Line For Bream

[1975]

hi all

i am using 6lb fireline with 8lb leader. All i catch is flatheads, should i use 4lb or 6lb leader to increase my chances of catching a bream? I use all the varieties of plastics that are covered in the other topics and vary my retrieve from quick and fast jerks, slow and fast winds,short and long pauses and everything in between. Also i fish at Hen and Chicken.

thanks

Billy

[fishingmik]

hi all

i am using 6lb fireline with 8lb leader. All i catch is flatheads, should i use 4lb or 6lb leader to increase my chances of catching a bream? I use all the varieties of plastics that are covered in the other topics and vary my retrieve from quick and fast jerks, slow and fast winds,short and long pauses and everything in between. Also i fish at Hen and Chicken.

thanks

Billy

billy what sort of leader are u using and how long is your leader

i use a fluro carbon leader that they call invisible its about 15 bucks for 25mtrs but does the trick and for bream i use a leader that is 8 pound and about 1.5mtrs long you can go lighter if they are spooked easy on the day but i generly just use 8 pound

mik

[1975]

billy what sort of leader are u using and how long is your leader

i use a fluro carbon leader that they call invisible its about 15 bucks for 25mtrs but does the trick and for bream i use a leader that is 8 pound and about 1.5mtrs long you can go lighter if they are spooked easy on the day but i generly just use 8 pound

mik

Didn't even think about using fluro! you reckon its worth it? I use a gren daiwa mono thats usually rod length ( 7 foot). May have to get a fluro leader- any brands?

thanks Mik

Billy

[tomahawk1999]

Hey Billy,

I use 2kg mono with no leader although I usually tie a double.

Although sometimes bream will smash a SP usually they will just pick it up very softly and mouth the lure.

The only indication you get is the slack being drawn out of your line.

Treat the fish like you are bait fishing when you feel this and drop your rod tip allowing the fish to move off with the lure.

When the line tightens up just lift your tip without striking and 9/10 you will get a hookup.

Takes a little while to get the technique right but once you get used to the way bream bite you will have better success.

Also it's much easier when there's no wind to feel what's going on.

Good luck,

Rod.

[fishingmik]

bill i think its worth getting flurocarbon i use pioneer invissible but there should be plenty of other brands to choose from just ask your tackle shop he will steer you in the right direction

cheers mik

[1975]

Thanks guys

looks like i need to buy the fluro and get in more practice. Sounds like going after bream is a lot more subtle in the retrieve, and not the quick jerks of flatie fishing ( and a hundred other things as well)

billy

[lurespinner]

flouro is definately the go

u will notice a lot more takes and a lot less picking

if u are fishing on flats or open water it mite even be worth going to a 4lb or even 2lb flouro leader

[tonyt]

i use 4 pd all the way to the hook with bait and lures allways fluoro you just got to be careful with your drag

[1975]

i use 4 pd all the way to the hook with bait and lures allways fluoro you just got to be careful with your drag

what do you mean careful with the drag? do you mean make sure its more loose( less drag) also what if you hook a good sized flatie, will 4lbs hold it?

billy

[kbark]

what do you mean careful with the drag? do you mean make sure its more loose( less drag) also what if you hook a good sized flatie, will 4lbs hold it?

billy

4lb will catch a flatties. you just have to be patient and keep their heads under the water. I use 6lb pioneer for flatties and bream, but if targeting bream I'd use 4lb if there's no structure around.

I'm sure he meant have the drag fairly loose as you said. good luck...hope you get one soon.

[Sammy0884]

i use 6lb nitlon flurocarbon as leader on 4lb braid for bream, the only trouble is that you are highly likely to run into some chopper tailor and flatties when targeting bream which can cost you a few jigheads if they are hooked deep.

[pk-fishn]

i use 6lb nitlon flurocarbon as leader on 4lb braid for bream

i find nitlon a great leader as well reliable knot strength and good abrasion resistance. i think the clear pattern is that 6pd and less flourocarbon is great on the breamskis!!

cheers pk

[1975]

looks like 6lb fluro should do the trick especially at H&C where there is not much structure. Now i just got to get the retrieve that bream like

thanks for all the help guys

billy

( ps i'm keen to practice so if you want to fish especially at H&C or surrounds pm me )

[pk-fishn]

mate just quickly what lure have you been using matched to which sized jigheag, 1/16th or 1.5grm is the max youll need for bream a h/cm as different lures need differing retrieves but the best way to test it out is to gedt out there and mix it up seeing what works on the day so youve got that bit right for sure!!

have a look at crystallisers posts hes been braining them at iron cove and h/c bay

cheers pk

Edited January 28, 2007 by pk-fishn

[Bream Mad]

looks like 6lb fluro should do the trick especially at H&C where there is not much structure. Now i just got to get the retrieve that bream like

thanks for all the help guys

billy

( ps i'm keen to practice so if you want to fish especially at H&C or surrounds pm me )

I have to agree there Billy,

I generally use a 6lb fluoro leader of aroud 2m's at H&C or basically any similar fishing spot. Fluoro is a bit thicker than standard mono and provides a little bit more abrasion resistance as well as being able to handle most flatties raspy teeth. Occasionally on shallow sand flats i go down to 4lb mono which is very thin and I recon I get more Bream, but any decent flatty will bite though it in no time (so you have to land them quick)

Cheers

BM

[robthefisherman]

I'm with pk on this one, I think it may have more to do with the jighead size, as he said 1/16th max.

I found the same thing when I 1st started with sp's as I was using heavier heads, when I lightened them up I started to catch the bream.

I use 6lb fireline with 10lb fluro leader and it works fine for me

Edited January 29, 2007 by robthefisherman

[wettingaline]

I use 4 pound braid with 6 pound fluro carbon leader, the brand of the fluro is some weird japanese brand that i bought from fishfinder tony seems to work a treat on bass, havent reeled in any decent sized breambo's with it yet though... my method for choosing line class though is go as light as you can without getting busted off...i use fluro because it is so bloody invisable in the water....and the light braid, because A: there is no way im gonna catch a bream bigger then 2 kg's and B: i can feel every little bite an take and get a better lure action.

[Luringbream]

I use to fish HC a fair bit, and still do.

It is very simple..

For bream on the flats/rocky surelines, it is crucial that your leader is kept to a minimum of 4-6lb at all times. There is nothing that the bream can bust you up on in HC so you will have no dramas on the big fish, given that your drag is set correctly.

I prefer 4lb fireline as opposed to 6lb, theres not a huge difference but i tend to detect more bites on a lighter braid.

A flurocarbon leader is a MUST, i use either siglon, nitlon or vanish, they all work as well as each other..

I almost always use 2grm jigheads when fishing that area, they are perfect for that bay. If there is the slightest bit of wind i go up to a 3grm jig (1/8th) and still catch good quality fish.

What rod and reel setup do you have and what lures are you using?

DAN

[1975]

I use to fish HC a fair bit, and still do.

It is very simple..

For bream on the flats/rocky surelines, it is crucial that your leader is kept to a minimum of 4-6lb at all times. There is nothing that the bream can bust you up on in HC so you will have no dramas on the big fish, given that your drag is set correctly.

I prefer 4lb fireline as opposed to 6lb, theres not a huge difference but i tend to detect more bites on a lighter braid.

A flurocarbon leader is a MUST, i use either siglon, nitlon or vanish, they all work as well as each other..

I almost always use 2grm jigheads when fishing that area, they are perfect for that bay. If there is the slightest bit of wind i go up to a 3grm jig (1/8th) and still catch good quality fish.

What rod and reel setup do you have and what lures are you using?

DAN

Using the rod i won at fishfinder a 1-3kg 7' silstar but changed the reel to a sahara 2500. 6lb fireline and 8lb mono which i will change to 6lb fluro when i talk to tony.

The lures range from 3" minow grub in pumkin seed( which usually just get chewed to bits by toads?) to a range of 2" and 3"squidgies. the jig heads range from1/32 to i think 1/8. i go a bit bigger and heavier when i get frustrated trying to cath bream and resort back to flaties.

I think i need to work on my retrieves and picking to right spots more than anything else

billy

[Guest dicko1]

hey mate, i would recommend berkley vanish flourocarbon, it is much cheaper than the other brands and whilst you do get what you pay for it has always served me well. I tend to just use 4lb line the whole way through, it does hold big flatties, i have caught 50cm flatties on it and the line wasnt even chaffed, you just have to play them out and keep their heads under water. As for retrieves for bream, when i first started out i found the squidgy instructional video part 1 & 2 a huge help with learning retrieves. Also with bream you want to use the minimum sized weight you can for the conditions, just enough to get you on the bottom... slow everything down, and just a gentle lift is often all thats required. If you want to borrow that video Im sure we can arrange something, just PM me...

[mottyman]

G'day,

I too use Berkley Vanish as my leader material. It's great and very cost effective. About $17 for 250 yards or so I think. I also use Vanish for heavier applications as well with no problems whatsoever.

I fish Hen and Chicken, the Parra and Lane Cove a fair bit and use 4lb fireline to an 8lb Vanish Leader. I feel more confident on the 8lb leader when those big flatties and even jews come along.

I think the jig head is indeed the key rather than the weight of your leader. I lightened up my jig heads to just enough to suit the conditions (wind, tidal run etc etc) and catch a lot more bream now. Squidgy finesse or ball head jigs are great, but TT's are terrific as well.

The lighter your jig head the more natural your presentation looks, especially using gulp worms.

The fish in my Avatar was taken from under a moored boat in the lane cove on an 8lb leader, a Squidgy ball head jig and half a gulp worm - no problems!

Good luck with it all.

Cheers

David.

[1975]

Caught my first bream . Thanks for all the advice raiders, Modfified my rig with a 6lb fluro and used a smaller hook. Also slowed everything down. Bream was caught at H&C using the ever reliable 3' minnow grub in pumkinseed and was 24cm. Funnyily enough my brother who was using the the rig i had before( 8lb mono leader) also caught his first a couple of days before at 29cms on a killer tomato. Who knows.

Thanks again to all of you who offered advice

billy

[Blood Knot]

Congratulations Billy the bream bug really starts to bite after you have cracked the first one. Good to see the young fella had a front row seat for the event as well.

John

Edited February 3, 2007 by Blood Knot

[1975]

Congratulations Billy the bream bug really starts to bite after you have cracked the first one. Good to see the young fella had a front row seat for the event as well.

John

thanks mate, Been trying to get out once a weekend and a midweek arvo session as well. Its very addictive!!!!

Billy

[TheLender]

Personally I wouldn't even use Vanish to hang my Christmas decorations up!

I use 4lb Rapala Titanium Braid, far more limp than fireline and better on knots. 4lb Yamatoyo leader is the best I have found, and thats after using just about all the major fluoro leaders on the market.

The other thing that helps when fishing light is good quality rods and reels. I use a 1000FB Stella, and custom rods. The last thing you need is a sticky drag or rod that cant handle the work.

Edited February 18, 2007 by TheLender