Bream there are two freshwater varieties the silver and the common, the silver rarely exceeds more than 1lb in weight, the common is the larger of the fish and are more sought after by the angler due to their size, a specimen bream  would weigh 8lb.

Bream  have a deep fairly thin body with a smallish mouth, the tail fin is fork shaped, with  nicknames like Dustbin lids or Slabs.

They are an olive greeny  brown colour on the back, with beautiful golden bronze flanks leading down to the creamy white of the underside, fins are of a brownish colour, and shaped quite similar to our friends the tench, there bodies are often covered in thick slime.

As they mature and depending on the water condition there colour turns much darker.

They favour deep slow moving waters.

If water conditions are good they have a lifespan of around 20 years.

Spawning takes place in early May-June when there sticky eggs adhere to the undergrowth and weed found nearer to the shallow warmer margins.

Mostly found in the southern counties in reservoirs, lakes, ponds and some of the slow running rivers.
Bream are predominantly bottom feeders where they forage for their natural food which consists of algae, plankton, insect life, crustaceans, molluscs, larvae and water snails.

Swimming in shoals they feed quite voraciously during the summer months, but as there metabolism slows down in the cold of the winter they tend to lay more dormant.

Fishing Methods: Float, Ledger, Feeder.

Favourite angler’s baits: hempseed, sweetcorn, pellets, hemp, worms, maggots and casters, (and all those secret baits that my grandchildren keep from me). Favourite time for catching is early morning or late evening during the summer months from April onward.
Bream respond well to ground baiting.

The British Bream Record: 19lb 10oz.
Caught by: James Rust, 2005.
From: Ferry Lagoon, Cambs.   

Native to Europe

      and Asia.

I hope you found something helpful or of an interest in this Fish Fact Section

Contact:mail@watersidediary.co.uk