PSG-1
Well-known member
This photo is a couple of years ago, back when I first started using a bream buster to fish in salt water.
I use a 20 footer. And instead of using regular line, I use about 12 feet of floating fly line, then an 6 foot leader made of 20 lb test, then a 2 ft break-away leader made of 14 lb test cajun line. The break-away leader is necessary for fishing around jetties, pilings, or oyster beds.
I also use a #6 Owner light circle hook.
The floating fly line acts as a strike indicator, you see the line begin to move when a fish has picked up the bait, as well as being able to feel bites from notorious bait-stealers like sheephead and pinfish (I hate pinfish...LOL)
Also, the floating line helps to keep the majority of the line from being tangled in oyster beds or rocks.
And finally, that fly line is less likely to be twisted and tied in knots when a fish starts flopping around when you bring it on board, and if it does get a knot in it, you will definitely see it, where you wouldn't notice it on regular fishing line (a simple knot, such as one that forms in line, is a sure breaking point, something you don't want)
Anyhow, I have caught all kinds of fish on the bream buster, including black drum, sheephead, tautog, red drum, and even flounder.
When fishing around the jetties for sheephead, I simply put a fiddler crab on the hook, and use one tiny split shot, just enough to take it down.
When fishing in the creeks for red drum, I use a live shrimp for bait, throwing it upstream, and 'mending' the loops in the line (just like with fly fishing) letting it drift, until I get a hit.
The biggest fish I have taken so far was a 7 pound sheephead, that was about a 5 minute battle! I thought for sure that rod was going to break, it was nearly folded in half. But it held, and I netted my fish (he pretty much filled the net) and brought him on board.
So, if you get tired of a rod and reel, if you've also tried fly fishing, take it to the next level, try 'dapping' as old-timers called it. This is how they fished before fly rods and reels were invented, they used long poles, similar to the 20 foot bream buster.
