TACKLE & RIGS
Use 20lb fluorocarbon hooklengths
Giltheads can push into double figures, although most are up to 5lb or so, but do fight well. On the surf beaches, 11-12ft bass rods casting no more than 3oz, and small 6500-sized multipliers prove perfect.
Load your reel with 15lb line, 20lb if close to snags, and a 30lb shockleader. If you use a fixed spool, go for a 5000 size with 20lb braid line and a 30lb leader, again with the bass rod.
The bass rod option is the common choice for estuaries too, but experienced gilthead anglers often prefer either a 10ft spinning rod, rated 1-3oz, with a tough 3500 to 4000 sized fixed-spool reel such as the Penn Slammer series or similar, or even a fasttapered mullet rod for maximum sport when close-quarter estuary fishing.
In the surf, two-hook flapper rigs work well with longer 18-inch hooklengths because it gives the bait movement that these bream like. You could also try a single-hook sliding leger using a round ball weight and 20 inches of hooklength. This rig can be allowed to roll around in the estuary channels and proves more deadly than an anchored two-hook rig.
Fluorocarbon is the best hooklink material in 20lb because the gilthead has teeth and can easily cut through plain mono. Hooks do not need to be big. A size 2 Kamasan B940 Aberdeen is popular, or something similar in size 2 or 1. For bigger crab baits and bigger fish, look to a size 1/0 Aberdeen. The longer shank of the Aberdeen pattern helps to combat the bream’s teeth too. 20lb braid is ideal for surf and estuaries
BAIT SELECTION
From the surf beaches, blow lug is a top bait and hard to beat. If you fish close to rocks, then peeler crabs are excellent, and also fresh razorfish. Mussels are worth using, but they are not as good as lug.
In the estuaries, peeler or soft crabs are best. Lugworms and bunches of harbour rag do well here too.
When baiting up, look to fill the bend of the hook and the hook shank, but keep the hook point well clear for easy penetration on the strike. A good tip is to cut a small square section of squid, say sequin size, and push this over the hook point and barb to stop the worm or crab sliding down and masking the hook point.
TOP TACTICS FOR GILTHEADS
On surf beaches, it is often said that the gilts are always close in, but this is not always the case. In very calm weather they can be at maximum range if there is an obvious feature they can work through. Be prepared to fish at ranges of up to 100 yards, if need be.
They also like to swim through any deeper gutters running parallel with the beach, and will also visit areas of small sandbanks and depressions. The rocks or cliff edges at the ends of beaches can also be excellent.
In estuaries, the fish can be just a few yards away, so try to keep low and not cast too
A lovely brace of gilthead bream
Giltheads can grow into double figures
often because this can scatter the fish and stop them quartering the ground in front of you for food.
Try to position baits at the base of any creek banks where they meet the main channel, and cast into obvious deeper pools, especially if there is weed or rock feature in them, as these are the hotspots.
Giltheads have specific routes they travel, and the best catches are taken by anglers who find these routes and ambush the fish as they come through. Ignore shallow areas as the fish rarely stop to pick up food here.
The fish run out of the estuary quickly as the ebb tide gets underway, but they can be caught again if you head back to the mouth of the estuary and fish the main channel. Alternatively, try small eddies off the main channel, and even small harbours where they will linger for a while before exiting the estuary. ■