bream hits

[mundz]

hi guys this site is great but i've only really just started posting and replying i was just wondering if any of you guys have the same problem as me. when fishing for bream, i get a few fish but i get so many hits but just can't seem to hook up often enough i don't really strike at the hits as i heard this can spook schools of fish all the fish i catch just really hook themselves they bite a couple of times and then their on but i just get really frustrated when i get so many hits but can't hook up. what should i do?

[Dave W]

Hi mundz - and welcome to BreamMaster

First off, what gear are you using, including lures / jigheads?

That'll give us somewhere to start

Cheers,

[chaser]

percistince........practice...... time and i still havent opend my account
still happy
chaser

[TheJigJedi]

am I right in assuming you're using bait?...just the impression that I got from reading that...if I'm wrong then don'\t read the rest of this...

I'm probably not a great role model for catching bream on bait...in fact I suck...I know what to do, but not how to do it. Most people will let the fish pick up the bait and swim a meter or two with it before striking because bream don't swallow their food straight away, rather pick it up and play around with it in their mouths. All the other hits you get sound like smaller bream not worth striking for?...please tell me how wrong I am.

Shane.

[mundz]

hi all, mate i'm actually using sp's sorry to get you mixed up i haven't used bait now for about 7 months i'm fishing atomic fatgrubs on 1/16 heads i cast out let it sink and then hop them very slowly along the bottom and when i hopping them i feel these little plucks but somtimes just this very quick hit i'm sure their fish as i have caught bream straight away after i feel these little hits but they usally bite themselves on hope this can help you help me

[jimi]

Hi Mundz,

Bream can be frustrating at times can't they? When they are nipping the plastic like that I imagine that they are testing it to see what it is. Since they don't have hands, I guess that is the best they can do.

I suppose if the plastic was a small animal, it would do one of two things. If the bream nipped it right, it would be disabled and just lie there ready to eat. If they missed hitting a crucial spot on the animal, it would move damn quick to get out of there.

So that gives you two choices on what to do when you get a hit. For me, the best option is to just pause it in the water as soon as you feel the hit for a few seconds. If the fish really wants dinner, it will come back to finish it off. After a while you get to learn the feel of a fish picking up the plastic to eat it. It feels different to just a nip. At this point I usually just lift the rod to strike (don't strike hard or you will just pull it away).

If the fish doesn't eat it after the pause, try a quick jerk followed by a pause. This may shock the fish into action as thinks dinner is getting away. For me this doesn't work as often, although it depends on the plastic. Seems to work better on the bigger jerkbait style plastics than for single tail atomics and such.

Hope that helps. The best thing you can do is just experiment until you find something that work.

James.

[dan_WA]

I was having that same problem last weekend down at Walpole with that mad Pom tim Hodge and Leon - they'll be able to tell you about the "comments" coming out of my mouth at my frustration at getting hit after hit and not hooking up. Basically what I realised (was told) to slow down my retrieve - with lots more pauses in between, which almost immediately resulted in heaps more hook ups

[Dave W]

Originally posted by mundz
hi all, mate i'm actually using sp's sorry to get you mixed up i haven't used bait now for about 7 months i'm fishing atomic fatgrubs on 1/16 heads i cast out let it sink and then hop them very slowly along the bottom and when i hopping them i feel these little plucks but somtimes just this very quick hit i'm sure their fish as i have caught bream straight away after i feel these little hits but they usally bite themselves on hope this can help you help me

I've got to ask what jigs you are using - sometimes a simple thing such as changing to a high quality chemically sharpened jighead can triple your hook-up rate.

There's been plenty of times that guys in my boat are using 'cheaper' jigs and wondered why they weren't doing so well...... missing out on fish by saving a few dollars on jigheads is false economy in my book.

The best advice otherwise is to get out with someone experienced and watch them like a hawk - you'll learn heaps

Cheers,

[mundz]

I'm actually using gama jig heads round 25's size 2 i used to use the squidgy heads but i found that the hooks straightened when i hooked some flatties as i bycatch and seing i don't get into to many bream with my biggest to date being 32cm i definately dont want hook straightening.also do any of you guys ever have trouble with bream biting the plastic hooking themselves and then as soon as they start fighting the hook comes lose this doesn't happen to often because my hook up rate on bream is poor to start with but it gets very annoying when i have one on and then the hooks come lose

[Dave W]

You shouldn't have any problems with the Gammies - they're a top hook

You'd be surprised how long a Bream will hold onto a plastic (not hooked) before letting go - try fishing a jig with the bend of the hook cut off and you'll see what I mean......

Perseverence is the key - you will eventually suss out what's going on, or start to really get a feel for when a Bream has your lure in it's mouth.

I've been told that for every hit you feel, there's upwards of 5 hits you miss, it sort of explains the 'I'm on' surprise when you felt no touches..

[Captain]

Hey Mundz,
Were are fishing?
Shore or boat?
What depth of water?

All these factors play a big part in increasing your hook up rate.
There is probably no simple answer, but the more info we get the better tips we can give.
But like dave said you're not going to hook up on every hit, but if you feel you should be getting a lot more hook ups then experiment.

Some things I would be looking at are trying to confirm it is bream hitting your lure and weather they are a catchable size.

Once you confirm this try different techniques, maybe they are looking at your lure too long, if so fish in more current.etc.

Also you mention you don't strike, but you still need to set the hook by lifting the rod, alot like trout fishing.
Don't jerk the rod wildly but when you feel wait lift the rod and slowly set the hook this might also mean you might get alot more fish to stay on the line

Like I say to everyone if you get a chance Fish someone who consistantly catches good bream, then you can see what you are doing right and what things that you might need to change.

Cheers
Captain