Spring is a renowned time of year to target many iconic Australian species in both fresh and saltwater environments. Big flathead in deep water, post spawning brown trout, mulloway lurking below bait schools, and golden perch mooching around shallow weed beds are just a few that come to mind. One species that doesn’t fall into this category, and in many ways isn’t synonymous with this time of year, is the much sort after black and yellowfin bream. With the exception of tournament anglers, bream tend to play second fiddle to the other above-mentioned species. However, with the correct approach, a consistently high percentage of accurate casts, and a suite of retrieval styles in your armory, some top-end bream fishing is on offer in many systems throughout our eastern states, Tasmania, and South Australia.
In broad terms, throughout spring, bream can be found just about anywhere in a lake or river system. Fish will often hold over weed or shell beds, under oyster racks, or poking across flats in the backwaters. One of the most challenging areas to target bream though is around structure such as underwater trees, submerged shrubs, mangrove roots, and large fallen branches. Fish will seek out these woody features, which can be found sprinkled along the edges of feeder creeks and the perimeters of open estuarine waters. Even in strong tidal areas most of these natural structures are permanent features, which means that a large variety of marine life, including algae and weed, will attach themselves to the fertile timber to grow and reproduce. These organisms will attract small fish and other creatures which results in a variable smorgasbord for bream.
Extraction methods
Fish found around the timber are generally bigger than your average open water fish. They’re super healthy and can produce surging, dogged runs of unparalleled power in an enclosed estuary which makes luring for bream around timber one of the more exhilarating fishing methods a southern fisher can experience. In saying that, there are associated frustrations and dangers of snagging and losing lures, which is part and parcel with this type of fishing and only adds to the challenge.
First and foremost is working out how to extract a fish from these unforgiving environments. One of the biggest dilemmas faced with this type of fishing is selecting the ‘correct’ breaking strain leader. It has been written many times that light; thin leaders will get more bites; however, bream attempting to get back into the thick of the snag can deal with light leaders quickly. The other pitfall with light leaders is that they are often compromised via nicks or rubs as a result of retrieving lures over and through barnacle covered branches and twigs. On the other hand, heavier leaders will result in more landed fish but may minimise enquiries and bites.
Back in the 80s we spent many days canoeing the backwaters of NSW south coast estuary systems in search of resident black bream. In those days our standard bream tackle was 1 kg breaking strain (pre-tested main lines) with a short 6 lb leader, which we landed plenty of kilo plus bream on. Those experiences have meant we always tend to opt for lighter leaders to ensure bites are forth coming. I start with 6 lb early mornings and late evenings, but on clear days I may drop down to 4 lb leader. Many tournament fishers use 2 or 3 lb fluorocarbon main lines straight to their presentation. I’ll be honest and say I have yet to use this set up but common sense would tell us this would result in bites from finicky fish in heavily fished waters. Having the skill to extract solid bream out of thick structure is a skill that I marvel at from this talented, ever growing, group of anglers.
If we have been ‘bricked’ a few times I may opt to go up to 8 lb leader but generally I’ll stick with 6 lb, but up the anti on the next fish hooked and hope everything holds. Dealing with landing a fish should be a secondary consideration to ensuring you are getting bites and enquiries, as you won’t land a thing if you don’t get the bites! Regardless on the leader size you choose, it is crucial to constantly check the entire length of your leader on a regular basis. If using a leader of up to two metres it should be remembered that every centimetre of your leader may come into contact with underwater obstacles. You must check the entire length, not just the bottom end of the leader near the tow point. If all these factors aren’t enough, the other factor to contend with is the presence of tailor in certain systems. The teeth of a tailor, even a hand-sized chopper, can make quick work of a thin leader. Unfortunately, the only solution is to move to another set of snags to work and hope the ‘fang brigade’ hasn’t followed you.
Characteristics
There are a number of factors I look for when approaching a snag pile or submerged woody feature. The first is the amount of water movement around the snag. Bream will often use snags as a break from the flowing water and position themselves on the down current side of a snag. Facing into the current will see them on high alert for a passing baitfish or crustacean that may have strayed from the calmer water. Hits and takes in these situations are fast and furious as fish have little time to investigate your presentation so be prepared for battle. Once the water slows these fish can become quite frustrating but we have found that the key is to offer a number of presentations in a short window to trigger a bite. What I mean by this is don’t ‘flog’ a snag with 20 or 30 casts before deciding to change presentations. Make 2 or 3 casts at the most with 1 style of lure before changing. Repeat until you are satisfied you have used all lure styles available and have given any fish on the snag a chance to see your lure.
Having a selection of rods rigged up will fast track this process and ensure time wasted re-rigging doesn’t affect your chance at a fish. If the snag is a single tree with a sparse number of small branches coming off the trunk then I will start with either a floating or suspending hardbody. Floating hardbodies have the distinct advantage of being able to float up and over branches during the retrieve. The method is not dissimilar to native fishing in the freshwater except with finesse tackle. As you roll your lure in and feel it connect with a branch, pause to allow the in-built buoyance to drift the lure up the water column. Recommence your retrieve with a few subtle wrist flicks to give the appearance of a creature feeling its way over the branch. As your lure comes over the branch into ‘clear’ water, you will need to be on high alert as bream will often take an inquisitive nibble on your lure. A responsive, firm strike is required to set the hooks and get on top of the fish quickly before it has turned and headed back into the sanctuary of the snag. As the lure clears the branch “dance” the lure as slowly as possible by keeping the line taut and your rod tip down close to the waters surface while working against the lure’s buoyancy (See Fact Box – Working a floating hardbody across a branch).
The first cast needs to be accurate and as far back into the snag as you dare to ensure repeated short or inaccurate casts do not spook the fish. This is a common fault by many bream fishers (myself included) and can only be corrected by constant casting on the water in tight situations. If your casts have been on the money and you do not generate any interest –switch over to a small soft plastic. Around fast water snags a stickbait or fish style plastic will work best with intermittent flicks and twitches imparted throughout the retrieve. In slow water situations – wriggler, crustacean, and grub styles will do the business. These three styles all have various appendages that will flutter and dance even with slow, subtle rod movements.
Using a similar approach to the floating hardbody; cast as close to the bank as possible towards the base of the tree. While keeping your rod tip at a 45 degree angle slowly work your retrieve. Attempt to ‘feel’ or roll your way over and across the branches. As you feel your soft plastic fall free of the branch, cease winding while dipping your rod slightly to allow your lure to transcend down. Anywhere from only a few centimetres to half a metre should suffice. Now lift your rod again slowly and commence winding again (See Fact Box – Soft plastics in the timber). Ensure you rig your soft plastic with the hook riding up to minimise snags. If you have only just started working the snag I always opt to bust off and re-rig rather than drive the boat in to unsnag as this will spook any fish holding under the timber. Ensure you keep your jighead weight to minimum with half and one gram heads more than sufficient for this type of lure work. I only ever up the weight to 2 grams if I’m fishing snags in water greater than 3 m deep.
Hidden secrets
Areas that receive significant tidal flow can hold some hidden secrets not far from the structure, particularly, if the snag is partly lying on the bottom. The tidal effect on the substrate either side of the snag and underneath it can create pot holes, channels, and deep pockets that will provide ideal holding areas for bream and other species. The length and depth of these gouged out areas will depend on tidal velocity, the direction or angle in which the current hits and then deflects off the snag, as well as water depth. Some of the most productive holes I have found off the back end of a snag have been in a metre of water.
One snag we stumbled across in local estuary had a pod of 6 to 10 big bream tightly balled up in a hole no more than a ruler length deep. We actually polaroided the fish moving in the hole. They were catching tiny morsels that were washed into their holding zone by the current. I quickly tied on a two inch motor oil coloured grub and strategically placed a cast under the overhanging branches far enough in front of the hole to allow my jighead to sink and roll towards the bream. As my grub drifted and hopped towards the hole, one of the bream darted out and engulfed my lure in an explosion of mud and tiny gravel. A solid bream of just over a kilogram was the result. The unfortunate draw back with shallow water scenarios is that the disturbance will spook any fish in the area. This was the case in the above scenario so we left the area for 20 minutes or so and then returned to find the bream back in the hole and we were lucky enough to extract another fish.
Another effective way to prospect the perimeters of a snag, searching for that elusive nearby ‘honey hole’ is to use a suspending or diving minnow. The method is relatively straight forward and consists of working lures approximately 3 to 5 m either side of the snag and then gradually working repeat casts closer to the snag. My approach is to deliver 2 or 3 prospecting casts around the perimeter before working the actual snag (See Fact Box: Snag strategy). If I can’t generate any interest from the snag I will revert bag to searching for a deep hole nearby. This method works best only in slow to moderate current.
Whether it is chasing resident bruising blacks, or one of those square nosed yellow-fins, targeting bream around woody features is both highly productive and extremely effective. Even more so when other fishers are focusing on other species synonymous with spring.
