. I went to the toilet and Rhino is out there in true attenborough style filming these scavengers take of with the rest of my lunch!

Hey I got one of them falling off the table and smacking his head on it though! Gotta be worth a few chips.

_________________
Like a farken underwater ninja!



The fish were blinded by overexposure to his pure awesomeness!

I was spearing off Beauy last year and watched the birds (and the boats) basically follow the coastline around to where I was and there were huge balls of silverbait being smashed by salmon...got two but then it got a bit hairy with all the boats around

_________________
"Hooters, hooters, hooters, yum, yum, yum"
"Hooters, hooters, hooters, on a girl who's dumb"

nice one on the photos, wonder if some larger fish will show up and have a feed on these little critters...