Damon Mcknight
Bream fishing is a popular pastime in Australia, with the fish being a ubiquitous resource in the country's fishing community. They are a challenging catch and require a degree of knowledge and skill to locate and catch successfully. Bream are intelligent and easily spooked, so anglers must be mindful of their approach, gear, and techniques. This guide will explore the key considerations for catching big bream in Australia, including location, gear, bait, and techniques, to help anglers improve their catch rates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Deep holes with hard or reef bottoms, trenches, and access to cover like submerged timber, weed beds, bridge pylons, moored boats, oyster racks, or pontoons |
| Timing | All year round; in colder months, they seek deeper water, and in warmer months, they reside in shallow waters |
| Techniques | Using suitable tackle, lures, and techniques, such as slow-sinking lures like soft plastics, scented worm imitations, and single-tailed grubs |
| Gear | Light spinning rod (1–3 or 2–4-kilo class and 7 feet long), reel (1000, 2000, or 2500 size), light quality braid, light fishing line, and Fluorocarbon leader |
| Bait | Live yabbies, haloumi cheese, corn kernels, marinated steak, scrub worms, maggots, sandworms, or any small organisms like small fish, shrimp, crabs, mussels, oysters, or cockles |
| Moon Phase and Weather | Being aware of moon phases and weather patterns can influence fishing success |
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What You'll Learn
Use the right bait, fishing line and rod
Bream are an iconic species of fish in Australia that can be targeted all year round. They are challenging fish that require a thoughtful approach and the right bait, fishing line, and rod.
Firstly, bream are intelligent and easily spooked, so thick lines and big gear will scare them away. Large sinkers, large hooks, and heavy fishing lines are common mistakes. Instead, use a quality 4-8 pound monofilament line, which is thinner in diameter and less prone to wind knots. You can also use a fluorocarbon leader, which is thinner and harder for fish to see in the water.
Secondly, when it comes to the rod, bream fishing is all about finesse, so weight and size are key. You will need a light spinning rod that is 1-3 or 2-4 kilos and around 7 feet in length. Anything heavier is not suitable. Pair your rod with a 1000, 2000, or 2500 size reel. If you are fishing in the flats, a longer, lighter rod will allow you to cast light weights much further with less effort.
Finally, when it comes to bait, bream respond well to slow-sinking lures that mimic the natural movement of their prey. Scented worm imitations and single-tailed grubs on weighted jig-heads are effective. Live yabbies, scrub worms, maggots, and sandworms are also good choices. If you want to get creative, some unusual baits that have been used include haloumi cheese, corn kernels, and marinated steak.
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Observe nature and the behaviour of the fish
Bream are an iconic species of fish in Australia, and they can be found in a variety of environments. They are a wily and challenging fish to catch, so anglers need to be adaptable and observant.
To successfully catch big bream, it is important to understand their behaviour and natural habits. Bream are foraging fish that seek out structure in their environment, such as deep holes with a hard or reef bottom, or man-made structures like rock walls, pontoons, and pylons. These structures provide shelter and feeding opportunities, as they allow bream to station themselves out of the main current. Bream can also be found in shallow waters if there is sufficient cover, such as submerged timber, weed beds, or moored boats.
Observing the natural world and the behaviour of bream is crucial to catching them. Anglers should pay attention to the wind direction, cloud formations, and bird activity, as these can provide clues about the movement and location of bream. Bream are intelligent and easily spooked, so a subtle approach is necessary. They may play with the bait before taking the hook, and they will move on if they sense any resistance. Understanding moon phases and weather patterns can also increase your chances of catching bream, as these factors influence their behaviour and feeding habits.
Additionally, bream are known to respond well to slow-sinking lures that mimic the natural movement of their prey. They can be finicky, so a slow presentation that mimics an injured prey item may be required. Aggressive approaches and quickly worked lures may scare them off. Scented lures can also be effective, as bream are attracted to scents and movement in the water.
Overall, catching big bream requires a combination of understanding their natural behaviour, using suitable lures and techniques, and adapting to the changing moods and habits of the fish. By observing nature and the subtle cues in the environment, anglers can increase their chances of successfully catching these challenging fish.
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Fish at night with scented bait
Bream are an iconic species of fish in Australia, and they can be caught all year round. They are a challenging fish that require some thought and experimentation. When it comes to fishing at night with scented bait, here are some things to consider:
Location
Bream are foraging fish that seek structure to feed and station themselves out of the main current. They tend to favour deep holes with hard or reef bottoms, as these locations offer a sense of security. They can also be found in surprisingly shallow water if there is adequate cover, such as submerged timber, weed beds, bridge pylons, moored boats, oyster racks or pontoons. Bream are known to inhabit estuarine habitats and favour areas with fallen trees and rocky outcrops. They are also found in rivers, creeks and estuaries, taking advantage of the abundant prey available during certain times of the year.
Seasonal Habits
Understanding the seasonal habits of bream is crucial for successful night fishing with scented bait. In the summer, black bream are typically found in the shallowest parts of estuaries and rivers. Their prey includes prawns, crabs, small baitfish, insects, and other small creatures. As the temperatures start to cool down in spring, black bream will venture back into sheltered waterways in preparation for spawning in the upper reaches of rivers and creeks.
Scented Bait
When fishing at night, using scented bait can be advantageous. Baits with a strong scent and movement, such as live yabbies, are particularly effective. Other options include worms, prawns, crabs, mussels, bass yabbies, sandworms, and even unconventional choices like haloumi cheese, corn kernels, or marinated steak. Adding a bit of scent to your lure can also help attract bream. Commercial options are available, such as S-Factor from Shimano or Pro-Cure from Tackle Tactics.
Techniques
When using scented bait at night, it is important to be patient as bream can be finicky. They often require a slow-sinking presentation that mimics an injured prey item. Aggressive approaches or working lures too quickly may scare them off. A technique known as "pop pop pause retrieve" can be effective with bream. Additionally, keep the drag on your reel set loose to allow the bream to run with the bait without feeling resistance. This will encourage more bites and better hook-ups.
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Use slow-sinking lures like soft plastics
Soft plastics are a popular choice for catching bream in Australia. They are versatile and can be used in water as shallow as one metre or as deep as eight metres. They are also effective during the summer spawning period, when not all fish will be spawning at the same time.
When using soft plastics, it is important to mimic the natural movement of prey. This means using a slow-sinking presentation that imitates injured prey. Bream exhibit cautious behaviour, so a stealthy approach is often required. It is also important to be patient, as bream can be finicky. Aggressive approaches or working the lure too quickly may scare them off.
When fishing with soft plastics, it is recommended to use a light leader, as this will result in more bites than a heavy leader. A 4-pound fluorocarbon leader is a standard choice and will work in most situations. Braided line in the 4 to 8-pound range is also recommended, as it allows anglers to "see" a bite on the line, which can be important in addition to "feeling" the bite.
There are a variety of soft plastics on the market that can be used to catch bream. The ZMan range, including the ZMan 2" GrubZ, 2.5" GrubZ, 2.5" Slim SwimZ, 2.5" PrawnZ, 2.5" TRD CrawZ, and 2.75" Drop KickerZ, is a popular choice. The GrubZ, in particular, has been successful in bream tournaments and is suitable for beginners and experienced anglers alike. Other options include the Daiwa Double Clutch hard body lures in the 75mm size and the Jackson PY & EB Panic Prawn poppers.
When using soft plastics, it is important to vary the retrieval techniques. The "double hop" technique, which involves letting the plastic sink to the bottom, pausing, and then pulling it upwards in a two-hop motion, is a popular and effective method. However, it is important to vary the timing, size, and intensity of the hops to find what works best on a particular day. Another technique is "dead-sticking", which involves leaving the plastic on the bottom for an extended period before giving it a few hops.
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Look for deep holes with hard bottoms
Bream are a ubiquitous resource in the Australian fishing community, and they can be found in a variety of environments. They are challenging fish that require some thought and creativity to catch. While bream are abundant, inexperienced anglers often struggle to catch the big ones.
To catch big bream, it is recommended to look for deep holes with hard or reef bottoms. Bream are foraging fish, and they use these structures to feed and position themselves out of the main current. Deep trenches often give big bream a sense of security, and they can be caught more easily in these locations than in shallower waters as they are less inhibited.
When looking for deep holes with hard bottoms, it is important to consider the natural world and the behaviour, movements, and feeding preferences of bream. Dipping your toe in the water and observing the shoreline for fish or bird activity, cloud formations, and wind direction may be more beneficial than relying solely on high-tech gear.
In addition to deep holes, big bream can also be found in shallow waters with access to good cover. This cover can include submerged timber, weed beds, bridge pylons, moored boats, oyster racks, or pontoons. Bream are structure-seekers and will look for shelter in shade, boat ramps, bridges, jetties, and pylons.
When fishing for big bream in deep holes with hard bottoms, it is important to use the right gear. Bream fishing requires finesse, so weight and size are key factors to consider. A light spinning rod and a small reel are recommended. The line should be a light, quality braid if using lures, or a 4-8 pound monofilament line if using bait. Fluorocarbon leaders can also be useful when fishing for bream as they are thinner and harder for the fish to see in the water.
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Frequently asked questions
Bream respond well to slow-sinking lures that mimic the natural movement of their prey. Scented worm imitations and single-tailed grubs on weighted jig-heads are effective. Live yabbies are also a good option.
Bream fishing requires finesse, so weight and size are key. Use a light spinning rod that is 1-3 or 2-4 kilo class and around 7 feet in length. Pair it with a 1000, 2000 or 2500 size reel. Avoid thick lines and big gear as bream are easily spooked.
Bream are intelligent fish that will play with the bait before taking the hook. They are also easily spooked, so it is important to use light gear and avoid aggressive approaches that may scare them off.
Bream inhabit estuarine habitats and favour areas with structure such as fallen trees, rocky outcrops, and man-made structures like rock walls, pontoons, and pylons. Deep holes with hard or reef bottoms are also good places to target, as bream use these structures to feed and station themselves out of the main current.
Bream can be targeted all year round, but they move around seasonally. They seek deeper water during the colder months and reside in the shallows along the banks and edges in the warmer months.
