Wise Bream

[silaflex 103]

Do you think bream are wising up to soft plastics??I think they are in the port!Maybe its imagination but I reckon the are harder to catch now than a couple of years ago.Mainly in numbers, and size to a lesser extent.They just don't seem to smash the lures like they used to.It stands to reason really - more people fishing c&r with lures, fish are learning what plastic tastes like. They may not be the brightest creature but they don't get to be big by being stupid.What does everyone think??

[Ranger 48]

The Port's being put under a lot more pressure, as more and more of us wise up to this lure fishing, and big fish didn't get big by being stupid!I firmly believe that the fish get used to seeing our presentations, and from time to time you need a change, to throw something different at them. Honestly, how many times does a fish have to bite a Gulp worm, Berkeley Powerbait or Squidgy Wriggler, before it knows that this thing just aint edible, and it stings! It's why WE have to spend a small fortune to make sure our kit bag contains every known size, shape, colour and design of plastic. Then when we're really smart, we'll start cutting em up, and gluing the back of this one, to the front of that one, coz we think no other angler will be using THAT!Also bear in mind, this time of year the fishing IS a little harder in the Port! The Port will really start to fire late in the year!Now git out there and start chuckin new fings at the fishies! {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gif

[brenton 637]

I'm not sure about this one .the east coast bream would of seen heaps more plastic than ours and they seem to still do ok.Your right though the big ones are very cunning as they are probably 20 years oldI,ve only flicked the plastic for 6 months or so and they definately got harder to catch in the lake over that time but i put that down to a seasonal change as the weed close to shore died off with the heat i reckon the bream went deeper and started eating little fish instead of the worms and shrimp that they would of gotten out of the weed.I,m hoping that they have got short memories and that during winter they won't see much plastic and i,ll be able to dong a few {SMILIES_PATH}/smiley.gif cheers brenton

[Ranger 48]

I'm not sure about this one .the east coast bream would of seen heaps more plastic than ours and they seem to still do ok.

Brenton, don't forget that ours are a different species to east coast bream, and ours are much more timid by comparison.

[Mickyj 3,205]

IMHO Its heading to that time of the year where its harder to catch Bream on artifical baits like flies and lures.This was the last fish I landed,and all I did was drop the fly amongst a school of fish from above!!

[Guest Thahn]

Depends what ya throw at them what time of day and tide I had my first fish in weeks and did quite well and threw lures I didnt mind loosing so I dont have to replace them before the comp. People also expect to go to the same spot where they have caught them before and expect them to be there every time. They have tales and fins...... They swim and move....

[Mickyj 3,205]

Depends what ya throw at them what time of day and tide I had my first fish in weeks and did quite well and threw lures I didnt mind loosing so I dont have to replace them before the comp. People also expect to go to the same spot where they have caught them before and expect them to be there every time. They have tales and fins...... They swim and move....

Plus unlike the above tiddler NORMALLY the ones you see can also see you and don't take a bait or lure.BUT in that spot I watched a young chap land a couple of 40cm perhaps plus BREAM using dough.

[silaflex 103]

We have spotted many a fish lately that are not tempted by any lure we threw at them.My mate decided to put a little bait on his jig head while I continued with lures. Purely as an experiment you must understand {SMILIES_PATH}/rolleyes.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/rolleyes.gifHe hugely outfished me. Like, every cast for him was a fish. Me? Squat {SMILIES_PATH}/sad.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/sad.gifCan you use bait in the bream comps??

[spratrat 0]

I have had similar thoughts about "the Wily Bream" and how they appear to become familiar with various "food" ( Bait/ Lures).The Bream take years to reach "Trophy" size and they need to be very cunning to attain that age, the same cunning that makes them a challenge to the Angler.IMO what we observe may be a "seasonal" behaviour pattern with Bream that coincides with the "seasons" of their food. I'd say it'd be reasonable that food such as worms, prawns, crustacea, whitebait etc. would all be on the Beams "preferrence" menu but subject to availability ?? (eg:- plenty of prawns around, lets leave the worms ).The answer may be in understanding the Breams feeding/ dietary habits then "matching the hatch". No point in throwing a worm at a fish that's eating prawns {SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gifThis may also be the "fine line" between HB's and SP's where HB's are excellent shrimp and baitfish immitations I know of nothing that immitates a worm other than an SP??Just my thoughts {SMILIES_PATH}/smiley.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/smiley.gif

[shauno 5]

Don't worry guys all the missing Bream are safe and sound, or should I say stiff and cold {SMILIES_PATH}/embarrassed.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/embarrassed.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/embarrassed.gifWhat a precious resource going to waste, there are so many better things to eat, like curry {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gifNo Ranger, not Bream curry.....cheersShauno http://www.fishyorkepeninsula.com/images/attachments/atBc2kFG__Bream_post.jpg[/img]

[Ranger 48]

No Ranger, not Bream curry.....

Nope, not takin the blame for that one! Bream are strictly C&R for me these days!Must be around 30 years since I've tasted a Bream!

[Guest Thahn]

Your livewell mkes a good esky doesnt it Shauno........ hahahhaaha you know what Im talking about

[goat herder 0]

Yes, it pays to have photogenic friends, ay Shaun..?? {SMILIES_PATH}/tongue.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gifCheers,Wino

[bennyboy 0]

top feed shaun {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/cheesy.gif

[srick 0]

this bream shit is all...................... they taste good. dont they butters? http://www.fishyorkepeninsula.com/images/attachments/wpnmgxCH__1.GIF[/img]

[brenton 637]

I C&R but they taste crap anyway,might have a feed if i was desperate but i haven't been that desperate for about 20 years. {SMILIES_PATH}/tongue.gif cheers brenton

[David Ciaravolo 34]

I know of nothing that immitates a worm other than an SP??

Not at all picking the point, but just to let ya all know, below is an image of a Strike King [i:3m13nbbs]Bitsy Wiggler[/i:3m13nbbs], which is a hard bodied Worm immitation. They are fairly new and relatively unknown.Stock, the lure floats and has limited action on the slow roll. If you upgrade the hooks to Owner 16s, or Sz 18s with a bit of stickweight and it will suspend. I have had Bream nail the dark green one when twitched slowly midwater. Different retrieve stlyes could very well see it immitate a prawn or baitfish, but the intent to be a bit of worm is there! http://www.fishyorkepeninsula.com/images/attachments/a2p5fI2P__bitsy.JPG[/img]

[Mickyj 3,205]

Like i say Green is a colour Bream like {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gif

[srick 0]

this bream shit is all...................... they taste good. dont they butters?

just wanted to add i dont keep or eat bream either when i hook em in the port, just if someone did it would be and should be okay. cheers srick

[David Ciaravolo 34]

this bream shit is all...................... they taste good. dont they butters?

just wanted to add i dont keep or eat bream either when i hook em in the port, just if someone did it would be and should be okay. cheers srick

What the heck Srick? U gone crazy bro? {SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gifIf anyone wants to eat a bream knock yourself out, but what of these WISE BREAM as per the TOPIC.And What do you think of the Bitsy Wiggler as a Worm Immitation?(and yes, you can eat it if you want, though id remove the trebbles first! {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif )lets not begin the diging game........And play the stick to the topic GAMe instead!- I dont think Bream learn that Gulp Worms are ineddible as they eat too many real worms without hooks. -Being that bream are a little dumber that people, they mistake the Gulp Worm for a real worm then bite it too and the Cycle is complete!-So i guess i think seasonality and available food, not fish wising up, is the MAIN cause of wily selectivity.

[Ranger 48]

this bream shit is all...................... they taste good. dont they butters?

just wanted to add i dont keep or eat bream either when i hook em in the port, just if someone did it would be and should be okay. cheers srick

Ummm, it IS ok mate!Some like myself DON'T eat Bream, because a) they have such a slow growth rate making a legal sized fish quite old by comparison to other speciesb) many of the areas they choose to live is so polluted.That's our choice! For ME, Bream is purely a sporting fish.If YOU wanna catch Bream and eat them, it's perfectly legal so long as they are of size and ya don't exceeed ya bag limit, so go for it!Likewise, I'd never eat a Mulloway from the Port River, coz of the pollution, but if YOU wanna eat them, be my guest!

[David Ciaravolo 34]

Some good points there, Ranger.To all, lets not get into this debate, Each to their own.If anyone wants to discuss the State regulations or their moral inclinations, HAVE RESPECT FOR TOPIC STARTERS AND START YOUR OWN POST!ta YAk! {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif

[Ranger 48]

To all, lets not get into this debate, Each to their own.

Agreed! Let's get back to this "wise" Bream thingy then!I'm still having a problem working out if they're wise or stupid! {SMILIES_PATH}/embarrassed.gifLook at the extent we have to go to trying to catch them, where some very subtle differences can make the difference between getting our bag, or coming home fishless!The small details like making sure a tag end is trimmed neatly away. the size of the loop we tie a lure on with, so that it doesn't create a bubble trail. How a small change in lure shape can make all the difference, or a subtle change in colour! Dropping a size in leader to prompt them to accept our lure, reducing the splash when it first hits the water, etc, etc, etc!This all leads me to believe they are incredibly clever, and we have to pull out every stop to fool them!On the other hand though let's REALLY think about this! Someone recently pointed out to me, that if all these things make a difference, then it only stands to reason that they can actually see that slightly heavier leader and that poorly trimmed tag end! They know that jig head in front of the plastic lure isn't natural or meant to be there! The loop pulling the lure can clearly be seen! Etc, etc!Doesn't this then also prove that they are pretty stupid to accept this un-natural looking presentation, and it's actually the urge to feed which over-rides the fact that these lures don't look quite natural to them! What then prompts them to take one offering over another? A wouunded baitfish doesn't swim naturally, and I'm certain that not all wounded baitfish dont swim the same way, so WHY then will they accept (for instance) a green SX-40 today, but refuse it tomorrow, in preference to a green Pygmy 2? They both imitate the same green 40mm wounded minnow, but neither are perfect immitations!Likewise, lets look at soft plastic worms! They might refuse my 6" camo sandworm, but accept your 6" natural sandworm! Tomorrow they take my camo worm, but not your natural worm. WHY? They're both imitations of the same worm, and if the fish are feeding on worms, surely they shouldn't accept either, coz both have a lump of lead in front of them, both are being dragged by a thin piece of line with a loop the fish can see, so really NEITHER look natural to the fish, and neither are a dead ringer for the real worms the fish are feeding on?Yet the smaller fish wont give a toss, and they'll hit anything thrown at them! WHY? Is it coz they're just plain hungry? Is it because they don't know they should be preferring one colour to another?Are they really incredibly smart, or is there some part of fish "dumbness" that I just cant understand?Is it any wonder I need to spend so much on tackle and an incredible array of sp's and hb's! {SMILIES_PATH}/embarrassed.gif

[srick 0]

woll yak not diggin your post at all, just replying to the post with tears included, about the bream in the shop photo, thats what put this off topic. it just got to me as some love eating em. and dont get me wrong i enjoy catchin bream when theirs no mulllies around. and yeah that worm does look good for em.. it wasnt about the lure at all.. nothin bad to say bout you and your post yak. {SMILIES_PATH}/smiley.gif

[Guest Butters]

i like eating them.. {SMILIES_PATH}/grin.gifNot a big fan of curry tho {SMILIES_PATH}/cheesy.gif

[David Ciaravolo 34]

Srick buddy, I know u were just having a laugh! I was kinda doin the same... (I know ur not really crazy {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif, You might be Crazy enough to spend all night in the tinny waiting for that drag to screem, crazy enough to drive 100s of kms time and time againin persuit of big Kings, Mullies and Snapps. But in my book these things are what make u NORMAL in the same way as me, only i mostly chase Trout and Bream!As for you Butters................................................. {SMILIES_PATH}/wink.gif

[srick 0]

cool den. fishin port all night tonight aswell lol {SMILIES_PATH}/cool.gif

[shauno 5]

Sorry if I offended srick, just pointing out that many people don't realise that bream are still commercially fished. The intention of my post was siple LESS NUMBERS = Less competition for foodIt's not rocket science put bream enter the rivers to breed and leave to feed up on the beaches etc.Food availability IMO is not a consideration unless a fish is locked in on one food Item, I have seen this periodically, but never for more than a short period. Prawns are a classic, when they want them they are truely focussed on prawns but still eat other items, pretty much anything that lands near them. On the other hand In agreance with the selectivity theory, I have fished when the froggies are in in huge numbers and a long skinny lure that 'matches the hatch' clearluy outfished a worm style softy...I think it just depends...At the moment tho IMO, there are simple less fish... period.. Ohh yeah and the water is cooling down (possible assumption- so to is their metabolsim... )@ Srick didn't mean to offend Sorry...