Bream are one of the most common species of fish found in the UK. In almost every lake, river and reservoir, they can be found.
These hungry fellas are not overly picky when it comes to bait, and can be caught using a variety of methods. Bream really are one of the easiest catches, making them excellent game for beginners. Bream fishing doesn’t require special equipment or bait, so it makes for inexpensive and hassle free fishing, just grab your rod, some bait, and your ready to go.
Since Bream fishing is notably easier than fishing for other species if fish, it’s perfect for kids and beginners. But before heading out, you should do a little research to find where they’re biting most.
Hardware
When fishing for bream, the right rod can make a huge difference. We recommend a light rod, between 1kg and 4kg, with a fairly soft tip and a stiffer middle section, you want something that can cast well.
Go for a 1000-2500 sized reel.
It’s generally best to use light tackle, using hooks sized 10-14 will get you the most bites, but larger sized hooks Can be used when fishing for larger specimen.
Leader Lines
Bream have a habit of dragging you through the weeds, like it or not. Leader lines are your best friend when fishing for Bream and shouldn’t be overlooked!
Braided leaded lines are preferred, but you can also use monofilament mainline, within the 2-6lbs range with a 4-10lbs fluorocarbon leader.
Bream Habits
Bream scour the beds of lakes or rivers, feeding on tiny bloodworm. They have a huge appetite and a five pound bream can dine out on as much as a hundred thousand animals every day.
They patrol routes running through lakes and rivers, stopping to feed along as they go. Bream do follow the same route each day, but this doesn’t mean they feed in the same spots. Finding the route of Bream in a lake or a river will give you a useful rough guide of their most likely whereabouts. The feeding stops along the route are dependant on the quantity of bloodworms in any given location, changing constantly, but they will always return back to their daily patrol route.
In the beginning of May, Bream begin to gather for spawning. Male Bream seek out shallow weedy areas, claiming their own territory and effectively isolating themselves from other male Bream. It’s a battle of the fittest, the biggest and strongest males claim the best areas.
After spawning, Bream go on a feeding frenzy to fatten up… this is generally the best time to catch them.
Best Techniques
1 Berley
The use of Berley is a game changer in Bream fishing, it will increase your odds of success hugely. Bream patrol the waters, roaming through lakes and rivers, they do not stick to one spot. The use of Barley is an excellent method to lure them in and keep them hanging around one spot.
The trick with berley is to get enough into a cloud of food into the water, enough for them to smell and taste, but not enough for them to feast on. As you want their meal to be the bait on the end of your hook.
2 Fish light
Bream can be slightly timid fish, often they will not take the bait if the sinker is too heavy. If it’s a little looser they are more likely to take the bait and carry it off. Use a light sinker to get the bait to the bottom. If the water is calm, you can use pea sized sinkers, right near the hook.
3 Fresh bait is the best
Nothing will get Bream to bite quite like fresh bait. Crickets and worms being the most popular and best bait choices.
Worms come in a few different varieties, with different colours and sizes. The larger varieties such as ‘Nightcrawlers’ ’are not as effective for bream fishing, the fish will simply nibble off an end of the worm, missing the hook completely. Smaller types of worms, such as redworms are a better option.
4 Be quiet and gentle
Bream are easily frightened. Making loud noises, dipping your rod into the water, shining a flashlight into the water, or pretty much anything else that will spook them are going to hurt your chances of a good catch. So just take it easy a d don’t cause a scene!