Winter Bream (seriously big)

[Steve Burke]

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

 

Good points.

 

Your attitude about hard to catch fish is the same as mine.

 

It's a pity you're not nearer Wingham, you'd love it. What about coming to the Fish-In?

[azrael]

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

 

John

 

if we are talking zander then lightly fry skin side down in some olive oil no need to do fancy dane with them

 

if you ever get a badly deep hooking one give it a try but i get mine from this place but not cheap

 

http://www.thefishsociety.co.uk/fish-detai...CFWIntAodizYEJA

[John Weddup]

Good points.

 

Your attitude about hard to catch fish is the same as mine.

 

It's a pity you're not nearer Wingham, you'd love it. What about coming to the Fish-In?

 

 

Thanks Steve

 

Having met Dales and reading lots of posts on here maybe I should put my name down.

 

John

[John Weddup]

if we are talking zander then lightly fry skin side down in some olive oil no need to do fancy dane with them

 

if you ever get a badly deep hooking one give it a try but i get mine from this place but not cheap

 

http://www.thefishsociety.co.uk/fish-detai...CFWIntAodizYEJA

 

 

Hi mate

 

there are loads of fish and chip shops in every town can't you just go to one of those and have cod and chips.

 

John

[azrael]

Hi mate

 

there are loads of fish and chip shops in every town can't you just go to one of those and have cod and chips.

 

John

 

you cant beat cod and chips from a chip shop but i do like to cook my own bought fish but i know it is a problem with some people taking the wild fish

[Anderoo]

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!

 

Ooh, that's a bit below the belt!

 

I wouldn't mind the Wingham carp occasionally turning up if it wasn't for their love of torrential downpours. Each one I've accidentally caught has got me a proper soaking!

 

Steve D's point about proximity to spawning areas in the early months seems to match up with what little I know. The trouble is I've only ever fished for big bream at Wingham, so I don't know if that's always the case.

 

At Wingham I'm convinced that bait and content of baiting is almost irrelevant; being in the right place is half the battle, and not scaring them is the other half.

[Steve Burke]

At Wingham I'm convinced that bait and content of baiting is almost irrelevant; being in the right place is half the battle, and not scaring them is the other half.

 

I'd pretty much echo that.

 

Yes, bait is of course relevant to a degree but not nearly so much as the two factors that Andrew mentions. I reckon that choosing a bait that avoids eels is much more important. Firstly if an eel has eaten it a bream can't. Secondly catching an eel can scare the bream off.

 

Baiting up and topping up the feed are both something that can scare the bream at Wingham. Yet getting the feeding right can make a huge difference. Alex is a master of this.

[Dales]

Having met Dales and reading lots of posts on here maybe I should put my name down.

 

John

 

I think you would enjoy it John, there's usually a few good tactic debates and it's so much easier to share ideas when talking face to face rather then just posting on threads.

[Phone]

azrael,

 

I said that 20 times before I realized it was no longer funny, even tounge in cheek to Brits. It is not only NOT wanted, it is against the law in some instances. You want to eat what you catch I guess you can come to the US and fish with me. They already know we can eat caught fish and don't really care. (that's from 4,000 miles away and worth what you are paying - nothing).

 

All,

 

I'm not telling you anything new but just a reminder that in a zillion years of carp fishing - especially in the pre-spawn days - on purpose, I've never caught a specimen fish in the midst of the shoal. When carp begin to suppliiment by filter feeding the big(est) fish always seem to be on the edge or slightly more.

 

Since the prospects are slim this time of year where days are still prretty short and and water is coldest I believe I would rely totally on bottom structure and natural currents (if I could tell where they are). I would not chum. The fish are already shoaled. It is not likely you will move the entire shoal out of the comfort zone.

 

Don't know bream, may have never caught a common bream(?) and it is a technique of little value in the UK but this time of year I catch (what few I can catch) carp by jigging live baits and plastics from a boat. I call the rig a "drop shot" althought I believe we use the term slightly differently. It is possible to entice a specimen's interest with a clouded mixture of dry detritus with microorganisms. I use a golf ball size "method ball" (our term is "packbait") that breaks down during the jigging. (Rather than local detritus I often use dried seaweed all pounded into small flakes. Local is better, maybe some dry moss laying around.) Remember you want it to break mid-water and sink or float slowy (doesn't seem to matter as the 'goodies" are pretty much neutral boyancy.

 

Lot of typing from a guy who's never caught a common bream on purpose isn't it?

 

Phone

[Dick Dastardly]

I think my comments re "carp style" bream fishing have been a bit miss interpreted. I'm sure those who know me understood but for those who dont when I'm not feeling so rough I will explain more.

 

We're having a Winter ticket at Wingham for this coming season.I would be interested in seeing how people did get on if they came down and gave it a try. You would have the whole place more or less to yourselves and for a fraction of the price of previous season tickets.

 

Not many left now (well we dont think) Steve D but still a chance of a record.

 

As I mentioned when Steve D started earlier threads about his cold weather breaming I can certainly see that fishing when the natural food is at its lowest could give an advantage.