Hybrid or silver bream

[Peter M]

On tight lines this week Keith Arthur was talking to Duncan Charman and they were saying that often anglers mistake hybrids for silver bream. well i caught what i think is a roach/bream hybrid, i want to check its not a silver bream. what do others think?

[AddictedToScopex]

On tight lines this week Keith Arthur was talking to Duncan Charman and they were saying that often anglers mistake hybrids for silver bream. well i caught what i think is a roach/bream hybrid, i want to check its not a silver bream. what do others think?

 

Hybrid for me. Has a very roach like look to it.

[Nicepix]

I'd say hybrid due to the colour of the fins. It is very difficult to define though. Even with a live fish to look at.

[Vagabond]

The fish has a very deep body, and the mouth is slightly upturned. The dorsal fin is set well back.

 

NOT a silver bream, for sure.

 

It is very similar to a number of rudd-bream hybrids I have caught in the past, One batch I took along to the Natural History Museum (they were running a fact-finding exercise on cyprinid hybrids at the time) who confirmed the identification by examining the pharyngeal teeth of a couple - the rest AFAIK are still there pickled in alcohol !

 

For future reference, silver bream show a characteristic blue sheen along their upper sides, and something known only to those who regularly catch and handle silvers - they have VERY LITTLE SLIME - even less than roach or rudd, and certainly a lot less than bream-roach hybrids, rudd-bream hybrids or the king of the slimies, bronze bream.

 

In the days when matches were fished on slow rivers, most fenland/midland matchmen were very familiar with silvers.

[Peter M]

Thanks for all the replies. I suspected as much but thought i would check it out with those who know as i have never caught a silver bream.

[Anderoo]

Here's a silver bream from the Thames last season:

 

[tiddlertamer]

Here's a silver bream from the Thames last season:

 

 

Hi Anderoo

 

Fishing season beckoning so back at Anglers Net I'm afraid... Spent the last three months cycling hundreds of kilometres a week in a bid to get fit and take my mind off the wonders of fishing the beautiful rivers we have in the UK. And which are open from Saturday. Yay!

 

I've a book on my bookshelves by John Wilson casting doubt on whether the silver bream is a distinct species...

 

Just a juvenile bronze bream?

 

Not a viewpoint I agree with but thought it might be of interest to Anglers Net readers.

 

Possibly tosh but clearly a viewpoint held by some anglers in the 1990's...

[Anderoo]

Hi Anderoo

 

Fishing season beckoning so back at Anglers Net I'm afraid... Spent the last three months cycling hundreds of kilometres a week in a bid to get fit and take my mind off the wonders of fishing the beautiful rivers we have in the UK. And which are open from Saturday. Yay!

 

I've a book on my bookshelves by John Wilson casting doubt on whether the silver bream is a distinct species...

 

Just a juvenile bronze bream?

 

Not a viewpoint I agree with but thought it might be of interest to Anglers Net readers.

 

Possibly tosh but clearly a viewpoint held by some anglers in the 1990's...

 

Hi TT - the identity of this particular fish was discussed here: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Fish-ID...d-t4028278.html

 

I wasn't sure either so checked on here, it's the only one I've ever caught!