Iron Cove - Mixed Frustration

[Ivo]

Went down to Iron Cove this afternoon with the aim of fishing around the point from King george Park to the Iron Cove Bridge for some bream on the SP's, something I just can't seem to do!

Was my first fish up this end of the cove and I headed down with about an hour and a half until high tide, planning to fish until dark (around an hour after high). Things seemed good when I got into a fish on my first cast, however it turned out to only be a small choper tailor, something tht would turn out to sum up my day. After a few more tailor and a bream that spat my 2inch pumpkinseed grub a couple of metres from shore I moved further round the point.

Couple of casts into snaggy terrain, now with the 65mm bloodworm wriggler (I find when the fish are extremely active Gulp bait just gets destroyed by toadies and tailor too fast) and I'm sure I'm locked up in the rocks until it starts to move. A little while later I haul a small flathead onto the beach, a slight shock considering how much it ran, very unlike the typical flatheads fight. A welcome confidence booster but still no bream!

As the tide stops running I focus on casting to an old broken drain pipe that forms some lovely structure in front of King George Park. The trees have also begun to shade the pipe and I feel in with a solid chance of 'ole breambo. Alas, he fails to show his face, but I manage a solid 42cm flathead that fought nicely on my 1-3kg outfit with 6lb line. A few more casts and suddenly the water about 20m ahead bursts up with tailor chasing what I believe must be poddy mullet or other baitfish. I curse for forgetting to pack the hardbodies and surface lures and run along to cast my SP into the action.

After losing out to a large tailor who ran me round the previously mentioned pipe I land a few choppers but can't seem to get into the 30cm+ fish I'm seeing further out. I get bored of losing plastics and performing surgery on micro-tailor who seem to be defying the laws of science with the way they hook themselves and move oer the Iron Cove bridge to a new spot at Birkenhead Wharf (One 15cm fish had managed to have the hook go in one side of his jaw and back out the opposite gill plate in the other direction, while my plastic was half through his gills and half poking out his mouth? ) Thank the gods for barbless hooks!

The wharf looks fishy and when a guy I meet says he nailed a 46cm bream last night my eyes light up as yours truly prepares to battle the hallowed 50cm bream king .

Sadly all we can manage is more &%^*ing choppers and a few flathead, so as night rolls in I pack up and leave, pondering when I'll get that elusive 30cm+ bream on a plastic. Overall a mixed day with some nice flatties and a could have been bream and large tailor, but not a bad session and I will most likely head down again for a full day once school holidays come round.

Thanks for reading and hope you learnt something about how the area fishes . Bonus points to anyone that can give some advice on getting the bream . I'm currently using 1/16 and 1/8 jigheads and am fishing pretty slow, should I go lighter? I'm getting other species so I think my plastic choice is alright...

[Yowie]

Sounds as though you are fishing the right way if you keep catching a few fish.

Flatties in shallow water will fight a bit harder than those in deeper water, most times.

[adamski]

Hey mate,

Well done for bagging a few, even if the big bream remains elusive.

I used to fish Iron Cove a fair bit and you're right- the flatties and tailor can get to be a pain after a while. There are plenty of bream hanging around the western part of the bay, near areas like the UTS rowing house and the two canals that feed into the system. The fish feed on the oyster beds around that part of the bay and can be tricky to tempt. Early morning and late afternoon coinciding with a rising/high tide works best. Try getting yourself a pack of 2" or 2.5" Z-man grubz in a natural colour like bloodworm or motor oil and chuck on a bit of S-factor. I've also had bream take crab profile lures, like Powerbait crabbies and Z-man Crusteaz, around there. 1/16 to 1/8 jighead should be fine, but on calm days with little wind you can go even lighter. Another thing that might be worth looking into is some medium diving lures (you can pick up some cheap ones at the likes of K-mart- I've had a couple of fish on Tsunami Bream Pros and the Berkley Dog series).

Good luck, and look forward to reading your next report.

[Ivo]

Hey mate,

Well done for bagging a few, even if the big bream remains elusive.

I used to fish Iron Cove a fair bit and you're right- the flatties and tailor can get to be a pain after a while. There are plenty of bream hanging around the western part of the bay, near areas like the UTS rowing house and the two canals that feed into the system. The fish feed on the oyster beds around that part of the bay and can be tricky to tempt. Early morning and late afternoon coinciding with a rising/high tide works best. Try getting yourself a pack of 2" or 2.5" Z-man grubz in a natural colour like bloodworm or motor oil and chuck on a bit of S-factor. I've also had bream take crab profile lures, like Powerbait crabbies and Z-man Crusteaz, around there. 1/16 to 1/8 jighead should be fine, but on calm days with little wind you can go even lighter. Another thing that might be worth looking into is some medium diving lures (you can pick up some cheap ones at the likes of K-mart- I've had a couple of fish on Tsunami Bream Pros and the Berkley Dog series).

Good luck, and look forward to reading your next report.

Thanks adamski for the tips

Yeah Iron Cove is pretty new to me even though it's so close. I normally fish around Rozelle bay and pyrmont or up the lane Cove river on a yak. Will definately check out around the canals at some stage, read some good stuff about the foreshore in front of Le Montage. Am going to try some slightly lighter heads as well, especially when it's calm.

I'll get that bream one day haha

[adamski]

No worries. Let me know if you ever want to go fishing down there. haven't been in a while.

[thefisherman6784]

I've fished iron cove that many times i know it like the back of my hand! I live a 5 minute walk from the water and go down there after school or when i can't be taken anywhere on weekends. I've caught some cracking bream out of there as well. PM me when u head down there next and ill give you a few tips and tricks.

Cheers Gianni