The word "bream" mainly refers to the "common bream", a member of the cyprinid family, which is a European freshwater fish similar to goldfish and carp. In the United States, "bream" is also used as a common term for members of the perch family who are not sea bass or "crappie". These fry fish are used to teach children to fish, but larger bream can be challenging enough to tackle to rival their larger cousins. Since they are both freshwater fish, one can learn to locate, identify and catch both types of bream with success.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Identify the Breme
Step 1. Learn the basics
The common bream is a medium-sized fish with a bronze color. The fins are dark brown in color, with the tail having a deep bifurcation. Younger fish are silvery in color which darkens with age.
The common bream is a member of the same family as the carp, so if you know how to identify a carp you will be on the lookout for a similar fish. It feeds on the bottom, mainly preying on worms, snails and molluscs in slow-moving ponds, lakes and rivers
Step 2. Look for a fish 30-60 inches long
Between spawning and maturity, the bream will grow to a size of between 30 and 60 centimeters, although it can become much larger on occasion. They are extremely common and are not endangered but must be large enough to be legally fished.
European guidelines and American guidelines vary widely from region to region and depending on the season, so it is important that you find local guidelines in your area to determine the minimum size for the fish you catch. In general, if it is 30 cm in length, everything will be fine
Step 3. Learn the differences between the various fish
Bream often mate with other fish species and this sometimes makes it difficult to identify them. If you are looking for a specific species of fish it is best to be able to quickly identify the common bream or American bream and distinguish them from other varieties.
- The bream is generally smaller than the common bream, it has scales with an iridescent effect that is not found in the common bream. If the fish sparkles below the waterline, it is likely to be a white bream or bream
- It is not critically important to determine the difference between all subspecies and crossed species of bream to catch some good fry fish, as long as you are sure you are comfortable. Count the scales from the dorsal to the lateral line, there should be 11 or more in line. Less, it is another variety.
Step 4. Familiarize yourself with American species
Again, to clarify, American bream are not technically bream, but some species of perch are referred to locally and colloquially as "bream". The word identifies several species of fish. The most common species are:
- "Bluegill", so called for the blue color of the gills, are found throughout the United States except Alaska.
- "Redear sunfish" are similar to bluegill but have a red color. They are found mainly in the southeast, but also in the rest of the country although not as widespread as bluegill.
- "Redbreast sunfish". It owes its name to the color on the belly instead of on the gills, even if some specimens have a rust or yellow color instead of bright red. Other names he is known by are "longear," "red perch," "robin," "tobacco box," "yellowbelly," and "yellowbreast." It is found in rocky bottoms, warm ponds and cold streams, but is not as widespread as the bluegill or redear sunfish.
Step 5. Check for local varieties
Look for information on local varieties from the area you intend to fish.
Method 2 of 3: Finding the Sea Bream
Step 1. Go inward
Both in Europe and in the United States, where several species are found, fishing for freshwater bream will be a very similar process. It is best to go inland to find relatively shallow water lakes and ponds where bream are common. In the United States they are found especially in the South and Midwest, while in Europe they are more common in England, Wales and Scotland.
Look for rivers with lots of switchbacks and coves which are suitable places to feed. Weed or reed-covered lakes and ponds are also common habitats for bream of all varieties. Any place with shallow water, full of sunshine and lots of shelter is a likely fish hole
Step 2. Try at sunrise or sunset
Bream and many freshwater fish feed at dusk, meaning they are more active when the sun rises or sets. Mornings and evenings can often be the best times to catch fish that will be out and hungry. Try to be in the water before the sun starts to move so you can be ready and in place when the fish are looking for food.
Step 3. Look for areas heated by the sun
These fish seek out areas of lakes, ponds, and streams that have been warmed by the sun's rays. Sunny shores with deep waters nearby are great places to look for sea bream.
The European bream feeds on the bottom, less likely to be easily identified from above, although it prefers the same type of environment as the American bream. Check out the sheltered calm water areas from above
Step 4. Avoid the current
Although the bream likes to have the currents that bring it food, when it feeds it also prefers to position itself just outside the currents, and in the shallow bays protected from the wind and waves when it lays its eggs. Look for quiet places and small coves where freshwater fish look for food.
Step 5. Look for appropriate shelter
As with many other species, the bream likes to have some form of shelter nearby, either for hiding from predators or prey or for sheltering from sunlight. The type of shelter you need to seek depends on the type of water you are fishing in.
- In lakes and ponds, look for weeds, lily pads, shrubs, lumber, gravel or rocks. If the lake has a dock, try there too.
- In torrents it seeks the same shelters as in lakes or ponds, as well as on eroded banks in particular those that have deep pools just outside the flow of the current.
Step 6. Fishing between April and June
The bream spawns during late spring, making the months of April, May, and June great for fishing. When spawning, these fish prefer gravel or sandy bottoms, although they spawn on muddy silt-covered bottoms if sand or gravel is not present. Sand tends to collect where water flows into or out of a lake or where the current slows to a stop.
When they spawn they sometimes give off an odor similar to a mixture of fruit and fresh fish. This smell can help you narrow the area where to fish once the water temperature, current and shelter conditions have been established
Step 7. Learn the specifics of the species
Some species prefer one type of shelter over another. For example, redear and redbreast prefer to stay on the bottom although some redbreast sometimes catch themselves near the surface or midway.
Take advantage of the experience of other fishermen. Whether you are in your hometown or away from home, talk to those who are most familiar with fishing in the area. The fish change their habits according to the season and the area, and it is the locals who know them best. A good fisherman may wish to keep the best spots secret but may be willing to share some information on the best bait for the season or area
Method 3 of 3: Choose the equipment
Step 1. Use a light spinning or spincast rod and a suitable reel
Although bream can reach 2.7 kg, most do not exceed half a kilo which means that you can use relatively light equipment. You can use a light spinning or spincast rod of 1.5 or 1.8 meters and a reel of 1 to 4 kg.
A 1.2m to 1.8m long rod with a 2.4m or more of line tied at the tip can also fit. Fly fishermen can also use a 3 or 4 rod and matching line
Step 2. Use a small bait
While the large lures and lures are suitable for large fish such as bass, walleye, and pike, the small lures and artificial lures are suitable for frying fish such as common bream, bluegill, redbrest, and redear. Using corn and worms is very common.
- If you prefer live bait, crickets and grasshoppers work best, but if they're not available, look for red worms or bits of insects in warmer climates, and larvae when it's colder. Use 8 to 10 long hooks and attach a light weight to the bait. Attach a small sliding float to the line.
- If you prefer lures and fish with a spinning or spincast rod, try small jigs in weight from 1/32 to 1/16 ounce (0.89-1.78 g). If you are fly fishing, use nymphs, spiders or small larvae.
Step 3. Use a float or spinner
Lure fishing is also done with a float. You can fish in peace using a small sliding float or faster with a spinner. Try different colors to find that one works on any given day in the environment you fish in.
