Bream
Common bream are one of the larger members of the carp family found in British freshwaters. They have deep, narrow bodies (hence the anglers' names for bream - dustbin lids and slabs) and can swim with ease through weedy or reedy shallow water. Their long, dark dorsal fins are set well back near their blackish, deeply forked tails. Bream have small, underslung mouths which can project forwards while they root on muddy lake or river bottoms in search of food. Another distinctive feature is their covering of thick slime.
Young bream, called skimmers, are silver and are often confused with silver bream, a different species altogether. As skimmers mature, they turn a dark, golden-olive colour. Fully mature bream have dark backs and greenish-bronze flanks with white undersides.
Where to find the Bream
Bream are thought of as stillwater fish. They are attracted to shallow, reedy bays where they feed and bask in the sun. They are, however, more adaptable than many anglers think - they can thrive in moderate- to fast-flowing rivers, sheltering just outside the main current under tree roots, in deep pools or near undercut banks. The key to large bream populations is the diversity and quantity of food available.
Baits to use
Worms, lobworms, small red worm, brandlings, bloodworm, bread (either punch, flake or paste), casters, maggots, gozzers, pinkies and sweetcorn.
Methods
Float fishing for bream is an extremely popular and successful method. First of all you will need to plummet the water in order to find out the depth. Next you will need to set your float and position your bait just over depth. In order to catch bream using this method you must make sure the float indicator is showing correctly above the water. When a bream bites the float indicator will disappear fairly slowly, and that is when to strike!
Fishing for bream using a float is much more fun than most other methods. Generally you tend to get more noticable knocks and touches as well as being able to see exactly where your bait is positioned. The best baits to use when fishing for bream on the float tend to be maggots, casters, sweetcorn, and worms.
Ledgering / Bottom fishing for bream the key thing to remember is that they are bottom feeders, therefore the best method to use is one which places your bait on the bottom of a river or lake. Using a ledger or weight to achieve this is one of the quickest and easiest ways to catch bream, and ensures you are fishing within minutes of setting up. Another method is to use a swim feeder to bait up the area you are fishing. This swim feed acts as a ledger, whilst at the same time laying a lot of bait down around your hook. To go ledgering or bottom fishing you will need a quiver tip, or a bite indicator on your rod, so that you know when bream take your bait.
The best bait to use when ledgering for bream depends on the conditions, but the most common favourites are sweetcorn, worms, maggots, and casters.
Young bream, called skimmers, are silver and are often confused with silver bream, a different species altogether. As skimmers mature, they turn a dark, golden-olive colour. Fully mature bream have dark backs and greenish-bronze flanks with white undersides.
Where to find the Bream
Bream are thought of as stillwater fish. They are attracted to shallow, reedy bays where they feed and bask in the sun. They are, however, more adaptable than many anglers think - they can thrive in moderate- to fast-flowing rivers, sheltering just outside the main current under tree roots, in deep pools or near undercut banks. The key to large bream populations is the diversity and quantity of food available.
Baits to use
Worms, lobworms, small red worm, brandlings, bloodworm, bread (either punch, flake or paste), casters, maggots, gozzers, pinkies and sweetcorn.
Methods
Float fishing for bream is an extremely popular and successful method. First of all you will need to plummet the water in order to find out the depth. Next you will need to set your float and position your bait just over depth. In order to catch bream using this method you must make sure the float indicator is showing correctly above the water. When a bream bites the float indicator will disappear fairly slowly, and that is when to strike!
Fishing for bream using a float is much more fun than most other methods. Generally you tend to get more noticable knocks and touches as well as being able to see exactly where your bait is positioned. The best baits to use when fishing for bream on the float tend to be maggots, casters, sweetcorn, and worms.
Ledgering / Bottom fishing for bream the key thing to remember is that they are bottom feeders, therefore the best method to use is one which places your bait on the bottom of a river or lake. Using a ledger or weight to achieve this is one of the quickest and easiest ways to catch bream, and ensures you are fishing within minutes of setting up. Another method is to use a swim feeder to bait up the area you are fishing. This swim feed acts as a ledger, whilst at the same time laying a lot of bait down around your hook. To go ledgering or bottom fishing you will need a quiver tip, or a bite indicator on your rod, so that you know when bream take your bait.
The best bait to use when ledgering for bream depends on the conditions, but the most common favourites are sweetcorn, worms, maggots, and casters.
