Bream

Bream and our canals

Bream live in most of our canals and rivers. Although smaller bream are often prey for pike, they can sometimes grow to a large size that makes them attractive to some anglers.

How to identify a bream

The bream is a deep-bodied fish with a high back and flattened sides. Typically, they have dark brown or greyish on the back, with younger fish being much more silvery.

Lifecycle of a bream

In the spawning season, May to June, males develop numerous white or yellow spawning tubercles on the head and front of the body. Spawning takes place in dense weeds in shallow water when temperatures are over 12C.

Where to find bream

Virtually all canals and rivers contain bream. Slightly deeper or wider areas – like winding holes or junctions – are favourite places for fish to hole up. Bream feed much more confidently in coloured water and do well in heavily-boated waters, in particular the Shropshire Union, Kennet & Avon, Grand Union and Oxford canals.

How to catch a bream

Bream are present in most canals, but you will not find them in every location. There will perhaps be a shoal every few hundred yards or so. The optimal time to catch a feeding shoal of bream is in the early morning or late evening when boating traffic has subsided.

Tackle can be a little more sturdy than for roach, and good hook baits include maggots, casters, worms and even sweetcorn. Wider and deeper sections, like winding holes, tend to be hotspots for bream.

However, if you do choose to fish in a winding hole, you must be aware that boaters wishing to turn their craft have priority over anglers. You may need to remove your keepnet to allow enough space for the boat to turn.

Other fish species to look out for