Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Saltwater-Estuary » Manmade Breamin'

Manmade Breamin'

By Daniel Hutchinson

I often feel like there are four types of recreational fishing; game fishing, freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing and bream fishing. The lure, pardon the pun, of bream fishing in modern times has become increasingly popular, with thousands of anglers investing all of their fishing time in targeting the humble bream. The national bream competitions are increasingly popular, with anglers spending huge money on estuary boats, complete with modifications enabling them to have maximum fishing time for bream, with the most modern electronics and technologies.

One way for the humble fisherman, that does not have these technologies and still wants to target big bream, is to find physical, visible manmade structure. Bream love manmade structure and will use it as a shelter and food source. Moorings, docks, jetties, oyster racks, pylons and moored boats are all hot spots for bream to shelter around, under or near. This article will explore fishing for bream in these areas, which can be easy, rewarding and really, really, fun.

Location

Whilst manmade structures can sometimes be an eyesore on rivers, lakes and harbours, while often damaging the natural environment, they can also nurture and provide homes for many fish, most notably bream. Visible structures provide two major elements, food and shelter. The growth of molluscs, weed and oysters on structure produces a food source for the bream, which they use as a food source on a daily basis without having to travel far.

The second and major reason that bream congregate around these areas is that they are sheltered from the natural elements of harsh tides, current and deep water, along with larger predators such as sharks and larger fish. When looking for and identifying areas to fish, the older and more mangled the structure is, the better. The older structure will mean more natural growth, with barnacles and oysters meaning a more productive food source. In turn this will lead to a much higher chance that big bream will call this area home.

I have included several pictures with this article that highlight some cracking areas where I have caught bream before. Old docks that you can cast directly under, ship terminals and even waterfront pubs make an excellent spot. I recall once, when having a session, punters were having a beer and really confused as to why I was fishing right at the foot of a waterfront pub/restaurant, whilst the Sunday band played. One bloke asked me, "Why have you chosen right here, when you've got all of this nice natural waterway?" When they saw the big bream that I pulled out from under them a crowd formed and watched. Then they gave me all of their bowls of chips and other food to use as berley. I said, "Can you get me a beer too?" J

Time

The first hour or two of light is a hot bite, like with most fishing. I've always found dim lighting and calm water to be key ingredients to this style of fishing. That glassy water of a morning, before the sun is high, can yield excellent results. I have also had excellent results on very overcast days. These highly overcast and often drizzly days display the same conditions as first thing in the morning, with dim lighting and glassed out conditions.

However, when the sun is high and the wind is blaring all is not lost. I have had great sessions in these conditions when fishing right under docks. The docks in the harbour where I live are perhaps 100 years old. They are a mangled mess of barnacles and an absolute bream paradise. During the middle of the day it is possible to almost get my full six metre centre console under the dock. Almost like fishing in the bat cave. No need for sun block that's for sure and the bream are always near.

Slack water is a must. Your ultra-light plastics or floating baits need to be cast perfectly into the structure zone. If the water is moving really fast, with high current speeds, your light lures or baits are just going to run straight out of there, meaning it will be a pretty fruitless exercise. Finding ebbed areas or slack water at a tide change is a must to allow your light lures or floating baits to sink down naturally. If fishing at a tide change is tricky, then harbours, channels and lakes often boast manmade barriers that stem the tide. Getting right up against docks, ships or bridges can create slack water and great structure, allowing your light lure to sink down naturally and leading to a bite.

Baits, Plastics, Lures

When using this technique and getting right up alongside manmade structure and flicking for bream, some lures are much more relevant than others. ZMan 2" CrusteaZ are excellent and I find them to be the best lure to use in this situation. Greasy Prawn and Motor Oil colours are most honourable mentions.

The great advantage of these plastics is that they do not need much 'working' in terms of flicking and moving rod tips. These plastics should be paired with the lightest jighead possible. The TT Lures 1/28oz size 1 HWS (Hidden Weight System) jighead or 1/20oz size 1 HeadlockZ Finesse are good starting points. Finish off this combo with 8lb Platypus FC Fluorocarbon Leader and ensure the plastic is rubbed up with Pro-Cure scent.

Obviously a super light rod will be needed to get the plastic in place in, which I'll talk about later. These lures are dynamite when cast right up next to the structure and on the ultralight jighead resemble a tiny crab sinking that has fallen right off a rock or pylon, sinking naturally through the water column ready to be gobbled up!

Another plastic that I do rate highly is the ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ. These are the closest lures that I have found to resemble a prawn, which is high on the diet of a big bream. They need to be worked around a little bit more but are dynamite.

Alternatively bait can be used. If using bait, a soft piece of mullet or slimy mackerel is ideal. Make sure that this is unweighted and flicked right up against or even under the structure we have spoken about. This will sink down naturally and get thumped. I prefer using lures however as I feel it is a much more 'accomplished' to catch these fish on lures and light gear. It also cuts down on the mess and muck of using baits, where the ZMan range are so durable and last for ages.

Technique

Now that you know where to fish, when and what lure to use, this is all wasted without the correct technique. I've taken heaps of people wash fishing over the past 15 years and noticed very subtle things that are done incorrectly, or not done at all, resulting in no hook-ups of quality fish. When fishing as a kid at the local jetty, I noticed that when throwing bits of prawn in the water they would sink down naturally and tailor or whiting would come out of nowhere and go bang! But then when dangling your prawn on a hook, line, swivel and sinker, over the side of the jetty, the same fish would come up and at the last second put on the brakes. They notice that something is unnatural. The exact same fundamentals are in structure fishing for big bream.

You should have a good idea of where you want to attack and focus before heading out. When approaching the section that you know you want to fish, a high element of stealth needs to be used in the approach. Rocking up onto some oyster leases or docks at high speed, creating a huge amount of wake and noise, is not a good idea as it can put the fish off the bite real quick. Using an electric motor to get right up and on the spot is great, or if this is not an option even cutting the motor and rowing 20 - 30 metres onto the spot. Using this stealth will mean that the fish and therefore fishing will not be disturbed in these calm areas.

Spot lock on an electric motor is ideal once in position. Like me, if you don't have an electric motor then you don't need to stress. If you find you are drifting really quickly in current, then the spot is not appropriate for that type of fishing anyway. The best spots are where there is the most minimal wind and current. Often you are able to tie up to the structure that you are fishing in and around docks and jetties to ensure that you are not moving.

Once you are in position cast your lures or unweighted bait as close to the structure as possible. This can be an art and thrill in itself as a misfired cast will have your lure wrapped around a pylon or oyster rack. If you are fishing with the ZMan CrusteaZ range, allow the lure to sink down naturally. This will mimic a small crab that has just fallen off the pylon. A hungry bream will see it sinking down naturally and WHACK! Hold on!

What comes next is a game of tug-o-war between man and old beast. Unfortunately the majority of bigger fish will be lost when fishing the high structure areas as they dart and tangle you around pylons. The tip is to not be friendly. If you try and 'play' the fish like you would in open water then the dream will be over pretty quickly. Best advice is to know the limits of your gear and put as much pressure on the fish as possible, in an attempt to drag them out of the tangled mess.

Gear

When flicking plastics into the structure, a decent cast is often required to get you tight into the right section. When hooking up to a decent fish you then need some guts in the rod to work the fish out. You don't want to spend your days casting bulky rods, however you also want that confidence that when a trophy fish hits, you can put some hurt on them.

When it comes to flicking finesse plastics, an excellent and affordable rod option is the Okuma Helios SX 7' 1-3kg spin rod. I have this teamed with an Okuma Helios SX reel, spooled with quality Platypus 6lb Platypus Platinum Plus Braid. I generally use 8lb Platypus Stealth FC Flurocarbon Leader, however I often upgrade to 15lb if the conditions are dark. I have never had any issues with this gear and have given it a good flogging in the past. It is a well balanced outfit that gives you an excellent cast and the grunt you require close to the structure.

That's an overview of how I fish for bream around manmade structure, a style of fishing that can be simple, fun and challenging on light gear. Check out the manmade structure in your local systems and see if you can get stuck into a few blue nose bruisers.

Gear List:
Okuma Helios SX Spin Rods - HSX-S-702L 7' 2PCE 1-3kg
Okuma Helios SX Spin Reels
Platypus Platinum Plus Braid - 6lb
Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader - 8lb / 15lb

ZMan 2" CrusteaZ - Motor Oil & Greasy Prawn
ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ - Rigged

TT Lures Hidden Weight System (HWS) Jighead - 1/28oz #1
TT Lures HeadlockZ Finesse Jighead - 1/20oz #1

Pro-Cure Super Gel Scents