Black Bream [southern black bream] (Acanthropagus
butcheri)
Size :
450g - 3kg.
Habitat :
Yellowfin Bream frequent coastal and estuarine waters of the eastern coast
of Australia from central Qld. to eastern Vic. They inhabit bays, lakes,
tidal rivers and creeks, estuaries, surf beaches and rocky headlands often
forming into large schools. Individuals found in the coastal waters along
beaches and open waters take on a silver appearance whereas the estuarine
dwellers are more darker in form. The Black Bream is found in more southerly
estuarine and inshore coastal waters from southern W.A. across to southern
N.S.W. including north and east Tas. This fish is predominantly an estuarine
species but occassionally can be found in the gulf waters of S.A. Both
species are attracted to structures like oyster leases, wharves, logs,
eroded banks and rock walls which offer protection and shelter.
Qualities :
Scavenger fish that is timid and can be spooked easily. They are sensitive
to noise, flashing lights and shadows. Good sport on light lines and when
hooked behave erratically usually dashing and darting about in short bursts.
If cover is close by such as a reef or pier pylons then bream will dive
amongst this cover when hooked.
Record :
Australian record Yellowfin Bream 4.445kg.
Australian record Black Bream 3.450kg.
Best Bait :
Live marineworm, nippers, prawn, mudworm, beachworm, yabby, small crab
and shrimp.
Fresh baits as above, small cut crab, pippi, mullet gut, squid, juvenile
moluscs, stripbaits of fresh fish, oyster, fillets of yellowtail, crustacea,
shellfish, small cube of pilchard, octopus, abalone gut, tuna strips and
fish flesh.
Small lures.
Tackle :
Line : 2 - 6kg main line with a 40cm trace.
Hook : No.4 - 1/0 Mustad 540 Viking, No.4,6 or 8 Longshank for nippers,
prawn and worm baits.
Rig : Light rig with lightest ball running sinker as possible.
Hints :
Bream feed together in schools at depths usually from 2 to 6m. Dawn, dusk
and night fishing for bream provides the best results. Look for bream in
snags full of barnacles and place your bait right up against it, do not
cast away from wharves and rock ledges but rather in to them. Lighted night
areas usually attract bream but be carefull not to scare the fish. Bream
respond well to berley in the form of prawn heads, chicken pellets, cheese,
little bread, cut pilchards or small fish frames like tuna. Berley only
when ready to fish as bream tend to feed only for a short time then move
on. Early morning on an overcast day suits berleying as the fish tend to
hold for feeding longer. Use only a slow berley trickle. Bait size should
be small with the hook buried inside. Entrances to estuaries find bream
hiding in deep holes and channels during low tide but can be caught on
flats at high tide or at night. Night fishing for bream during the times
of prawn runs is excellent using a shelled prawn as bait. At beaches bream
can be found in small gutters and areas of deeper water where they will
feed on worms, small crab and shellfish delivered by the wave action and
surge. Most cases bream can be found where there is a rocky bottom. Beach
bream prefer pippi, pilchard fillets and beachworms and bite best at early
morning or late afternoon and evening combined with a rising tide bringing
the fish out of the deeper gutters and channels and up on to sandbars in
search for food. Bream often follow schools of tailor and feed on the pickings
left behind. During winter months bream congregate in deep fast running
water near surf bars where rivers and estuaries enter the open sea. Best
times here are at night and dawn especially big tide nights which correspond
with periods a few nights before and up to the full moon and new moon.
Use minimum terminal tackle at beaches so the bait is presented naturally
with the wave action and a light beach rod of 3 - 4m is ideal for bream
fishing at the beach and from rocks. From the rocks bream will be found
in small gutters and washes that have white water spilling over broken
reef, the fish scavenge the bottom and rock ledges for small crabs and
crustaceans. Try a small cut crab allowed to wash around freely here. A
technique for berleying bream from the rocks is to hang a fish frame over
the edge and allow the wash to break up the frame to make a natural trail.
Unweighted baits are best used with berley trails from rocks and only use
a sinker if the water is turbulent or your bait is hanging on the surface.
During July/August spawning occurs leading to large congregations toward
river mouths and sand bars. Biting is avid at these times. Small lures
cast accurately and repeatedly into cover will encourage a strike.
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