Hawkesbury River Bream Fishing
Catching Bream Based on Tide – Never Fail Techniques!
Fishing The Hawkesbury & It’s Incredible Tributaries
The Hawkesbury River in New South Wales is a renowned and diverse fishery, celebrated for its stunning natural beauty and rich aquatic life. Stretching over 120 kilometers from the mountain ranges to the ocean, the river boasts a unique mix of estuarine habitats, including lush mangroves, mudflats, rocky outcrops, and deep, fast-flowing channels. The river’s diverse ecosystems, fed by freshwater tributaries and tidal saltwater, create an environment teeming with life, supporting an abundant food chain that attracts a wide variety of fish species. From the quiet backwaters of Berowra Waters to the expansive river mouth at Broken Bay, the Hawkesbury is a sanctuary for both freshwater and saltwater species.
For anglers, the Hawkesbury River offers an exceptional range of fishing opportunities. Iconic species like yellowfin bream, flathead, jewfish, and estuary perch are abundant, with the river’s many tributaries and deep channels providing ideal habitats. Whether casting soft plastics along rocky shores, chasing surface feeders in the estuaries, or targeting larger species in the river’s deeper pools, there’s something for every angler. Seasonal runs of fish, such as mulloway and tailor, keep the fishing exciting year-round. The river’s blend of diverse fishing conditions, combined with its natural beauty, makes every outing on the Hawkesbury a truly unforgettable experience.
To take advantage of the great river fishing, we have teamed up with Kevin Savvas, a local expert on this river system. Our target species for the day is the crafty and fun to catch Yellowfin Bream.
Quick Facts
- The Hawkesbury River has 15 major tributaries that feed into it.
- The Nepean River is the largest of its tributaries.
- Berowra Waters is a vital breeding and nursey ground for many species, including fish, crabs and prawns.
- Not known to many, bream use their strong jaws to crush oysters and barnacles for food.
- The Australian record for the largest bream ever caught is 57cm and 4.45kg.
Our Guide:
Kevin Savvas from Sydney
Kevin is a seasoned angler with over two decades of experience, specialising in the rich waters of the Hawkesbury River System and Sydney Harbour. His journey in fishing began with a focus on flathead, and over the years became captivated by the challenge of catching jewfish and bream on lures with light gear. More recently, Kevin has extended his expertise to the competitive bream fishing circuit, regularly competing in the prestigious ABT tournament. When he’s not out on the water, Kevin is an avid writer, sharing his insights and experience with the fishing community through his contributions to Fishing World magazine.
Picking Our Location
Launch: We started our day from the Berowra Waters Marina. Locations were picked based on the tide.
Spot 1: We collected a few crabs at the marina and started fishing around the corner floating crabs under pontoons and boats.
Spot 2: From there we moved on with the rising tide towards Cascade Gully (The Vines) to flick hard bodies at the oyster covered rock walls.
Spot 3: As the tide peaked, we moved to the Railroad Bridge to cast at the oyster covered support piers.
Spot 4: With the run out tide, we moved to Eleanor Bluffs to fish amongst the sandy areas between kelp beds.
Yellowfin Bream
Acanthopagrus Australis
Top Target Species
The Yellowfin Bream (Acanthopagrus australis) is a popular estuarine species found along Australia’s eastern coastline, known for its silvery body and distinctive yellow fins. For anglers, they offer an exciting challenge with their cautious nature and strong fight on light tackle. Found around mangroves, oyster leases, and rocky outcrops, they can be targeted using various techniques, including bait and lures, making them a rewarding catch for fishers of all skill levels.
Common Species In The Hawkesbury
Mulloway
Argyrosomus Japonicus
Dusky Flathead
Platycephalus Fuscus
Tailor
Pomatomus Saltatrix
Tackle we used for the day
This session was all about the challenge of light gear and tackle. This is what we used:
Rods: 6 ft medium power, fast-action spinning rods
Reels: 2500 sized spinning reels (Gear Ratio: 6.3:1 to 7.1:1)
Line: 4lb braid with 6lb leader
Lures: Live crabs, hardbody diving minnows, Gulp Crabbys & Prawns
Our techniques for the day
Low tide: During a low tide, bream like to hold up under pontoons and boats. Our first technique was to float live, unweighted crabs under these structures. We caught or lost a fish with each crab.
Rising tide: As the tide rises the fish move out towards the rocky shoreline to hunt for crustaceans and small fish. Our second technique was to flick hard bodies and soft plastics to the shoreline and work them back to the boat. We caught or lost a fish with every 6 or 7 casts.
High tide: At peak tide, we then tried our luck with casting hard bodies at oyster covered bridge pylons. The closer you get to the pylons the more productive. You get around 3 to 4 fish per pylon before you spook them and have to move on to the next.
Run out tide: As the tide started to drop, we then moved back to the shoreline along kelp beds. Here we flicked Gulp Crabbys and Prawns towards sandy breaks within the kelp. This was our least productive technique but also produced the 2 largest fish of the day!
What’s on offer throughout the year
Year Round
Bream, Estuary Perch, Flathead, Eels, Trevally, Luderick, Tailor, Jewfish, Leatherjackets
Spring
Kingfish, Whiting, Bream, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Flathead
Summer
Mangrove Jack, Tailor, Whiting, Mud Crab, Bream, Kingfish, Flathead, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Bonito
Autumn
Jewfish, Flathead, Luderick, Bream, Flathead, Whiting, Tailor, Bonito
Winter
Salmon, Trevally, Squid, Bream, Luderick, Jewfish, Tailor, Hairtail, Snapper (Pinkies)
Top tips from Kevin on fishing the Hawkesbury
What type of gear is ideal for bream fishing?
The lighter the better, this also makes catching these fish more challenging and exciting. Around a 6ft rod and 2500 sized spinning reel with 4lb braid for your main line and 6lb mono for leader. Go lighter if you dare!
Do you have a particular lure that you like for catching bream?
As outlined in this Hawkesbury fishing session, there are so many different ways to target these fish. I typically prefer hardbodies as its always an explosive take.
Is there an ideal time of day to target bream?
I’ve tried to highlight techniques to catch bream with any tide or time of day. However like most fishing dawn and dusk are generally more productive.
Do you have a favourite spot for targeting bream on the Hawkesbury?
Its hard to just pick one, but I do like The Vines and flicking hardbodies at the oyster covered rock walls. That is the second location we visited on this session.
What's the largest bream you've hooked into?
To be honest its a bit hard to say as I generally practice catch and release and rarely weigh or measure my catch. That being said it would definitely be over 2 kgs.
Photo gallery of our day on the water with Kevin
Get out and fish the Hawkesbury River system!
Get out and fish the Hawkesbury, a fishing haven perfect for both individuals and families. With its stunning scenery, calm waters, and year-round fishing opportunities, it offers a peaceful escape for anglers of all skill levels. The river’s easy access points, including boat ramps and shoreline spots, make it simple to find a productive spot to cast a line.
The river’s diverse fish species, including bream, flathead, whiting, tailor, and mulloway, ensure excitement for everyone, from beginners to experienced anglers. Whether fishing from the shore, a kayak, or a boat, the Hawkesbury’s calm waters and beautiful surroundings provide the ideal setting for a memorable day on the water.
Kevin and I had an incredible day and would have landed 40+ fish between us. The majority of the bream went around 600 – 700 grams with a few that went over the kilo mark. There was also a bit of bycatch which included, Tailor, Flathead and Jewfish. Review Kevin’s tips on landing bream based on tide and give it a go!
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