Shore Angling Tips

Bronze Bream

Pachymetopon grande

Bronze Bream are found along rocky coastlines from Cape Agulhas up into Mozambique. They are found normally in shallow water close inshore. In Natal their colour is the very distinctive bronze. Hence the name, however as one moves south the colour becomes more drab with the predominant colours being , grey, silver and black.

They are very sensitive to changing water conditions and temperatures and will go off the bite in these cases very quickly. On the west coast they congregate in shoals and can be found in the kelp beds, where anglers probe the open patches.

Tackle

Best results are to be had with very light tackle, with a fixed spool reel and a line with a B/s of not less than 5kg being suitable. This tackle may have to be beefed up if the conditions require it, and normally they do.

No sinker if possible or as light as possible to keep the bait out, should be used, in conjunction with a # 6 - #2/0 round bend hook.

Bait

Good bait to use varies, from Crayfish tail being about the best then followed by prawn, mussel, crab, redbait, squid, fish bait, octopus leg and limpet.

The Bream is a very shy fish and will remove your bait quickly unless it is very secure, with elastic or ghost cotton. In some regions the larger fish have shown a preference for fish bait, especially mackerel or steentjie.

The Hook-up
Invariably the Bronze Bream has a very distinctive bite, giving two hard thumps followed by a brisk tug. The bigger fish, when feeding freely, are apt to swallow the bait and just move off, leaving the angler with the job of just setting the hook.

But, this distinctive biting unfortunately is not its only method. When they are just nipping or tugging then it some times pays off to strike at the third nibble, regardless of strength of bite?

Should these small bites become a nuisance then reduce the size of the hook and bait until you start to get results.

In some cases, fishing with a double hook trace can result in doubles, on most casts.

Best Times: Natal June to November
West Coast May & June
PE & Knysna Summer

Eating Quality Good, with soft juicy flavour, though may be fatty for some peoples taste, so maybe better grilled or open braaied.