Bream

Size and possession limits:

For up-to-date information on size and possession limits visit QLD Fisheries.

Targeting:

Like whiting and flathead, bigger-sized bream will arrive in numbers during the cooler months – especially yellowfin bream. However, packs of hungry black bream tend to hold around fallen mangroves throughout the year and are a common bycatch when barra fishing. Smaller yellowfin bream are also regular bycatch when bait fishing for grunter and mangrove jack in the warmer months.

If you are specifically targeting bream, winter and spring are your best bets. They can be targeted with light gear and long shanked hooks and anglers should aim to fish closer to structure like rubble patches, rock walls, piers and pontoons, and submerged mangroves. 

Bream, especially black bream, hit hard and fight dirty, so if fishing thick structure, responsive graphite rods with some stopping power are recommended. Graphite rods also open the door for luring. Bream love soft plastics, especially around the 5cm (2”) size, and love curl tails or prawn patterns that flutter while sinking. Keep your jighead as light as possible to maximise the lure’s hangtime.

Small diving minnows, poppers, and vibes are also ideal for targeting the more trophy-size fish (black bream over 40cm are a regular catch around the mangroves).