In this article Logan Dixon from Brisbane gives some of his top tips for targeting bream on the flats in areas like Moreton Bay.

There are vast numbers of product spots around the many islands around Moreton Bay upon which to target bream on the flats. With a bit of knowhow you can expect to catch bream but also a number of other species: both highly prized fish and pesky by catch.
The best thing to look for when fishing for bream on the flats is a shallow rubble bottom. This can be made up of oysters, rock or even reef. While targeting bream, a large variety of by catch can be caught.
Longtom tend to hit surface lures and leave marks all over them while the dreaded sea toad are notorious for crushing hooks and breaking lures with one chomp of their powerful jaws.
Flathead and tarwhine are also common (among others), and while the latter aren’t highly rated, they fight harder than bream at times. Perhaps the most welcomed by catch of all though is both spangled and grass emperor.
TIMES & TIDES
The best stage of tide is the end of the run out. When the tide is high the fish are all up in the cover of the mangroves. If you are in a boat and are either worried about the boat hitting the bottom, or there isn’t enough water, it pays to have a pair of wet boots handy. By getting out of the boat you can cover the extremely shallow ground that can’t be covered in a boat.
I’ve experienced some of the best surface fishing action in less than 30 cm of water with just a rod and a pair of pliers. This can be done at low tide, beginning of the run in or the end of the run out tide.
It’s important if you are wading around to be cautious of stonefish, stingrays and even blue ringed octopus. Going in with a mate is advisable for this very reason too. Like most fishing scenarios, mornings and afternoons are prime times; however, some fish can still be caught throughout the day if you are willing to battle the heat.

A decent sized bream taken in very shallow water as you can see

TECHNIQUES & LURES
Shallow diving hardbodies, surface lures and even soft plastics are all effective lure types. Lures that can be cast far work the best when fishing on the flats. Diving hardbodies work through all stages of the day, whether it’s first thing in the morning or during the middle of the day. The best way to work them is slow. In fact, the slower you go, the better.
Not only does a slow retrieve give the fish more time to eat the lure, it can help by decreasing the amount of time it snags up. It’s important that the lure is constantly bumping along the bottom. While the lure is in motion, it isn’t uncommon to feel tapping at the lure. When this happens, pausing the lure and slightly twitching it can be like ringing the dinner bell; they just can’t resist.
Surface lures are most effective in the early mornings and late afternoons. Walk the dog style lures tend to work better than poppers. They work ideally in shallow water with anything over a metre not ideal for surface fishing.
Sometimes the fish will hook up as soon as they hit the lure and other times they just swipe at it. If they are swiping at the lure it’s best to pause it before moving it a little bit and pausing it again. Bream will generally strike it again during the pause.
Soft plastics aren’t as effective as hardbodied lures, simply because they don’t cover as much ground. However, they can still be effective on overcast days when the fish aren’t as skittish.
FLATS GEAR
When it comes to rods, reels and line, light setups are great. A rod with a rating around 1 to 3 kg, a reel between 1000 and 2500 with either 6 or 4 lb braid is perfect. Two rod lengths of 4 lb leader tied with the slimmest knot you can tie is ideal. Personally, I use the FG knot as it is very slim and super strong.
Moreton Bay bream can be caught all-year-round with summer generally associated with surface fishing; however, I have caught my biggest surface bream in winter along with multiple other fish.
I find winter to be a good time to fish as it isn’t stinking hot and bigger fish tend to show up more commonly.
I hope this information has helped you out and hopefully you can get onto a few. If you have anything you would like to ask me, please feel free to message me on Instagram @logan.dixon.fishing.

Logan Dixon lives in Brisbane and fishes primarily in Moreton. One of the types of fishing he’s particularly passionate about is bream fishing around the many islands in Moreton Bay.

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A nice little winter bream taken on a soft plastic worked over a shallow weed bed