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This is the common Bream of North Queensland estuaries and rivers. It takes its common names from two features- the very stout and long second spine of the anal fin, and its colour, which is generally greyish or olive-brown, with brassy reflections. In fact, specimens taken from mangrove-lined creeks are often so dusky in colour as to be called black. Another feature that distinguishes it from the common Bream is the absence of a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin.
This fish is every bit as good eating as is the common Bream. It is easily captured by line-fishing close to the banks of creeks, or adjacent to jetty piles, using a minimum of sinker and fishing with prawns or cut baits of Mullet, Garfish or any similar bait-fish. It affords good sport on light tackle. The Pikey Bream grows to about 560 mm (22 inches) in this State, but attains a weight of 7.7 kg (1 7 lb.) in Papuan coastal waters.
This is not the Black Bream of the southern States (A. butchers (Munro)), an estuarine form found in the brackish regions of coastal lakes and rivers. This latter ranges from Western Australia, through South Australia into Tasmania, Victoria, and southern New South Wales. This southern Bream is dark-brown to bronze in general colour, with a bluish sheen over the snout; the ventral and anal fins are quite free of any canary yellow coloration.
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