Heavy Structure Bream

[AlbertW]

Hey Raiders,

I spent the entire day today chasing bream on plastics at the same spot I caught my jewie in the harbor, it obviously ended in a donut cause otherwise I'd be typing this up under fishing reports .  The place I was fishing had a small (2.5m x 1.5m ~)  rectangular space in the floor that opened up and had railings around it, I tried everything. Topwater sugar pen, gulp crabby, grubs, a 14g vibe that was too heavy, basically the stuff you'd expect to get the bream on (except the vibe). I even changed from my usual 10lb fluro to 5lb and fished 1/12 jigheads at the start and them moved onto 1/8 because the water was too deep. I reckon I was doing something right as I got a couple of bites and even hooked up once (of course it spat the hook). So I've come to good ol fishraider to ask for some help fishing heavy structure bream (there were also some EPs). Because of how small the space is, I'm looking into getting a shimma shrimp or a light ecogear or muss vibe so I can work it properly, as the plastics couldn't sink to the bottom after just one hop and retrieve. The place has some donkey bream (sydney harbour bream are so hard to entice, they'll get spooked at anything) so I'll be looking forward to hopefully hooking up one day or even get my first EP. Since getting into the world of soft plastics I haven't really caught any bream (only 2 tiny ones on grubs) so my confidence in my technique isn't that good. Any info is greatly appreciated

Cheers,

Albert

[faker]

Were there anyone else there? I tend to find bream in Sydney harbour a pain especially when heavily burlied  they are near impossible to catch. I have been training in para for bream. If you're free Sunday afternoon  we can have a couple of sessions.

What color were u using on grub? And what was lighting? What was clarity of water?

[faker]

53 minutes ago, AlbertW said:

Hey Raiders,

I spent the entire day today chasing bream on plastics at the same spot I caught my jewie in the harbor, it obviously ended in a donut cause otherwise I'd be typing this up under fishing reports .  The place I was fishing had a small (2.5m x 1.5m ~)  rectangular space in the floor that opened up and had railings around it, I tried everything. Topwater sugar pen, gulp crabby, grubs, a 14g vibe that was too heavy, basically the stuff you'd expect to get the bream on (except the vibe). I even changed from my usual 10lb fluro to 5lb and fished 1/12 jigheads at the start and them moved onto 1/8 because the water was too deep. I reckon I was doing something right as I got a couple of bites and even hooked up once (of course it spat the hook). So I've come to good ol fishraider to ask for some help fishing heavy structure bream (there were also some EPs). Because of how small the space is, I'm looking into getting a shimma shrimp or a light ecogear or muss vibe so I can work it properly, as the plastics couldn't sink to the bottom after just one hop and retrieve. The place has some donkey bream (sydney harbour bream are so hard to entice, they'll get spooked at anything) so I'll be looking forward to hopefully hooking up one day or even get my first EP. Since getting into the world of soft plastics I haven't really caught any bream (only 2 tiny ones on grubs) so my confidence in my technique isn't that good. Any info is greatly appreciated

Cheers,

Albert

Can I have info on water colour and clarity and daylight? I do have some theory on how to fish it. I always have a uv light colour and dark silhouette color.

I have some theory on how to fish it on grubs

Edited June 18, 2023 by faker

[AlbertW]

6 minutes ago, faker said:

Can I have info on water colour and clarity and daylight? I do have some theory on how to fish it. I always have a uv light colour and dark silhouette color.

I have some theory on how to fish it on grubs

near crystal clear, half of water was covered In shadow

[Blackfish]

Winter is more of a difficult time to fish for them in the area I believe.

DON’T be disheartened now certainty keep trying but the warmer months produce more.

Edited June 18, 2023 by Blackfish

[faker]

4 minutes ago, AlbertW said:

near crystal clear, half of water was covered In shadow

Generally in those conditions i would just chuck a motor oil at them. Muddier water I switch to darker colours. Bream do see into uv

But deeper water I might use darker color as well due to poorer visibility needing better silhouette 

[JamoDamo]

I reckon give the ecogear bream prawns a go there, fish them weedless with no weight and the lightest leader you have, I reckon 3lb would be good enough.

 

[Bluebenbomb]

Pretty sure Flickwithmick on youtube made a video about that spot... Might give you an idea of what he uses to target bream (and the EP).

[AlbertW]

2 minutes ago, Bluebenbomb said:

Pretty sure Flickwithmick on youtube made a video about that spot... Might give you an idea of what he uses to target bream (and the EP).

shhhhh 

[AlbertW]

28 minutes ago, JamoDamo said:

I reckon give the ecogear bream prawns a go there, fish them weedless with no weight and the lightest leader you have, I reckon 3lb would be good enough.

 

yea was going to buy a pack or two in kiwi shrimp or king prawn colour but I never made the trip to ottos...

[AlbertW]

29 minutes ago, JamoDamo said:

I reckon give the ecogear bream prawns a go there, fish them weedless with no weight and the lightest leader you have, I reckon 3lb would be good enough.

 

do you let it tension fall with bail arm open along the pylon and then just jig it and and then tension fall?

[faker]

1 hour ago, AlbertW said:

yea was going to buy a pack or two in kiwi shrimp or king prawn colour but I never made the trip to ottos...

have you tried the prolure clone prawns? I know most fish will take a nip at them even if its too small

[dirvin21]

Big Bream are a tough opponent, if anything is off they'll generally refuse your lure.

The main thing is making your lure look natural, it needs to land right up against the structure and sink on slack line keep the bail arm closed and have a belly in the line

Personally I use zman grubz 2.5 ans slim swimz 2.5, and occasionally cranka crabs, scent can also make a difference

With bream you usually only get 1 shot and they spook

[Green Hornet]

Google Docklands bream and hunt for tips. These guys are the urban ninjas of bream luring and fish structure just like you describe.

If the water is deep, dropshotting could possibly be worth a try or one of those new mussel vibe lures.

[AlbertW]

10 hours ago, faker said:

have you tried the prolure clone prawns? I know most fish will take a nip at them even if its too small

was looking at those as well, either in heavy or medium

[AlbertW]

7 hours ago, dirvin21 said:

Big Bream are a tough opponent, if anything is off they'll generally refuse your lure.

The main thing is making your lure look natural, it needs to land right up against the structure and sink on slack line keep the bail arm closed and have a belly in the line

Personally I use zman grubz 2.5 ans slim swimz 2.5, and occasionally cranka crabs, scent can also make a difference

With bream you usually only get 1 shot and they spook

yeah i was chatting up with a waiter who works at a nearby restaurant and he's caught some bream on the daiwa grubs but at night, I think the bream get bit more extroverted at night as they were even coming up and exploding on my sugarpen

[faker]

8 minutes ago, AlbertW said:

was looking at those as well, either in heavy or medium

I think the smaller the better, probably jelly prawn color would be better. not only are you matching the hatch but you get the UV but its my theory

[Bennyg78]

Hi Albert 

I have been chasing the bream on the yak in some comps recently, post coming later around this

Theres a few things to consider at this time of year.

• At this time of year alot but not all of the mature yellow fin bream are going into pre spawn or spawn mode, usually heading out to the headlands to do their business. Interestingly black fin bream do the opposite heading up river
• The water temp is around 15 or below meaning alot of the bream will be schooled up deeper in 4+ meters of water.
• You are on the right track thinking with deeper sitting lures: blades, muss, vibes and heavier plastics (no more then 1/6).
• Make sure you really slow down your retrieves. 

Its definitely a challenging time of year to catch bream, as alot of them wont be there as they are making baby bream. So dont be disheartened when you dont get a fish.

[AlbertW]

5 minutes ago, Bennyg78 said:

Hi Albert 

I have been chasing the bream on the yak in some comps recently, post coming later around this

Theres a few things to consider at this time of year.

• At this time of year alot but not all of the mature yellow fin bream are going into pre spawn or spawn mode, usually heading out to the headlands to do their business. Interestingly black fin bream do the opposite heading up river
• The water temp is around 15 or below meaning alot of the bream will be schooled up deeper in 4+ meters of water.
• You are on the right track thinking with deeper sitting lures: blades, muss, vibes and heavier plastics (no more then 1/6).
• Make sure you really slow down your retrieves. 

Its definitely a challenging time of year to catch bream, as alot of them wont be there as they are making baby bream. So dont be disheartened when you dont get a fish.

Ages since I've seen you benny, did you compete in the Hobie series 14 on Saturday and Sunday? One of my mates Dylan came first in the first-timer division 

[AlbertW]

9 minutes ago, Bennyg78 said:

Hi Albert 

I have been chasing the bream on the yak in some comps recently, post coming later around this

Theres a few things to consider at this time of year.

• At this time of year alot but not all of the mature yellow fin bream are going into pre spawn or spawn mode, usually heading out to the headlands to do their business. Interestingly black fin bream do the opposite heading up river
• The water temp is around 15 or below meaning alot of the bream will be schooled up deeper in 4+ meters of water.
• You are on the right track thinking with deeper sitting lures: blades, muss, vibes and heavier plastics (no more then 1/6).
• Make sure you really slow down your retrieves. 

Its definitely a challenging time of year to catch bream, as alot of them wont be there as they are making baby bream. So dont be disheartened when you dont get a fish.

also benny, where do you find your comps? I've been researching and only come up with some gamefishing ones and the hobie ones that I'm too young to go

[Bennyg78]

Just now, AlbertW said:

Ages since I've seen you benny, did you compete in the Hobie series 14 on Saturday and Sunday? One of my mates Dylan came first in the first-timer division 

Yea mate, I did. Thats my second Hobie comp with Woy Woy being my first

I saw Dylan there, he did super well. 

You really learn alot in the comps as youre fishing against 100+ people so decision making and planning can make or break you.

Its a great atmosphere and really supportive and friendly, you should give it a go!

If you have spoken to Dylan I'd be keen to know where he got his fish. He will also be able to give you some insights on where they are sitting

[Bennyg78]

3 minutes ago, AlbertW said:

also benny, where do you find your comps? I've been researching and only come up with some gamefishing ones and the hobie ones that I'm too young to go

Yeah you have to be 16 years old to fish the hobie comps, but yak hunters you could enter, as they have a younger age limit.

 

[AlbertW]

2 minutes ago, Bennyg78 said:

Yea mate, I did. Thats my second Hobie comp with Woy Woy being my first

I saw Dylan there, he did super well. 

You really learn alot in the comps as youre fishing against 100+ people so decision making and planning can make or break you.

Its a great atmosphere and really supportive and friendly, you should give it a go!

If you have spoken to Dylan I'd be keen to know where he got his fish. He will also be able to give you some insights on where they are sitting

that's going to have to be next year haha, how was woywoy? I know I caught my pb 43cm bream on servo prawns there. 

[Bennyg78]

4 minutes ago, AlbertW said:

that's going to have to be next year haha, how was woywoy? I know I caught my pb 43cm bream on servo prawns there. 

i double dooughnutted at Woy Woy, but was a big field with a cold snap that sent the water temperature down. I am putting a post together to talk about my comp experiences thus far.

Next year isn't far away, Hobie usually release the calendar around October/Nov for the following year, I'd definitely suggest a yak hunter comp in the meantime and they are a great entry to comp fishing and a bit more casual too

[Bennyg78]

PS. If you want to learn more theres a great podcast called the Bream Fishing Project, have a listen!