Targeting Bream around wharves

[slam354]

Hi Raiders

I was wondering if you can give me some advice on targeting bream around wharves specifically around the pylons,I fish Sydney harbour mainly at night and like fishing deepwater wharves depth between 15 and 30 metres depth.I mainly use around 12pound line with a running pea sinker down to about a size 1 hook.My usual method is to go to the bottom and lift the rig a metre or 2 of the bottom and wait patiently for activity.Can anyone recommend any tips or improvements that I can adopt to increase my catches.I dont burly as it is very deep water other than the cat food tin trick on the bottom which I have heard of but never used .Using unweighted baits down a burly trail might work but all that happens is yellowtail and small fish getting in on he action.I only use  handlines in this type of fishing.Any tips or variations that you can provide will be well regarded.

Regards Steve

Edited February 19, 2017 by slam354

[Lungfai76]

Ah this brings back memories of the old man teaching his 7 year old how to fish. Used to love going to Jetty 6 at Port Kembla (no entry now) and catching the yakkas on hand line with a good 8-10 meter drop if I was clumbsy enough to fall over ?. 

Trick my dad used was me distracting the yakkas while he dropped his rig to catch Bream. He'd burley with a small floating bucket with drilled holes with left over bread and such and let me fish around it. He would then rig his hand line up to catch Bream and have a heavier hand line waiting for the yakka to throw out as live bait to catch Jews. The good old days when we couldn't afford a rod and reel ?.

Yakka activity usually draws in other fish so set up a distraction burley and target Bream, they'll usually hang below the yakkas if they are there to take what gets pass the yakkas.

[Jewhunter]

Hi Steve.

Jetty hopping brings back a lot of memories for me. I used to handline the Pyrmont & & Woolloomooloo wharves heaps when I was younger.

You're on the right track by only fishing at night. The later the better, when most people are in bed. The trick is to keep mobile. Bream will hang around some pylons & not others.

A size 1 hook, unweighted, or with a tiny splitshot just above the hook is the rig. Live bloodworms are the gun bait & worth every cent. Simply slowly feed the worm down as close to a pylon as you can get. When you get 10-15 mtrs down bring it back up slowly again. If you don't get a bite go to the next pylon, then the next & the next. If you work a whole pier like this you should get loads of fish. That technique works just as well on a marina, if you can find one you're allowed to fish.

Fish a heavier line than normal. I've been busted off by big bream on 15lb mono fishing like this. Go hard as soon as they hit or they'll get you on the pylons. Good luck.

Cheers,

Grant.

 

[slam354]

Thanks Grant so no need to go to the bottom.

 

 

[dirvin21]

If you want to broaden your horizons try lure fishing, I cast "cranka crabs" at any crusty old pylons and let them sink down like a dislodged crab it can be a little nerve racking because they are expensive but they work on some very wiley old bream

[Jewhunter]

18 hours ago, slam354 said:

Thanks Grant so no need to go to the bottom.

 

 

Usually not. I found that if they are there they see & hit it pretty quickly. At night they are usually higher up in the water column. If it's a bit slow it's worth a shot going deeper. The funny thing I found is that once you find a couple they mostly seem to be at a similar depth right along the pier.