Winter bream on the bottom - not interested on biting anything

[oldbarboy]

I know around here on the Manning River there are times when bream school up in the deep in winter and at times are very hard to get "on the bite".
I generally use a soft plastic or a vibe to try and get them interested but a lot of the time they are just ignored. I tend to dead stick both or just little tiny flicks off the bottom every few minutes.

The places I try vary from 4 to 7 meters.
Do you have a favorite hard body lure that you use when things are tough.

I have read an article written by Steve Morgan where he used a Tiemco stick minnows when conditions are like that with good success.

Thanks

[timk1111]

Have you tried using a scent? Sfactor would be worth a shot.

[sexton]

Around my local haunts, my go to lure would have to be the OSP Dunk in that situation!
It gets down to about 4m. I find that when the bite is tough a very slow roll seems to be the trick to getting a bite, if I twitch it, it just seems to scare them when they are being finicky.

Another lure that is quickly becoming one of my go to for this situation is the Imakatsu Dilemma 60 Super Steep, it gets down to 3m+ and the bait fish profile really seems to turn them on. I tend to just slow roll these when they are schooled up and not biting. It always manages to get a bite.

[sik4punts]

I use 3 inch Keitech Shad Impact on a 1/8th around the Gold Coast, slow rolling across the bottom with long pauses seems to get hit when nothing else will !

[purple5ive]

I have also been wondering about this exact same thing.
Where I fish blades and plastics will be snagged as soon as it his the bottom. So a hb is probably the best bet. Want sure which one to go for but bought one dunk to try out and a few cranks.
So if they shut down just slow roll it? ?

[Sloth]

I don't go blading without a tackleback these days.

One option you can try is to dropshot scented plastics. I've picked up bream, flatties and trev on a dropshot rig. If you know the depth they're holding then a dropshot can get you right in the strike zone

[oldbarboy]

Originally Posted by Sloth

I don't go blading without a tackleback these days.

One option you can try is to dropshot scented plastics. I've picked up bream, flatties and trev on a dropshot rig. If you know the depth they're holding then a dropshot can get you right in the strike zone

Hey Sloth, what sort of tackle back do you use mate?

Ive tried the smelly plastics and they can work at times. Mullet gut gets a bite most time.

[Sloth]

Hey mate - I got a cheapy from a chainstore - will pm you the details

[Pygmy II]

Slow rolling a Skagit Designs Bottom Trank packed with scent works for me.

As it is a fast sinking crankbait that weighs 4.5grams it can be fished at good depths. They do take it on the drop a lot when schooled up as it has a nice flutter on the drop.

[Sloth]

Where can you buy the bottom trank? I'd heard of them a while ago but haven't been able to find one instore or online

[Kyle101]

In that situation I like to throw the Pontoon 21 Gagagoon. Fast sinking, great action on the drop and plenty of body roll when slow rolled or twitched.

[Tambo_Junkie]

*I like the lure that I'm sponsored by*

[Windknot]

Like Sexton, slow rolling a very deep diver along near the bottom has worked for me in the past when things were shut down. I've used both Dunk 48's and Dilemma 60's with the nod going to the Dilemma as probably being the best.

[Eastbrimin]

Originally Posted by Windknot

Like Sexton, slow rolling a very deep diver along near the bottom has worked for me in the past when things were shut down. I've used both Dunk 48's and Dilemma 60's with the nod going to the Dilemma as probably being the best.

+1 Dilemma = Fish

[TheChief]

I generally stick to blades in that situation. You need to get a reaction from the fish if they aren't that hungry and blades generally do that the best. Try fish them aggressively and see what happens. Mix up the retrieve until you find a pattern.