Johnston's Creek - Bream Fishing Plastics and Surface

[Niall]

I'd heard from a few people that if you fish the inner west storm water drains and canals during or after a big rain you could have some fun catching bream on plastics etc.

Turns out they were dead right.

Headed down to Johnstons Creek this arvo right in the middle of the heaviest rain we had today.  Johnstons Creek is dry at low tide and barely has any water in it unless the tide is over 1.5-1.6m.  Today though, the water was pumping out of the storm water drains into the canal and the bream were feeding where the storm water met the incoming tide.

I'd had some success in the past casting surface lures in the same water over the past few weeks but I'd never found the fish in this creek to be as fired up as they were today.  With a small Pro Lure Yabby SP on a 1/32oz jig head I was getting bocked multiple times per cast.  Mostly little baby bream but once every few casts the lure got nailed by a decent sized fish.  The best I got was probably early 30's - a good fight in close quarters on 4lb line.

Interesting to note that when I changed up to 6lb and a heavier jig head (the storm water was running so much it was dragging my plastics all over the place) the bream shut down.  As soon as I changed back to 4lb I was getting smashed.  Discerning little buggers aren't they?

I didn't try that many lures as the yabbies were proving so successful, but when I (briefly) tried a gulp crabby, they shut down again.

Anyway, I must have caught over a dozen bream over a 2 or so hour period.  Also pretty sure I briefly jag-hooked a big mullet that ran me around a bit before getting off.  I still had a big mullet size scale on my hook when I got it back in.

 

Pretty decent arvo I reckon.  Beats work.

Have a crack yourselves next time it rains heavily and there's a high tide.

[wazatherfisherman]

Well done! Especially for going when most would stay at home. Top result

[LuckyFil]

Ditto to Waza's comments.

A very detailed and interesting report.

A bit like the stories you hear of Barra feeding where run-off drains meet the main rivers following the wet season up north!

[Rebel]

Great report.

[61 crusher]

Great informative report. As a young bloke I used to dig up earth worms & use prawns at storm water pipes & run offs & did alright catching bream & the odd EP & on one occasion hooked a good Jew nearby but lost it to being inexperienced 

[out n about]

Great report. Just walk by a canal and noticed a lot of activity. Especially bait fish and bream. Hopefully this will continue.