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Introduction:
Located 632 km south of Sydney and 427 km east of the Melbourne CBD, Victorias Bemm River boasts some of Australia's best Bream fishing. Situated in the Cape Conran Coastal Park, Far East Gippsland, the inlet itself is renowned for its big Blacks (Often called the ‘Bream Capital’). The shallow 930ha inlet itself is fed by Bemm River from the west and Little River from the east and surrounded by forest and tea tree. Mainly shallow, the estuary features a mix of mud and sandy bottoms, accompanied via prolific weed beds. The town contains a hotel, a shop, a caravan park and a number of self contained flats and bungalows. Petrol is not available in the Town and should be purchased from Orbost or Cann River before you arrive.
Little is known about the town's history and origins and the town is scarcely populated, the 2006 census divulged only 151 inhabitants. Admired by fishermen, hikers, bird watchers and travelling nomads, popular tourism includes Dolly’s Garden, Luderick Point memorial Park, and the Bemm River Recreational Reserve. Golfing, waterskiing, canoeing and camping are sought-after recreational activities aside from fishing. For those that waterside activities don’t always involve angling, the beaches of Ocean, Binn and Pearl all boast encompassing features (Although are unpatrolled).
Angling Facilities:
The estuary covers an area of about 10sq km and 3km from north to south across its widest point. The lake is shallow with an average depth of around 2m and basin depths of 3m. The southern arm of Bobs Bay features an elevated pontoon styled boat jetty and boat ramp to avoid flooding when the entrance is closed. The inlet closes to the ocean after periods of rough weather, in the past it has been opened via blasting but only after reaching a rise point 1.6m above nominal levels. When the inlet is open many sandbars are left being covered with only a centimetre or two of water or becoming completely exposed to the elements. At the time of writing, Sydenham Inlet, the lagoon entrance of Bemm River is currently closed to the sea.
The Inlets fishing is best from a small boat but equally viable from small to large kayaks and canoes, with two boat ramps and numerous shallow launching channels in the scrub line. Unfortunately the waterway features no navigation aids and much is being done to cordon community support via petitioning authorities. When visiting areas of East Gippsland and any Victorian waters (be they fresh or coastal) it is vital that anglers research the relevant requirements and fishing laws associated with that particular waterway. Anglers are advised to take care and heed care with high winds chopping up the inlets surface and strong currents attributed once open to the sea. The inlet features a refuge hut found at the mouth of the channel.
When visiting areas of East Gippsland and any Victorian waters (be they fresh or coastal) it is vital that anglers research requirements and fishing laws associated with that particular waterway. Relevant information regarding Victorian bag and size limits can be found online at: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fisheries/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-guide
Landbased Options:
While fishing the inlet without a boat or kayak can be an arduous affair (Due to vegetative growth) there are several places to access and fish the river. The area caters well for those on foot with a walkway provided for anglers behind the farm at Cosy Nook right to the river's edge. Other options include purposeful manmade access on the way into town at Dolly’s Garden (Featuring toilet facilities), suitable bank access around the bridge and an area known to locals as the 'Barrel Drain' (Ask around for more information).
Beyond the bridge upstream lies 'The Rocks' and Bemm River rapids, where it remains fresh before spilling into the lower brackish reaches. The river holds a reasonable population of Brown Trout and Australian Bass, which both move in and out of the salt to spawn. The upper reaches are rugged valleys and suitable footwear/fitness is required. Some access points include various tracks off the Old Coast Road but be advised, many such as River Road are 4wd only. Anglers are often surprised by a nice Brown when fishing for Bream and Estuary Perch in lower reaches. Fishing below the bridge can be rewarding when the bream are spawning with a running sinker rig your best bet (Often ignoring every possible artificial option).
Other Popular Targets:
While Bemm has built its reputation on Bream its very popular with lure and fly anglers chasing big Estuary Perch and Dusky Flathead. Other popular species include large Luderick, Tailor, Salmon and Silver Trevally. Beach access is difficult due to lack of accessibility but surf fishing for seven gill and gummy sharks along with Australian Salmon and Tailor is popular with surf aficionados. The river itself holds numerous amounts of Black Bream and solid Estuary Perch found mooching around the snags upriver and at its entrance to the inlet. While the two later species tend to be the most popular the inlet houses many other viable genus worth targeting.
Mullet:
There are at least two species of mullet caught in the inlet, sea mullet and yellow-eye mullet, with yellow-eye the predominant catch. Preferring a presentation consisting of soft baits like worms, prawns, pipis with larger specimens willing to take Whitebait. A light line class of no more than 6lb will keep you in contention adorned with size 8 small hooks. Fish a light drag as the bites are often timid and the fishes mouth flesh is soft.
Flathead:
As with other estuaries and inlets the larger Flathead inhabit the Shallowest of waters ambushing prey as they flee the flats. The deeper channel towards the closed mouth holds good numbers of legal specimens and is fished effectively under drift. A typical rig consists of a sinker (Locals prefer bomb shaped) with a hook dropper above. Flathead will take whitebait, pilchards, prawns and fish fillets along with live mullet. A manner of artificial lures such as soft plastics and hardbodied divers slung along the bottom are also effective.
Lure Techniques:
As with most species specific approaches, artificial lure choice can be imperative and you may have to push past your favourite Bream lures in your tackle box just to think outside the square. As an example Black Bream, scientifically known as Acanthopagrus butcheri, are opportunistic feeders, consuming both plant and animal species. As they prefer natural baits presented unweighted and wafting, fishing any suspending or floating lures retrieved slowly with jerky pulses and pauses works well, but when times are timid a lures elongated profile can come into play. Ask any tournament Bream angler what their favourite Black Bream lure is and nine times out of ten the size will exceed 65mm (A large estuary lure in anyone's books), that's surface, plastics or crankbaits.
That being said It all depends on the waters quality as there is no hard and fast lure rule, especially when it comes to colour selection. When the inlet is open the waters visibility is a lot clearer, dark patterns hold a stronger silhouette in its shallower waters while brighter lures can suffer drop out (Ie: Lost spectrum) in deeper areas. Black Bream still bite quite well in dirty water but can be a little finicky, this is where a silhouette may help (And a longer lure body). A great way to hedge your bets is to have a good selection of natural colours like ayu, clears and/or transparent, along with some darker hues in a variety of differing profiles. This same remedy can be applied to all makes and styles of lures including artificial flies, soft plastics, you name it.
Crankbaits:
With a myriad of Bream specialty lures on the market break down your selections into profiles and what style of fishing suits you best. Medium shallow cranks like Lucky Craft's Flash Minnow TR SP have a length of 55mm, weigh only 2.8 grams and dive to around 2-3ft. With a tight action the high sticking retrieve over flats and lowering the tip over drops is deadly. Zipbait Khamsin Jr SR (Silent) are used in much the same way, have a 50mm profile and tend to nose down when pulsed, pushing a lot of water for a small bib. Some longer cranks like Ecogear MW 70 S have loud internal rattles which bring the fish from afar, good for murky waters. MW's are minnow jerk baits that sink slowly, fish a tight line with a constant twitch subsurface retrieve.
Soft Plastics:
Sometimes, no matter the profile, hard bodied lures won't cut it at Bemm. Be it lack of cloud cover, heat of the day or some barometer anomaly your cranks swim straight past them. On a recent trip the mouth was closed, water was dirty and the bite was slim to nil. I persisted with what I knew for a few days and was unimpressed with the results compared to my baiting brethren. As we were fishing for a feed I switched to throwing lightly weighted plastics on a 7ft G Loomis GL3 for Bream and Tailor. The system was chock a block with prawns so it was no surprise profiles such as Gulp! 3" Shrimp in Banana Prawn pattern took fish. Other profiles that worked well were Gulp! 3" Fry in Pumpkinseed and Slam 3" Minnow in Tickled Pink.
All plastics were rigged on 1/32 oz Nitro Bream pro range jig heads, with a hook size of #2. The slow sink rate of roughly 13cm second, accompanied by a slow roll back to the yak was enough to keep the plastics above the snaggy weed. The 3" Shrimp were worked with a lift and drop retrieve with a lowered horizontal rod tip and a straight arm. Gulp! 3" Fry required longer lifts and a higher rod tip to get the plastics worm tail end swimming and the Slam 3" Minnow was twitched aggressively, similar to working a subsurface stick bait. With 3" profiles equalling 76mm every effort was made to slow down and keep it in the strike zone longer, if you find your getting too much weed try downsizing to an even lighter jig head or try a HWS (Hidden weight system).
Blades/Vibes:
Vibing the deeper channel towards the mouth often results in good hauls of Flathead and Bream. With the inlet snaking towards Bass Straight the depth increases beyond basin norms to a 4-5m average. While the experienced cast ahead of themselves and hop back along undulations if your relatively new to blades start by concentrating on the bends and fishing over your drift course. Keep a good eye on your drift speed (Use a drogue if needed) and hold the rods tip at an angle around 11'oclock (Clocks face).
The weight of the blade will produce constant tension on the line and the blade (Depending on drift speed) will descend to the bottom. Cast out, keep the bail arm open until slack line is achieved, raise the tip and pulse gently from 10'oclock till 11. As the tip reaches 11'oclock lower back to ten, this will create small amounts of slack line. Simply wind slowly to increase tension while lifting the rod back to 11. This causes the blade to vibrate up through the water column rapidly, followed by a small sink,. Popular blades include 46mm Berkley Big Eye (46mm, 5.6 grams), Damiki Vault 42 (42mm, 7 grams) and Ecogear VX 45 (45mm, 8.0 grams). Some cheaper models work just as well as the big boys and all will achieve a depth of 2 - 10m with varying sink rates. Again, try natural colours if the inlet is open and clear or gold flashy/dark silhouette colours if closed and subject to murk. Remember to change the tow point further back along the body if drifting depth isn't optimal (I.e.: Lure running too shallow).
Surface:
The shoreline running from Luderick Point parallel to the Pearl Point Track provides some sheltered shallow cove style bays, perfect for topwater techniques. While all edges feature similar milieu it's the predominant southerly change that makes this area a real hot spot, constantly pushing bait and debris tight on its weed bed fringe. Often as the day wears on the wind wakes create mini waves, a smorgasbord highway for the resident Bream. The turbulence on the water's surface is enough to encourage bite periods through the hottest parts of the afternoon. I have found Yellowfin Bream prefer lighter winds and calmer conditions and while they may not be as famous for their surface sips like there yellow cousins, it still results in some incredible rough water Black Bream behaviour.
Fishing with the wind will allow greater casts and effectively cover more ground, great for holding tight to banks and running along edges into new water. My favourite technique here is positioning yourself side on against the wind gusts and present offerings on a 45 degree angle from the yak. My theory is that the added windage on the kayaks freeboard is enough to keep the lure travelling nose up, while the force of the waves and water commotion keep the rear treble pushing down (While I 'Walk the dog'). Start off with a medium profile/size like a Lucky Craft Sammy 65 or Ecogear PX 55 and always upsize profile sizes (Like a Megabass Dog X Junior or Zipp Bait Fakie Dog) before downsizing to something smaller (Using natural colours or polar opposites - see 'Lure Techniques').
To walk a lure effectively from a kayak the techniques governing principles are the same (No matter your vessel), aim for a constant wobble with a slow rolling retrieve. Cast your lure out and lower your rod tip, leaving a small amount of slack line to help kick-start. Commence retrieve by keeping your shoulder stiff and elbow close to the body and generate a rhythmic pulse between your elbow and wrist (Almost like your trying to 'snake' your forearm) while retrieving your lure. Rod tips can remain lowered, angled high or off to the side, if the lure zigzags and changes direction easily then stick with what feels most comfortable from a seated position. It can be difficult to master at first but once you have its a deadly technique on Black Bream, especially employed with long pauses between retrieval.
Bait:
For many locals and visitors alike the traditional method of fishing at Bemm River is typically with bait. Be it drifting over the lakes basin or anchored in the channel both are easily accomplished from a kayak. Casting and trolling lures is equally as popular with dedicated yak anglers chasing Bream on light tackle. Popular baits include fresh prawns (Harvested locally), sandworms (Not readily available) and other alternatives like Cunje. Use a large hook of around 2/0 to 4 sizing with a wide gape, matched to a running sinker rig. A great threadline outfit for tackling Bream from a kayak with bait would consist of 6 - 8lb line and a 6' rod with a medium to fast action. If using a reel spooled with braid fish a light drag or top shot additional leader lengths to combat dropped baits and confirm hookset.
The team at Bemm River Bait & Tackle harvest their own prawns for sale in the shop (No frozen Tweed River servo prawns here!) and sell other bait like Pilchards (If hitting the local beaches in search of Salmon/Gummy ask about the surf popper phenomenon). They also sell good amounts of terminal tackle and lures (Amongst other fishing items) required to replenish lost stocks. For all the latest fishing information, including other available bait for sale contact Bemm River Bait and Tackle on (03) 5158 4254.
Conclusion:
With so many fishing options in this region it's easy to understand why a trip to Bemm River may get overlooked. The popular seaside towns of Mallacoota and Marlo attract thousands of visitors every year with picture perfect vistas, but the fishing can get a little crowded. This is where Bemm River and the Sydenham Inlet really shine, the serenity available is on par with others in the region and the various fishing options available surpass the rest (All without major hustle and bustle). The accommodation options are great, the local angling facilities are top notch, I can't say enough good things about the pub (Try the Chicken Parma), oh and blah blah blah, did I mention the fishing?
Additional Information:
Rods and Reels:
As with most Breaming applications lightweight threadline outfits are recommended, great for casting light lures and durable enough to deal with the variety of fish on offer. Typically I fish with 1-3kg graphite rods matched to 1000 - 2500 size reels. This outfit alone will cover most bases, with a lot of sport thrown in for good measure if something bigger than usual turns up.
Line and Leader:
Try braid like Berkley Fireline, Super P.E or Team Daiwa Sensor in 4, 6, or 8lb breaking strains. For leader choice I prefer Berkley Vanish or Famell Rock Fish in rod lengths of 6 - 8lb breaking strain. When the fishing is tough I switch spools and run 4lb fluro straight through to the hook (ALso usefull for baitfishing applications).
Lures: Crankbaits: Lucky Craft Flashminnow TT, Zipbait Khamsin Jr SR (Silent), Ecogear MW 70, Jackall Deep/Shallow Chubby, Soft Plastics: Berkley Gulp 3" Shrimp, Berley Gulp 3" Fry, Slam 3" Minnow, Ecogear Bream Prawn, Ecogear Grass Minnow Jigheads: Nitro Finnesse Torpedo 1/24oz, Nitro Bream pro range 1/32oz, Gamakatsu Round 25 1/8oz Blades: Berkley Big Eye 46mm, Damiki Vault 42, Ecogear VX 45, TT Ghost Blade 44mm, Strikepro Cybervibe, Impact Tackle Bladez Surface: Ecogear 45, 3B Scumdog 48mm, Ecogear PX 55, Jazz Zappa 55, Jazz Zappa 55, Lucky Craft Sammy 65, Megabass Dog X Junior, Zipp Bait Fakie Dog
