When I have fished Steep Point, most people were using overheads with 7-800m of line. I had a basic Shakespere overhead with around 800m of 30lb mono on it wheras a mate was using his deep spool Alvey which from memory held close to 1000m of 30lb mono. The Alvey was on a 13foot beach rod and I had the unfortunate pleasure of winding in a couple a hundred meters on this outfit all for a N/W blowie. The 13 foot rod and 1:1 Alvey made it hard work. I preferred an overhead and a shortish overhead rod to match. 

How far you let your line out would be limited by how much line you have and where you want your bait to be. Its been a long time but i recon we had our lines out at Steep Point around 150-200m, maybe further. Just need enough line capacity if you hook a decent fish - would be crap to get spooled by a decent fish if you did not have enough line capacity. 

Bloody great way to fish though. Another tip - A small piece of ribbon/wrag etc tied to the line just after the rod tip. If you are not close to rod, easy to look for the ribbon and if its not there, most likey have a fish on and taking line. Makes it easy to sit 50m away in comfort having a beveridge or two whilst still monitoring your rod.

 When I have fished Steep Point, most people were using overheads with 7-800m of line. I had a basic Shakespere overhead with around 800m of 30lb mono on it wheras a mate was using his deep spool Alvey which from memory held close to 1000m of 30lb mono. The Alvey was on a 13foot beach rod and I had the unfortunate pleasure of winding in a couple a hundred meters on this outfit all for a N/W blowie. The 13 foot rod and 1:1 Alvey made it hard work. I preferred an overhead and a shortish overhead rod to match. 

How far you let your line out would be limited by how much line you have and where you want your bait to be. Its been a long time but i recon we had our lines out at Steep Point around 150-200m, maybe further. Just need enough line capacity if you hook a decent fish - would be crap to get spooled by a decent fish if you did not have enough line capacity. 

Bloody great way to fish though. Another tip - A small piece of ribbon/wrag etc tied to the line just after the rod tip. If you are not close to rod, easy to look for the ribbon and if its not there, most likey have a fish on and taking line. Makes it easy to sit 50m away in comfort having a beveridge or two whilst still monitoring your rod.

 now not permitted due to lost balloons polluting environmment, danger to other marine life atc. I may be wrong (i hope so anyway) just check on that though before you go. cheers dave

 I use overhead / LBG rod around 11ft with around 600m line on it , other mate uses Alvey / 12ft rod with prob same amount of line.

You will be aiming to get out to where fish jumping / birds are hitting bait schools , if you hook up out there on a mack or shark , it may take you for a run and will get spooled with the spin reel line capacity. 

Havent heard anything ballooning being banned .  Wouldnt be suprised ........

I have a pretty basic set up of a Shimano TLD on a 10ft rod which worked ok the one time i used it. From memory I only had 500m of braid, but could have been more? Was fishing Quobba so possibly not sending the ballon as far as at steep point?  

Good fun watching a spaniard hit a bouncing bait 1m out of the water.  

 If you are launching off a beach or shallow reef get some lifesaver or peppermint lollies with a hole through the cenre and a couple of lackey bands to hold your bait close up to the balloons. Use the lackeys one either side of the lolly , one to the baited hooks and the other to the balloons with the lolly in the middle. It should take a couple of minutes for the lolly to dissolve and let the bait and balloon trace separate and hopefully enough time to be clear of the breakers and into clear water