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Sittingbourne Angling Club

Bream

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Common Bream (Abramis brama)

Description: You will find that this species is common in slow rivers and lakes. They usually move in shoals near the weedbeds and feed on plant materials and invertebrates. They have a protective covering of slime, a deep laterally compressed body and a long anal fin (in comparison with the dorsal fin).
They have a forked tail and a relatively small head and mouth. While Bream are young (skimmers), the are silver but turn a darker bronze colour as they mature. During spawning, from May to June, the male acquires white tubercles over his head and upper body. At this time he will defend his territory in marginal weedbeds with a lot of splashing. When they live in a mixed community the roach will often interbreed with other species. This has created hybrids such as the roach-bream hybrid.
A smaller species is also found in the United Kingdom, the Silver Bream (Blicca bjoerkna). These tend to be smaller than the common or bronze bream and are silver in colour with red anal and pectoral fins.

Methods of Capture.
Predominantly feeding on the soft bottom of ponds, lakes and the lower reaches of rivers, the Bream can be caught with legered baits or laying on with a waggler.
Bream tend to shoal and move casually around looking for food. Large catches result from heavy feeding, effectively laying down a carpet of bait and groundbait whereupon the shoal once finding the food will stay either till disturbed or having 'mopped up' the food when they will move on.
Baits such as Redworm and Castor can be used together quite successfully. Maggots, pinkies and chopped worm mixed in with Groundbait used liberally can provide a feeding ground for the shoal.
The Bream has not got a reputation though as a fighting fish, generally coming to the net with little resistance.

Once a shoal starts to feed, any fish hooked needs to be pulled away from the remainder quickly, otherwise the shoal will be spooked and will move on. Large weights can be caught provided the shoal stays over the feeding ground. A fairly consistent method is an open-end feeder filled with a groundbait mix combined with a hook length of 18 - 24 inches. Once cast in and the feeder reaches the bottom, take up the slack in the line and then pull the rod a further 18 inches or so. This will place the hook over the groundbait.

Tip: A real favourite bait to use is to add chopped worm to your groundbait mix. It is essential to keep your casting accurate, makes sure your bait is going into a small area.

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