Gilthead Bream?

[Judley]

Hi all, hoping someone can shed some light on this species. I've searched the forums & the net but can't come up with any real info.

 

Went down to fish my usual spot on the River Fowey last Sunday & bagged two Gilthead Bream! First one was 1lb 12oz, & the other maybe just under a pound. Anyway my question is, are these species usually caught so far up a tidal river? Are they an all round common species at this time of the year?

 

I've been fishing for 30 years now, & pound for pound that fish has to be the best sporting fish on light gear that i've ever caught!

 

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this wonderful fish.

 

Ta

[captain cojones]

Hi all, hoping someone can shed some light on this species. I've searched the forums & the net but can't come up with any real info.

 

Went down to fish my usual spot on the River Fowey last Sunday & bagged two Gilthead Bream! First one was 1lb 12oz, & the other maybe just under a pound. Anyway my question is, are these species usually caught so far up a tidal river? Are they an all round common species at this time of the year?

 

I've been fishing for 30 years now, & pound for pound that fish has to be the best sporting fish on light gear that i've ever caught!

 

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this wonderful fish.

 

Ta

 

taste nice too!

[Judley]

Indeed!

 

But not quite the info i was looking for mate

[Norm B]

Indeed!

 

But not quite the info i was looking for mate

They are being caught all along the south coast, I've had reports from Plymouth in the west to Portsmouth in the east. They have been caught in Portsmouth harbour and that has fresh water running into it and the river at Salcombe so they obviously don't object too much to brackish water. As you say, a superb fighting fish, and tasty too.

[Ken Davison South Wales]

This may help.

 

Interestingly it is listed as having a preference for brackish waters so inside large estuaries and harbours may prove to be the optimal locations for seeking one to add to your personal species list! One final point, although any fish taken in Irish waters are likely to be juveniles brough here on warm water currents like the Gulf Stream, these fish have been known to reach 15 kilos or more in size!

 

Sparus aurata - Gilthead Bream

 

 

In France this sea fish is marketed as Dourade, and it is an expensive luxury food. In Wales gilthead bream can be found all around the shores, but most particularly in the south. Fish to more than 3 lb (1.4 kg) are sometimes caught by anglers, although the average is usually around 1 to 2 lb (0.5 to 1 kg).

 

The gold spot just behind the gill cover is the main distinguishing feature of the gilthead bream.

[Jim from Cork]

Giltheads are becoming popular in this neck of the woods as well. I would agree with your opinions on the fighting qualities of the species, incredible!

 

They first began to show up around Cork in 2003. They were listed on the Irish Specimen Fish Committee’s (IFSC) list last year. The current Irish record (3.69lb) has been broken this year already, with a long time to go yet who knows what the record will be next year. Given that the English record is over 9lbs and the French is over 16lb who knows where it’ll end up!

 

It would appear that estuarine environments are best. It would also appear that the fish move from mark to mark with the tide often leaving a short window in which to catch them in a particular location. They seem to hang about in shoals. They bite quite savagely which would hint at competition amongst the shoal for food. Has this been your experience?

 

The only note of concern over here is what effect (if any) the gilthead will have on native species that inhabit the same environment like bass. Hopefully the bream will thrive without squeezing out the native fish.

 

An article on them was published in the ISFC report for 2005. You can view it here: http://www.irish-trophy-fish.com/reports/pdf/ISFC05.pdf the article is on page 59.

 

There is an article in this months Sea Angler by Gordon Thornes about fishing for bream in Ring (Clonakilty, Co.Cork). I don’t know if you can get Irish Angler (A DHP publication, they do TSF) over where you are. I know It’s available in Anglesea, there’ll be a bream article in next months issue (August) out the first week of July.

 

Tight lines,

Jim.

[Judley]

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QUOTE(Norm B @ Jun 20 2007, 07:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are being caught all along the south coast, I've had reports from Plymouth in the west to Portsmouth in the east. They have been caught in Portsmouth harbour and that has fresh water running into it and the river at Salcombe..

 

So i'm not alone - cheers for that Norm

 

Giltheads are becoming popular in this neck of the woods as well. I would agree with your opinions on the fighting qualities of the species, incredible!

 

It would appear that estuarine environments are best. It would also appear that the fish move from mark to mark with the tide often leaving a short window in which to catch them in a particular location. They seem to hang about in shoals. They bite quite savagely which would hint at competition amongst the shoal for food. Has this been your experience?

 

The bite was awesome, & the fish had already started to run on the take. I've caught some fish in my time, but as i said above, pound for pound this has to be the ultimate sport fish!

 

I did happen to come across a snippet of info that they feed mainly on crustaceans, which would explain the crushing pads in their mouths, so i was a bit surprised that i caught on rag worm. So i suppose if they're in hard competition for food they're not fussy feeders?

 

Cheers all for the info.

[captain cojones]

hi jim.....welcome to anglers net......i wouldnt worry too much about the bream displacing the bass.

we have lots of both here, and they seem to co-exist without too many problems.

the giltheads here(dorada) are mainly caught on worm baits, although they are also caught on sardine pieces.no estuaries here,they are caught from external edges of breakwaters.

there are some people concerned about bass being displaced here though by increasing numbers of barracuda.

if fish keep extending their range as they seem to be doing, that will give you something to worry about! cheers dave.

[Judley]

the giltheads here(dorada) are mainly caught on worm baits...

 

That answers my last question - cheers dave.

 

Barracuda in the Fowey - looking forward to it lol

[captain cojones]

weve got fish farms all along the coast here..(dorada)......occasionally during a winter storm they are damaged and fish get out.................everyman and his dog is down the beach the week after!!LOL.

 

http://www.lbdivecentre.com/divesites.html

 

this is part of the website of a diving school i have occasionally used....its their dive sites.....nice piccies, click on "pulpo island" and you will see barracuda mentioned "normally about 60cm, but at certain times of the yeat up to 1,5 metres".

ive seen some big buggers for sure.

cheers dave.

Edited June 21, 2007 by captain cojones