Episode 65: Forster Rock Wall Bream With Todd Riches

Todd’s Top Tips For Forster Rock Wall Bream

• Rock wall bream are catchable on any tide, you just need to know what areas to target and then vary your approach to suit.
• The rock walls tend to present deeper water options than some other bream fishing locations. Fishing as light as possible will help in getting the lure down to the fish. Point the boat into the current and cast as far as you can at a 45 degree angle, then work the lure down with the current. Try to weight the lure so that it reaches bottom about the same time as it is parallel with the boat.
• Drift the boat along the rock wall and allow the lure to keep the same pace, basically not moving it and not imparting too much action, but staying in contact with it. Always fish slow for bream along rock walls.
• Best days tend to be those with a slight breeze, overcast skies and reasonable tidal movement. Bream tend to bite best when the water is moving – the slack tide is the most challenging time to try and get bites.
• The start of the run in tide is a bite window for bream the mouth of the rock walls, so make sure your on the walls around those times. The start of the run out is also a good opportunity, but starting at the opposite end of the wall and drifting out with the tide.

Todd’s Preferred Tackle For Rock Wall Bream

• A slightly stiffer rod such as the Abu Garcia Salty Stage (7″2″, 1-3kg) with 4lb Berley braid and a 4lb Berkley Z9 leader is Todd’s preference when he’s working soft plastics.
• For fishing Cranka Crabs a softer 6’11”, 13- kg Salty Stage rod tends to work better.
• For crankbaiting a 7’6″ 1-3kg Reel Finesse gives long casting and a softer action that helps with casting along a shoreline. Todd uses straight through fluorocarbon for this style of fishing because the line stretch helps avoid pulled hooks and crankbaiting doesn’t require the same sensitivity as other lure styles.
• Reels on all Todds Bream rods are 2000 size Abu Garcia MG Extreme spinning.

Todd’s Best Bream Fishing Lures

• A Cranka Crab is a great choice for the rock walls, provided you can develop the discipline to “dead stick” (fish the lure with minimal movement). As these are fairly snag resistant they can be cast right up into the rocks and allowed to bounce down through the structure.
• A variety of small, deeper diving crankbaits such as the Berkley Fat Dog  or OSP Dunk can be used to create a reaction bite by slow rolling them so that they bang against the rocks
• A Berkley Gulp Nemesis works well along the rock walls too. Being head weighted, these lures can be allowed to waft around at the base of the rocks at the lower end of the tide and the bream will happily pick them off. Don’t impart too much action, watch the line for “ticks” and be prepared to set the hook by slow winding, as being too quick to set the hook will result in missed fish.