Big bream

[Tony U]

This really is a blinding thread is there no way it can be published under the AN Banner as it covers all aspects of modern big Bream angling; (something I have as a resounding gap on my CV)?

 

Mind you I have just found out about some stonking Bream captures on one of my club waters so I will be putting the advice on here to the test.

[poledark]

Just out of interest, not heard from Steve recently..............................

 

Den

[wyeknot]

Just out of interest, not heard from Steve recently..............................

 

Den

Den,

 

If you mean Steve Burke, he's been busy moving house with all the traumas that can bring.

 

Steve C.

[poledark]

Thanks Steve, didn't like to ask.......................

 

Den

[Anderoo]

I think there may be enough here to turn into an article of sorts, although it would be good to have a few more results in the way of bream captures first to back up the theory. Although that may take some time!

 

Whoever thought bream could be so interesting?

[Anderoo]

I've started thinking about the forthcoming season and big bream again. Thanks to several people (many of whom are right here on AN) I think I'm beginning to get to grips with things. It'll be interesting to see what happens next season! I was talking to Alex at Wingham at the weekend and he mentioned something I found very interesting. It was that bream sometimes pick up individual food items with their lips and feel the consistency of them before deciding whether to eat it or not (rather than just hoovering carp or tench style). Could contribute to 'line bites'? Also, a good reason not to use fake baits?

 

It's worth remembering that these fish can afford to be very choosy about what they eat, which is why everything is geared towards getting them feeding competitively. If you can manage that, what's on the hook/hair is almost irrelevant.

[John Weddup]

Hi Anderoo

 

I too am looking forward to my spring campaign on a couple of large reservoirs for big bream. i had a reasonable amount of success last year but I think the long warm days spent waiting seem to make you feel warm compared with our recent weather.

 

I also fish for river bream and this is generally on the broads in Norfolk and maybe this year the fens. The fish are generally not so large but being river fish are special.

 

Looking forward seems to give the most pleasure at the moment

 

regards

 

John

[Dick Dastardly]

I've started thinking about the forthcoming season and big bream again.

 

Despite my pike head still being firmly on I too must admit to my thoughts wandering over to Wingham Bream! God willing I will at last be able to put in some time for them this comming season.Time I feel being a very important factor in sucsess here.

 

My line of attack (as mentioned before in this thread) has now been pretty much decided on (another important factor) only the indecision of the hook bait now.That though will be more or less decided by the eel activity.Sometimes eels just "disapear" so Im keeping my fingers crossed!

 

Another uncertainty (but no where near s important) will be which indicater I use.If my "new" swing arm ones work out ok or I find my old ones I will use these but not too concerned if I just stick with my light weight bobbins and cord.

 

Rigs will definately be running,hooks dependant on bait. Main line (mono or braid) will be decided by my last quandry and thats the hooklink.Ive always used the thinnest 5lb mono I can find for my big bream fishing.Thickness as in visibility may not be a problem at an unpressured water like Wingham but I think that a thicker hooklink definately affects the way a hook bait will behave.Think back to all the disscussion on Bream blowing (well possibly) food items about with their fin/ body movement or mouths. Trouble is fine mono hooklinks and braid just dont go together! Tried some of the Drennan Feeder braid hooklink last year but found it unreliable though this was possibly down to abrassion from eels teeth as it didnt go on the strike/in the initial stages of the fight (like light mono) but later.Still not 100% happy though.Never had a problem with 8lb mono and light mono hooklengths (thanks to the stretch) so might just stick with this,well for small baits anyway.

 

Location (well the type of features I want to fish too and how in relation to these features I want to place my bit) is also pretty firm in my mind now.

 

The Big question in previous years though was how to proach my baiting up but thats pretty decided s well now.

 

All in all yes Im looking forward to the spring now as well!

[Anderoo]

I'm really looking forward to getting back out there. It's going to be my main focus this season, I think the tench will be taking much more of a back seat. I'll try to catch some tench in the daytime, but swim choice and baiting will be centered around the bream. I just want to keep trying and hopefully keep learning. I forget who it was, but I remember someone saying that you can measure how 'good' you are at fishing for a species by the weight of your third biggest specimen (anyone can catch a one-off monster). For me and bream, that's about 6lb!

 

Rigs, baits, groundbait, baiting up, swim choice and indication are all pretty much settled in my mind. As Alex says, you can expect to have them in front of you once in a season - when that happens, you cannot afford to bugger it up! Fingers crossed eh!

[Kappa]

I forget who it was, but I remember someone saying that you can measure how 'good' you are at fishing for a species by the weight of your third biggest specimen (anyone can catch a one-off monster). For me and bream, that's about 6lb!

 

Or how lucky you are ...

 

I don't think I'll ever stop tinkering but I'm pretty sure I know what I'll be doing this season

 

I've got a question for you bream experts, in lakes where are the bream during the day when they aren't feeding? The thread with Betty got me thinking, if bream are feeding at night on shallow water what are they up to during the day?

 

Rich