2011 Calendar
Fish of the Month
Bream
The most common types are :-
a) Yellow Fin - up to 66cm and 4.455kg - found from south west coast, southern coast & around to the east coast.
b) Black - up to 54cm and 3.45kg - far north coast
Bream are found in estuaries and close offshore.
During the period March - July they will tend to be moving out. During the Period October-February there is a smaller run with big bream moving right up estuaries to spawn.
Bream habitats are :-
a) Rocky shorelines
b) Breakwalls
c) Oyster Beds
d) Gravel Beds
e) Sand Flats where they clean their bellies
A good bream spot is the Osmond Shoals off Cronulla.
Bream are hard to catch in clear waters - in this situation live baits are best with live crabs being the preference.
In dirty or discoloured water chicken gut, skirt steak or mullet gut are the preferred baits - the smell is highly attractive to the bream.
Nippers or live blood worms are the best baits for bream - nippers on hard bottom or rough terrain and worms on a soft bottom. Prawns (peeled or unpeeled) are also excellent.
Bream are basically scavengers and will take a wide range of baits.
Pink lures can also be used in Murky water - the "Scarlet O'Hara" lure is probably the best.
The use of burley is recommended when fishing for bream. Burley should not be used in strong tides as it washes away. Burley can also have the effect of attracting unwanted species.
Gabes Burley mix consists of wheat with pollard or bran mix and a little tuna oil. This should be combined to make a firm mix that can be formed into balls.
The burley should be cast against the tide so it drifts to the bait.
Time and tide are important considerations when bream fishing. As a general rule fish the run out during the daylight and the run in at night. Best results will be achieved during neap tides.
When fishing from breakwalls fish the last 3 hours of the run out.
Fish the first few hours of the run out when amongst the oyster leases.
Moonless nights can be unproductive because phosphorus in the water can illuminate the line.
In general a long rod with light action should be used with about 5kg line.
Gabe recommends a 7 foot rod for the following reasons:-
a) You can cast further with lighter weights
b) The length allows overhang outside the boat
c) There is more leverage to lift fish
The ideal reel is a bait runner type.
The rig must be as light as possible for the conditions. Bream are extremely sensitive to any weight they feel when they strike the bait.
The ideal rig is shown below, the emphasis being "light".
Below is a table that suggests combinations of sinker size and trace length for varying tidal flow conditions.
Trace length increases with tidal flow so that the fish does not feel any weight.
A tip from Gabe Eucalyptus oil is great for removing the smell of chicken gut or mullet gut from your hands.
If fishing around bridges in fast water an ideal rig is "Pickers Doom". Nippers are a good bait for this situation
When night fishing for bream the following method should be used - all fish will be caught within a boat length or so from shore If a float method is used the rig should be configured as per the following drawing
Experiment with a roving hook along you trace - this can yield some surprising results.
A tip from Gabe Fish will respond favourably to a sudden change in weather
Recipe Suggestion
Oriental Barbecued Bream
750 g (1 1/2 lb) bream fillets
1/4 cup polyunsaturated oil 1
/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped root ginger
Combine oil, soy sauce, sherry, shallots, garlic and ginger. Mix until well combined. Add bream fillets and allow to marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Drain; reserve marinade. Place on a well-greased barbecue plate or grill. Cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes each side, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
Serve with a salad of Asian Greens & Crispy Fried Noodles with Lime juice vinaigrette
Serves 4-6