What Size Hook for Bream? Hook Size Chart!

Fishing for bream is a favorite activity among anglers, and for good reason. These fish are renowned for their vigorous fight and delicious flavor, making them a prized catch for both beginners and experienced fishermen.

In this detailed guide, we’ll discuss the optimal hook sizes for bream, tackle suggestions, and successful techniques drawn from our extensive experience and research.

Understanding Bream Behavior

Bream are opportunistic feeders with a diverse diet that includes shellfish, crustaceans, small fish, shrimp, marine worms, and even unconventional baits like bread and chicken. Their dietary adaptability makes them intriguing and somewhat challenging to catch, adding to the excitement and satisfaction when you finally reel one in.

Several species of bream inhabit Australian waters, including Yellowfin, Black Bream, Southern Black Bream, and Pikey Bream. Each species has unique characteristics, but they all share traits that make them a favorite among anglers.

Varied Habitats: Bream flourish in a multitude of environments, spanning from freshwater rivers and estuaries to inshore mangroves, bays, and harbors. They are also commonly found along ocean shorelines, beaches, and deeper offshore reefs. This extensive habitat range offers anglers a wealth of fishing opportunities, making bream a versatile and exciting target.

Feeding Habits: Breams have relatively small mouths equipped with robust, pin-like teeth perfect for crushing shellfish and crustaceans. They are also quick enough to catch prawns, shrimp, octopus, squid, and small fish such as pilchards, whitebait, sprats, and anchovies. Their eclectic diet means they are attracted to a wide variety of baits, making it challenging to find a bait that hasn’t successfully enticed a bream.

Growth and Lifespan: Bream grow slowly and have long lifespans, akin to their relative, the snapper. For instance, an eastern black bream can grow to about 7.5 cm in its first year but may not reach legal size until it is five or six years old. They can take well into their teenage years to become a kilo-plus trophy fish.

Recommended Hook Sizes and Types

Choosing the right hook size is crucial for bream fishing. Through extensive fishing trips and experiences, we’ve identified several hook sizes that consistently yield great results. Here’s a comprehensive guide based on our experiences and recommendations:

General Bream Fishing – Hook Sizes No. 4 to 2/0

When fishing for bream, hooks in the range of No. 4 to 2/0 are ideal due to their versatility. The sharpness of these hooks plays a crucial role in ensuring successful hook-ups, meaning that when the fish bites, the hook penetrates efficiently, leading to fewer missed catches.

These hook sizes are also well-matched with various bait options. Whether you’re using live baits like worms and shrimp, which are natural choices that bream tend to find irresistible, or artificial lures, these hooks can handle both. Live baits tend to mimic the natural prey of bream, enhancing the chances of enticing the fish to bite.

Meanwhile, artificial lures can be just as effective, especially if you’re mimicking the movement of small aquatic creatures. The versatility of these hook sizes allows you to switch between different baiting techniques while maintaining effectiveness.

Mixed Species Fishing (Bream and Channel Fish)

When you’re targeting both bream and channel fish, sizes #10 or #12 hooks come into play. These sizes strike a balance between being small enough to catch bream but still large enough to handle channel fish. The key advantage here is that these hooks don’t damage the bait excessively, which is crucial when you’re trying to keep the bait intact for longer periods, especially when using soft baits like bread or chicken.

Soft baits are easy for fish to nibble on, so maintaining the integrity of the bait on the hook is critical. Harder baits like mussels, on the other hand, provide more resilience, and the size of the hook helps to hold these tougher baits securely while still appealing to a wide range of fish.

This versatility makes #10 and #12 hooks particularly useful when fishing in environments where multiple species are present, giving you a higher chance of a catch without needing to frequently switch hooks.

Feeder Fishing for Larger Bream – Size 14 Hooks

For feeder fishing, particularly when targeting larger bream, size 14 hooks are the go-to choice. Feeder fishing involves using a cage or feeder to dispense ground bait slowly, attracting fish to your hook. The size 14 hook, being both strong and equipped with larger eyes, accommodates the use of a hair rig, which is a technique that keeps the bait separate from the hook. This improves bait presentation, making it look more natural to the fish, which in turn increases your chances of hooking a larger bream.

The robust nature of these hooks means they won’t easily bend or break when dealing with bigger fish, which is essential when you’re aiming for larger catches. Paired with ground bait mixes, these hooks help create an effective fishing strategy for attracting and catching bigger, more cautious fish like larger bream.

Circle Hooks for Beginners and Conservation Fishing – Sizes 2 to 2/0

Circle hooks are an excellent option for beginners, as well as for those who practice catch-and-release fishing. The design of these hooks is particularly special—they are shaped in such a way that they reduce the likelihood of deep hooking, which can seriously injure the fish. Instead, circle hooks tend to catch the fish in the corner of the mouth, making it easier to unhook the fish without causing harm.

Hook sizes between 2 and 2/0 are effective with live bait like small fish or prawns. These hook sizes are large enough to handle these baits, ensuring the bait stays on the hook but also making it difficult for the fish to swallow it deeply.

For conservation efforts and maintaining fish populations, especially in heavily fished areas, circle hooks are an excellent choice. They allow anglers to enjoy their sport while ensuring the fish can be released back into the water with minimal harm, helping to preserve the ecosystem.

Check our detailed guide on How to Fish With Circle Hooks? Detailed Guide Inside!

Tackle Recommendations

For a successful bream fishing experience, using the right tackle is just as important as selecting the right hook size. Here’s what we recommend based on our extensive fishing experiences:

Rods and Reels – Choose a light rod (1.7 to 2.2 meters) paired with a small to medium spinning reel (1000 to 2500 series). This combo is perfect for bream fishing, offering the sensitivity to detect gentle bites and smooth line retrieval. Opt for fast-action rods for quick hook sets and reels with smooth drag systems to manage sudden bream runs.

Lines – Use clear monofilament lines with a breaking strain of 2-8 kg (4-17 lbs) for strength and sensitivity. Fluorocarbon leaders are great for their invisibility and abrasion resistance, especially in clear or rocky waters.

Sinkers and Swivels – Light sinkers (up to 25g) and small swivels (No. 12 or 14) keep your bait presentation subtle. Adjust sinker weight for strong currents or deeper waters, and use split shot sinkers to fine-tune weight.

Lures and Baits – Bream responds well to small lures like plugs, vibes, and soft plastics with jig heads (1/16 to 1/8 oz). For natural baits, try worms, yabbies, mussels, or bread. Experiment with different baits for the best results and match hook size to bait for better hook-ups.

Learn some proven tips and techniques for bream fishing…

Our Proven Hook Setting Techniques

A prop hook-setting technique is crucial to ensure you don’t lose the fish after it bites. One of the most effective methods we use is the running sinker setup. This technique allows the fish to take the bait without feeling the resistance from the sinker, giving you ample time to set the hook securely.

In a running sinker setup, the sinker moves freely along the main line above the swivel, ensuring that the fish doesn’t feel its weight when taking the bait. This allows the fish to swallow the bait properly.

We recommend using a slack line technique, where you let the fish swim with the bait for a bit before setting the hook. This approach helps secure the hook more effectively and reduces the chance of the fish spitting out the bait.

To set up a running sinker, start by threading a small sinker onto your main fishing line. Place a small bead below the sinker to protect your knot from wear. Tie a swivel to the end of the main line to stop the sinker from sliding down to the hook.

Finally, attach a leader line, about 30-50 cm long, to the other end of the swivel and then tie your hook to the end of the leader. This setup ensures a natural presentation of the bait and increases the chances of a successful catch.

Check Other Hook Size Charts