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Winter Bream (seriously big)


Steve D

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Steve, what time do you catch most of your winter bream?

 

The reason I ask is that I had planned to have a few evenings chasing bream at Wingham after winter perch fishing. Unfortunately buying and renovating a cottage has got in the way, and I've had only a day and a half fishing since early summer.

 

However hopefully they'll still be time for an evening or two next month.

 

Steve B,

 

As much as I want to tell you what you want to hear, alas, I have found interestingly, on all my venues, prolific or not, the best time is 1am to 3am and then working back from there...

 

Steve

Friday evening forum starting mid March 2012. Come in for a coffee, and a chat, or advice. We'll be talking rigs, tactics, venues, and anything else fishing related. Heiniken say's, probably one of the best stocked shops in east anglia... Match, sea, fly, carp, specimum. If we ain't got it, we'll get it. Look for the new Frank Warrich gel baits coming soon...

 

www.stanstedangling.co.uk

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Steve B,

 

As much as I want to tell you what you want to hear, alas, I have found interestingly, on all my venues, prolific or not, the best time is 1am to 3am and then working back from there...

 

Steve

 

Darn it!

 

I still may have a go though as one member had lots of line bites one evening after a winter work party. Obviously I'll try that swim first.

 

Jim Gibbinson told me that on one water he fishes the bream seem to take up residence in one area all winter. I found the same with the perch at Wingham a few years back, but they weren't there the next! It's a shame as not one was under 3lbs, although we did have some repeat captures.

 

Do you find the same with your bream, Steve?

 

BTW, I do hope we can persuade you to come to Wingham Fish-In in May. See http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Wingham...2-t3929285.html.

 

You better start working on him, lads!

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Steve B,

 

I am not suggesting they don't feed in the evening, just found that early hours of the morning are best, although that's only a broad average. I date and time kinda diary and sad as I am, had a graph going at one time, with best times throughout the year lol ;-( sad git is me )

 

100% Bream shoal up this time of year, normally near ish to their spawning grounds. I've had fish in February with the first signs of spawning antlers... I have found they normally start heading down to their 'area' in Jan, that said, it's not nailed on every venue. I've found Bream to be the most teritorial fish, especially in the spring. If you've ever read any reports from Ireland and the bream there, the shoals are large enough to 'walk on'. Way back when I fished a big tournament in march, someone had 150 odd lb, all fail hooked where there were so many fish in front of him. Although Bream generally spawn in shallow water (3-4foot) they often hang out prior to spawning in the nearest deepest area. On a lagoon I fish, they hold up in an area 25 foot, around a 100 yards from their spawning grounds. This for me seems to be a good guide. If you know where they spawn, find some deep water near by, and drop on them. Oddly, even on waters where they don't role/show, I've found they do this time of year. Weird watching bream role as the light fades, in silly tempretures, rather spooky lol.

 

Steve

 

BTW, if I am offered a ticket fro May, I would love to come on down to Wingham. Hopefully it's early May, as if it's too late they may be spawning or even going through the motions and as such won't feed at all...

Edited by Steve D

Friday evening forum starting mid March 2012. Come in for a coffee, and a chat, or advice. We'll be talking rigs, tactics, venues, and anything else fishing related. Heiniken say's, probably one of the best stocked shops in east anglia... Match, sea, fly, carp, specimum. If we ain't got it, we'll get it. Look for the new Frank Warrich gel baits coming soon...

 

www.stanstedangling.co.uk

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Wayne :clap2:

 

If you are reading this, which I am sure you are, sign up and add your veiws mate...

 

Gents, Wayne is an awesom Bream angler... Got some briilinat ideas and is always turning the pages looking for some new trick. He is the best platics angler I have ever known, bar non...

 

Steve

Friday evening forum starting mid March 2012. Come in for a coffee, and a chat, or advice. We'll be talking rigs, tactics, venues, and anything else fishing related. Heiniken say's, probably one of the best stocked shops in east anglia... Match, sea, fly, carp, specimum. If we ain't got it, we'll get it. Look for the new Frank Warrich gel baits coming soon...

 

www.stanstedangling.co.uk

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BTW, if I am offered a ticket fro May, I would love to come on down to Wingham. Hopefully it's early May, as if it's too late they may be spawning or even going through the motions and as such won't feed at all...

 

Don't worry, the Fish-In purposely doesn't correspond with bream spawning time. Everything is late at Wingham as it's deep and close to the sea both to the north and east, and so takes a long time to warm up. Conversely it takes a long time to cool down in the autumn. We have our own micro-climate and the prevailing wind comes from the NE for weeks on end in the spring. This is off the cold sea. As a result all our fish spawn late, with the bream typically doing so in the first half of June. If that period corresponds with a heatwave I close the Coarse Lake then.

 

This year the Fish-In is Sat May 19th to Mon May 21st, so there's 2 nights to target the bream. We've had a few on previous Fish-Ins up to 16-06, whilst the lake record is 18-06. Best of all we had a 17-14 in April 2004 at just 11 years old.

 

Priory is given to those who haven't been before. Just look out for the announcement I'm taking bookings in early May.

 

Quite apart from the fishing it's a great social event.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Ive not added anything either as I know nothing of winter breaming or thermal layers in such relatively shallow waters. October (as Ive said before) was allways my favourite but also last month of serious breaming. I also no nothing off carp style breaming and regardless of if its effective or not dont really want to to be honest!

 

Maybe winter is the time then but I doubt I will ever find out as I have different targets in the winter and cant see me changing.

 

Interesting none the less but I would like to see a bit more meat to be honest.

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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Interestingly Budgie, what made me look at the carp boys, is they so often catch some of the biggest bream by accident. So, it's worth looking at what they do and how it can be adapted to bream, tench and any other quarry...

 

Not sure what you mean by a bit more meat? Are you thinking steak for the bream lol, aka chub?

 

Steve

Friday evening forum starting mid March 2012. Come in for a coffee, and a chat, or advice. We'll be talking rigs, tactics, venues, and anything else fishing related. Heiniken say's, probably one of the best stocked shops in east anglia... Match, sea, fly, carp, specimum. If we ain't got it, we'll get it. Look for the new Frank Warrich gel baits coming soon...

 

www.stanstedangling.co.uk

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I also no nothing off carp style breaming and regardless of if its effective or not dont really want to to be honest!

 

 

Hi Budgie

 

I know what you mean with having other fish to fry in winter (better rephrase that before that azrael reads it).

 

I do prefer to fish for the fish most likely to feed such as dace chub pike and zander not just because its the best time to catch them but also because I do want some sessions catching those fish. I do not want to try and make the whole year one style of fishing only.

 

Carp style fishing however for big bream in todays big waters is pretty much essential. They are often clear waters and the bigger bream are very nocturnal.You do need bite alarms whilst you "rest" as bites can be a long way apart. You also often have to place a feeder be it cage or method at distance. Getting 5 ozs at 80 yards plus needs stepped up tackle but todays rods do allow a good playing action aswell.

 

I have lately gone to either the big inline method feeder or pva stocking to avoid tangles. You do not want a rod out there in the hotspot through the best fishing hours hoping for a take only to find when you reel it in it was tangled.

 

The whole bivvy up and spend a weekend at one swim also helps I always do better the 2nd night and have a very relaxing blood pressure reducing alchohol free weekend. :D

 

Steve

 

Big bream do interest me and I would like to catch bigger than I have but I think the 2 most important things are fishing a water that holds them and then fish location.

 

If you have a low density water where the fish are mostly large its a little easier to catch the big one it just takes good fishing practice and lots of time. I believe lots of takes by small fish of any species spooks the bigger ones and its a little difficult to select big bream only by bait.

 

So likewise fishing winter months when fish are less active can help in that less shoal fish are feeding at any one time. Find the fish and you can be successfull.

 

I still think this is more important than rigs or baits as a feeding bream will take most things if in the right place at the right time. What is different of course is if you are trying to trigger a fish into feeding that is not really in the mood. Bit like buying something nice for the wife.

 

Fancy flavourings to try and trigger feeding can and do work. I am a great believer in the old walking past a fish and chip shop scenario. Thats when scent and not feed are required as if the fish decides to have a nibble it won't eat much.

 

As for complicated rigs I use several but they are all designed to overcome particular oddities on different waters not neccassarily to fool the fish but to be able to present a bait naturally. I do try to keep my focus on natural presentation rather than fashionable rigs.

 

But I also think angling has to be about enjoyment. To that end I mean fishing a water that you enjoy being at and can relax. Catch or try to catch the best that water holds and it to me does not mean that it has to be near record sizes. I do not want an easy water give me a water that anglers say its hard to catch anything from and you will find me there. Thats a challenge in its own right. There are several waters near me that carp anglers tell me if I want a big double figure bream go there because lots of people catch them I steer clear as I want to discover, within reason, my own fish.

 

However I am always interested in how an expert does it.

 

best regards

 

John

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Steve, All,

 

Let me give you a tip you may not have. Fish that practice tight shoaling in the pre-spawn nearly always become partial filter feeders. Especially freshwater fishes in the minnow family. Your bait(s) will become perhaps as much as 50% more effective if you add micro-organisms (or even brine shrimp) that slough off upon presentation. After the pre spawn - - well - - remember for the next year. In male minnows you can tell when they are able to filter feed by the bumps on the gills (usually).

 

As for bream (common bream). You sure you can't just carp fish? You could, of course, stay in the closet; they you have to tell everyone you are bream fishing.

 

Phone

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Let me give you a tip you may not have. Fish that practice tight shoaling in the pre-spawn nearly always become partial filter feeders. Especially freshwater fishes in the minnow family. Your bait(s) will become perhaps as much as 50% more effective if you add micro-organisms (or even brine shrimp) that slough off upon presentation. After the pre spawn - - well - - remember for the next year. In male minnows you can tell when they are able to filter feed by the bumps on the gills (usually).

 

Good idea. Bream do indeed eat a lot of small items.

 

As for bream (common bream). You sure you can't just carp fish? You could, of course, stay in the closet; they you have to tell everyone you are bream fishing.

 

Shucks, Anderoo, you've been rumbled!

Edited by Steve Burke

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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