Bream flies??

[Bear]

Rob,
Great to see you here mate.

I'm really enjoying my fly fishing, but would like to know a little more on fly selection.

Would you be interested in putting together some fly selections for dumb souls like myself. It's something I'd like to get into more.

I need a bit more experience b4 I try it out in a comp though.

[goldfiender]

i use a boring old yellow clouser size 1/0 gives a shot at mulloway and flathead at the same time

[jimi]

Bear,

There are a few different schools of thought on bream flys in the river, depending on who you talk to. Guys like Chris Dunham goes for the the more natural coloured flies like BMS minnows and USD Merri Minnows. I think Rob is more of a devotee of the other school of thought that involves using very flashy (usually chartreuse coloured) materials in clouser style flys.

In flylife magazine a few issues ago, Kaj Busch also recommended a variant on the the flashy green clouser/charlie style fly as a bream killer. You can read the article online at Bushy on bream. The Article is called Fits, Starts and Flashes, it's the 3rd one down.

Both guys catch lots of bream so I try to use both. Lately, I've been tying a few BMS minnows with olive bodies and pink tails (bead head and lead eyes), size 4 hook. They work well on a floating line around the marina and rock walls in Ascott Waters. Use a sinking line in deeper water.

I also have been tying up small to medium (1-3 inches long) flashy green clousers on size 4-2 hooks with various weighted eyes. I've caught all kinds on things on these from flathead to bream to herring, even a giant herring once.

Have a look at the www.flyworld.com.au site for BMS minnows - look for the "PA Estuary BMS's" and USD Merri Minnows. Hover shrimps are another cool fly worth trying, especially close to pylons where the bream are visibly feeding on mussels (eg. Fisheries Jetty south perth). You won't find any flashy chartreuse clousers at flyworld though, or in any shops. You'll need to tie them yourself

Hope that helps

James.

[Bear]

Thanks for that Jimi.

I have one Bream on fly so far on a chartreuse clouser. What a thrill. My problem is that I suck at fly tieing and really haven't a lot of time to do it.

Would be nice if we could get a selection on Breammaster. Where do you usually buy your flies in Perth??

[jimi]

G'day bear,
I haven't bought a fly for ages as I usually tie my own. However, the best place to buy them is online at www.flyworld.com.au .Chris has the best range and they are quality flies. I've found that most tackle shops only carry a small range, and they are usually not what you want anyway.

If you come along to a saltwater flyrodders club meeting (first tuesday of every month at the canning rowing club just near the canning bridge) you may be able to buy/beg/borrow/steal a fly off some of the guys there.

I'm not the best fly tier either, but a clouser is very easy to tie. BMS's are a bit more challenging, but once you've done a few, you get the hang of it.

Cheers

James.

[Thurls]

G'Day Bear,

James is right on the money.

It's not very often that I would not tie a flashy chartreuse clouser on first, but saying that in clear water or on the flats I think that the flash sometimes spooks the fish.

We were lucky enough to have professional fly tier Muz Wilson come over from the east to give demo at the fly club. He is the inventor of the BMS and USD Merri Minnow, the fly guys over there have great success with these 2 flies. My mate Duncan has been tying up plenty of them in various colours, orange arsed chartreuse, chartreuse arsed orange, pinks, blacks, olives. So we will be test driving them all over the next few weeks.

One of my favourite bream lures was the orange chartreuse scorpion and we have been tying clousers to look like these and having a bit of success.

I don't mind tying up some flies for you if your interested, I'm not the greatest tier, but it might get you started.

or like James said come along to a fly club meeting, or give me a call on the fly club phone 0409 291 439.

Cheers,

Cole

PS - Rob has gone bush this week with work.

[Bear]

Cole,
Mate, I'd be more than willing to pay to get some made up. My biggest problem is time and I don't get a lot of free time as I said.

I have been trying to get down for the club meeting, just bad timing for me b4 Christmas. A mate of mine, Peter Zeroni has been trying to get me to go.

Let me know what you want me to do and I'll get some cash to you. I'll make sure the success stories get up here as well.

Thanks.

[Thurls]

Bear,

Yeah no worries.

Maybe fire off an e-mail to me letting me know what weight gear your using and where you fish, I'll get a few flies to you.

Peter Z is a good bloke and has been putting in a lot of work for the club, I don't think he gets enough time to fish though these days!

Cole

[Bear]

Don't laugh, but I really only use my weight 5 rod. It's a Penn International I have had for a few years that I love the feel of.

I do have a weight 10, but really only use this for tailor. I'm thinking about getting a weight 7 so I have something in between.

I mainly fish the Swan, but want to take the gear down to walpole to have a bit of a flick.

I really appreciate this.

[jimi]

Bear,

I have an 8 that I use for everything from swan bream to tailor, even bonito. It's probably a bit of overkill for most bream, so I'm thinking about getting a 6 as well. A 7 would probably be an ideal allrounder for the river.

The biggest consideration around here is can you cast into the wind with it. Smaller rods (5's and 6's) will handle most bream and bream flies just fine, but won't give you much casting ability into a screaming seabreeze.

I'll bring my bream flybox along to drinks tonight and you can take a few if you like. Just buy me a beer.

Cheers

James.

[Thurls]

There is nothing wrong with a 5 wt, I fish a 6 unless it is real windy or I'm casting into nasty snags, then I use a 9. I recently bought a 4/5 wt for flathead but I'm keen to get a bream on it.

The only problem, and the reason I ask is that you might find casting clousers with heavy eyes difficult on the lighter rod.

Out of the boat I cast lead eye clousers on my 6wt because I'm usually not worried about casting a long way and I can open up my loops and cast more side arm so that the fly doesn't hit the rod.

From shore or in the shallow stuff it doesn't matter too much but I like a heavier clouser around the pylons so that the fly gets down quick and isn't effected too much by the current.

I'll be in touch soon,

Cole

[Bear]

I haven't had too much trouble with the heavier clousers Cole on the 5wt. Had plenty of time to refine my cast at Myalup chasing flathead. Had a lot of success on a red and white one.

I had a look at some of Jimi's and forgot to grab a few he set aside. Idiot.

I appreciate all the help guys. Let me know what you need from me.

[Duncan M]

G'day Bear,
I'd be happy to tie you up a few bream clousers that have worked for me, you don't want Coles clousers haha. Seriously though, I'll check what he's tied up for you and cover any gaps in the arsenal.
I might try and scam wednesday off work and try and make it for the midweek- fish James mentioned, I won't be getting any fishing in this weekend so I need to make up for it!

Cheers
Duncan

[Bear]

Thanks Duncan, that would be great.

I'll make sure plenty of photos are taken.