Episode 456: Bemm River Bream With Ruth Beeby

Ruth’s Top Bemm River Bream Tips

• Bream are everywhere throughout the Bemm system and can be caught any time, you just need to figure out how and where to fish based on the conditions of the day. When there is a bit of fresh coming down it often pays to fish lower in the system where there is a little more salt coming in.
• Never be afraid to throw surface lures, even when you’re having no luck with other lure styles, sometimes bream will just smash topwater.
• Over the summer months it’s always worth fishing the edges, particularly where there are drop-offs along weed edges. You don’t have to travel far from your launch point in this system.
• Overcast days with a slight breeze are always the best fishing days, particularly in shallower water. Glassouts are the toughest fishing. If the wind its up this system can become quite treacherous for kayak anglers and it can be best to head upstream into sheltered parts of the lakes.
• If the system is open to the ocean it tends to fish best on the incoming tide, but if it’s closed it is best to simply fish the low light periods at either end of the day.
• Weed beds are key and it’s always worth fishing the sandy patches within and around the weed. Ruth concentrates on areas less than about 4.5m, which is most of the Bemm system, but 0.6-3m is the prime depth range most of the time unless the fish have gone to ground or are in pre-spawn aggregation mode.
• If you’re having a tough day, try mixing up the body profile of the lures you throw to see if you can generate some interest. Changing location or heading for deeper water are also good strategies if the fishing is tough, as is looking for windblown banks to fish.

Ruth’s Bream Fishing Tackle

• A 1-4kg Millerods Grub Freak 4-6lb braid and 6lb fluorocarbon leader.
• A 2-6kg Millerods Twitch Freak with 4-6lb braid and 6lb fluorocarbon leader.
• A 2000 or 2500 size Shimano Ci4 or Daiwa Luvius spin reel is a good match to the above rods.

Ruth’s Top Lures For Bream Fishing

• The 75mm Hurricane Sprat in greeny colours work well around the Bemm system. This lure can be rigged on a standard 1/12oz jig head, going heavier or lighter if the conditions dictate. Allow the lure to hit the bottom and then work it back with quick lifts and hops. If it comes back with weed then go for a slightly lighter jig head and work it a bit above the bottom. If the fishing is quiet, allow a slightly longer pause between hops. A touch of procure scent doesn’t hurt on this lure.
• The Pro Lure D36 or S36 in Ghost Shrimp or other natural colours has an action that Gippy bream can’t resist when it’s slow rolled. Cast long over sandy patches around weed and work is as slowly as you can with the lure swimming properly.
• A Pro Lure SF62 surface lure is very much worth throwing around over shallow water and weed beds, colour doesn’t really matter for the topwater lures.
• In deeper water the Pro Lure V35 blade comes into its own. Cast it long, let it sink to the bottom and wait for the line to relax. Give the lure a double hop, let it sink to the bottom again and repeat all the way back to the kayak. Bream usually take the lure on the drop or even when it’s stationary on the bottom.