TARGET THE BIG BREAM AFTER DARK
HI everyone, hope you are all having a nice week. The southerly winds have been up this week making conditions a bit tough at times for anyone trying to fish, with conditions more suited to finding a spot out of the wind up the local rivers and estuaries on the Gold and Tweed coasts. If you are thinking about heading offshore once the wind eases, remember that as of July 15 snapper and pearl perch are on the no-take list in Queensland waters until August 15. For more information: https:// www.daf.qld.gov.au/businesspriorities/fisheries/ recreational/recreationalfishing-rules/closed-seasonswaters/tidal-waters.
At the time of writing, Sunday was looking like the pick of the days as the wind is tipped to ease and swing around to the west with a drop in swell.
Bream have once again dominated catches around the Tweed and Gold Coast with good numbers of solid fish landed. Winter is the best time to find larger schools of bigger fish which spawn in big numbers during the cooler months in our local waterways. Bream are a great target for the younger anglers just starting and also a favourite of lots of seasoned fishos that have been chasing a feed for years.
A basic light to medium estuary outfit is all you need to get out and enjoy some fishing action. Most shops will sell a combo including rod and reel spooled with line and a small tackle pack ready to go. When fishing from land try looking for areas that offer a mixture of structures like a jetty, pontoons, bridges, rock walls and even weed beds will tend to attract bait fish and jelly prawns which will attract bream.
For the serious fishos, targeting bream during the cool winter nights will normally produce better quality fish with catches of fish that average 30cm and over. When fishing during the daytime you will have to find your way through a lot more undersized fish with bigger models a bit more wary during daylight hours.
My favourite baits for bream are mullet gut, mullet fillet, bonito fillet, white pilchards, blue bait, WA pilchard cubes, squid, prawns and yabbies. To give you the best chance of attracting fish and keeping them in the area you are targeting I recommend a consistent berley trail consisting of either berley pellets, small cubed fish pieces or berley bombs with minced fish should all work.
Some good spots to try are the Tweed River, Tallebudgera Creek, Nerang River, Broadwater foreshore, Gold Coast Seaway, Runaway Bay canals and canal Entrances, bridges around Paradise Point, Coomera River, Dux, Jacobs Well, Cabbage Tree Point, Kalinga Bank, Crusoe Island and Short Island.
With the wind tipped to ease on Sunday and the swell dropping it might be worth looking at heading offshore to try your luck. Make sure you have the most up-to-date forecast before heading out. Some quality jew fish and cobia should be on offer from the closer 18 to 24 fathom reefs off the Gold Coast Seaway.
When it comes to the choice of baits for jew and cobia, live baits like yakkas, slimy mackerel and pike are my go-to options followed by the humble WA pilchard, mullet fillet or bonito fillet will all temp a bite if you are lucky on the day.
If you have any great catches or photos you would like to share, please email us and let us know how you went. brett@coomerahouseboats.com.au or brett@fishotackle.com.au