How To Fish For Bream? Step-By-Step Guide & Tips

Ah, bream fishing, a sport that tests both your patience and your skill! If you’re new to it, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Think of this guide as your fishing buddy, showing you exactly how to land one of these feisty fish.

We’ll break it down, step by step. No fancy jargon, just the stuff you need to know to get that rod bending. And, if you guys are already seasoned bream anglers, maybe you’ll pick up a new trick or two—or at least a good laugh along the way.

Locations and Habitats Of Bream Fish

Selecting the right spot to fish for bream is crucial for a successful outing. Here are some key environments and conditions to consider:

Sheltered Areas with Structures – Bream thrives in sheltered areas with structures such as jetties, rock walls, boat ramps, and overhanging trees. These spots provide cover and attract prey, making them ideal for bream. Cast close to these structures to increase your chances of a bite.

Estuary Shallows – High tides, cloudy skies, and windy conditions often make bream more active in estuary shallows. During high tide, bream moves into shallower waters to feed. Overcast weather and wind reduce light penetration, making bream less cautious and more likely to bite.

Ocean Foreshores and Beaches – Black bream can also be found along ocean foreshores and beaches, accessible from both land and boats. High tide is particularly productive when bream moves closer to shore. Look for natural structures like rocky outcrops and submerged vegetation.

River Systems – River bends, deep pools, and areas with submerged logs or branches are excellent habitats for bream. These spots offer shelter and are prime feeding grounds. Early morning and late afternoon are typically the best times to fish in rivers.

Mangrove Edges and Flats – Mangrove edges and flats provide a rich source of food and protection for bream. Fishing the edges during high tide can yield good results as bream feed among the roots.

Tidal Influences – Breams are more likely to feed during tidal movements, especially the incoming tide. Plan your fishing trips around these tidal changes for better success. Using tidal charts can help you identify the best times to fish.

Consider Fishing Regulations

Before you head out, make sure you have the necessary fishing license. In Victoria, you need a license to fish for bream.

The legal size for keeping bream is a minimum of 28 cm, and you are allowed to keep up to ten legal-sized fish per day. Always check the local regulations to ensure you are compliant and to help protect fish populations.

Choosing The Right Gear and Equipment

Fishing for bream doesn’t require overly complicated or expensive gear. Here’s what we recommend for a successful outing:

Rod and Reel

A 7ft, 2-4kg spinning rod paired with a 1000-2000 sized reel is ideal. We recommend using a five-pound braid with a 4lb fluorocarbon leader for a reliable and sensitive setup.

This combination provides enough strength to handle bream while still being sensitive enough to detect light bites.

Selecting Bream Lures & Bait

Breams are opportunistic feeders, so a variety of baits can be effective. Natural baits like sandworms, prawns, crabs, and bass yabbies are excellent choices. We’ve also found success with man-made baits such as bread and marinated chicken.

Soft plastics and hard plastic lures (like bibbed, surface, and lipless lures) are very effective for lures.

When using soft plastics, try different colors and sizes to see what the bream prefers on any given day. For hard lures, a slow and steady retrieve with occasional twitches works well for bibbed lures.

Surface lures are best used during low light conditions at dawn and dusk when bream is more likely to be feeding on the surface. Lipless lures are great for covering more water and attracting bream from a distance.

Additional Gear (Not Compulsory)

A landing net is useful for safely lifting fish out of the water, especially when fishing from a jetty or boat. A hook remover or long-nosed pliers are essential for safely removing hooks without harming the fish.

Also, consider carrying a tackle box with a variety of hooks, sinkers, and swivels to adapt to different fishing conditions.

Speaking of hooks, you should also check our guide on selecting the right Size Hook for Bream – Hook Size Chart!

Steps for Bream Fishing Setup

Setting up your gear properly is essential for a successful bream fishing trip. Here are the steps we follow for our bream fishing setup, with added tips and insights:

Spool the Reel – Use a 5lb braid for strength and sensitivity, which helps detect subtle bites. Ensure your reel has a smooth drag to handle sudden runs from Bream.

Attach a Leader – Tie a 4lb fluorocarbon leader to the braid using a double uni or FG knot. Fluorocarbon’s low visibility underwater increases bite chances.

Hooks and Weights – Choose circle hooks for live bait to reduce gut hooking and jig heads for lures—lighter for surface fishing, and heavier for deeper waters.

Prepare Bait or Lures – Use sandworms, prawns, or bass yabbies for bait. Soft plastics work in murky water for lures, while natural-colored hard baits are ideal for clear water.

Anchor Your Boat – Anchor both ends to minimize movement. Position the boat over hotspots and use a drift sock in moderate currents.

Cast and Retrieve – Adjust casting techniques for depth. Slow retrieves work best in shallow water, while jigging is effective for deeper areas. Watch your line for subtle signs of a bite.

Some Techniques and Tips

Our experience has taught us several effective techniques for catching bream. Here are some detailed tips and strategies to enhance your bream fishing success

Soft Plastics

When the bream is feeding near the surface, use a lightly weighted jig head (1/16 oz or lighter) and let the soft plastic drift naturally with the current. This technique is particularly effective around structure and weed beds.

For bream located in deeper water, switch to a heavier jig head (1/8 oz or more) to ensure your lure reaches the bottom where the fish are feeding.

Employ a slow lift-and-drop motion to mimic the movement of prey. Vary the speed and height of your lifts to see what triggers the most bites.

Hard Plastics

A steady, straight retrieve works well for lipless crankbaits. These lures create vibrations that attract bream from a distance. If the bream is not responding, try a stop-and-go retrieve to add an element of unpredictability.

The “walk the dog” technique is highly effective for surface lures. This involves a series of short, quick rod twitches to make the lure dart side to side, mimicking an injured baitfish.

Early morning and late afternoon are prime times for using surface lures when the bream is actively feeding near the top.

Bait Fishing

Shrimp and sandworms are among the best live bait for bream. Hook the bait through the tail or head to allow for natural movement in the water. For better presentation, use a running sinker rig to keep the bait near the bottom.

Using circle hooks can significantly improve your catch rate and reduce the likelihood of gut hooking.

Let the fish take the bait and begin to swim away before gently lifting the rod to set the hook. Avoid jerking the rod to ensure the hook sets properly in the fish’s mouth.

Properly anchoring your boat is crucial for effective bait fishing. Position the boat with the bow and stern anchors to minimize movement and keep your bait in the strike zone longer. If fishing in a strong current, use a drift sock to slow your drift and maintain better control.

Seasonal Strategies For Bream Fishing

Adjusting your approach based on the season can significantly improve your success rate. Here are some detailed strategies for fishing bream throughout the year:

Summer

In summer, breams are active in shallow waters where prey is abundant. Use lightly-weighted plastics or topwater lures, focusing on early mornings and late afternoons when the water is cooler.

Bream gather around weed beds and mangroves for cover and food. Cast near these structures and retrieve slowly with occasional pauses to mimic prey.

In hot regions, bream may feed more at night. Use glow-in-the-dark lures or small lights to attract them.

Winter

In winter, bream retreats to deeper waters where temperatures are more stable. Use heavy jig heads and deep-diving crankbaits to reach these depths. A slow and steady retrieve is essential, as breams are less active and more sluggish in colder water.

Target areas with rocky bottoms or deep channels. These spots tend to hold bream during winter months. Use a vertical jigging technique to keep your bait close to the bottom where the fish are likely to be.

During winter, live baits like prawns and small fish can be more effective as bream might be less inclined to chase artificial lures. Present the bait naturally and allow it to drift with the current.

Spring and Autumn

During these transitional seasons, focus on areas where shallow and deep waters meet. Bream moves between different depths depending on the temperature and availability of food. Look for drop-offs and ledges.

Fish around structures such as piers, jetties, and submerged trees. These areas provide cover and attract prey, making them prime spots for bream. Use medium-weight jig heads or crankbaits to explore different depths around the structure.

Adapt your retrieval speed based on the water temperature and fish activity. In cooler water, a slower retrieve is usually more effective, while in warmer water, you can increase the speed to trigger more bites.

Final Advice – Responsible Fishing and Handling

We believe in responsible fishing practices to ensure the survival of released fish and the sustainability of fish populations. Here are our guidelines for responsible fishing and handling:

• Use wet hands or a towel to protect the fish’s slime coat, preventing disease.
• Use a hook remover or pliers. If deeply embedded, cut the line close to the hook to avoid injury.
• Hold the fish in water, facing the current, and move it gently to pass water over its gills. Release once it swims away strongly.
• Use humane methods like the iki jime technique for a quick, painless kill.
• Store fish in a cool, moist environment with ice packs. Cover with a wet cloth to maintain moisture. Avoid direct sunlight.