Bream fishing

Bream fishing

Bream is one of the most popular and sought-after catches when fishing with bottom or float rods and, of course, fiddler. This is probably because, first of all, Lithuania cannot really complain about the population and size of bream, as this fish is very abundant in our inland waters. At the same time, the bream is also valued for its size, as a 3kg or 4kg bream is by no means a rare catch. The third reason is probably the Lithuanian predilection for eating smoked fish and smoking it themselves. Bream is one of the most delicious species of fish smoked in our waters, second only to eel, perhaps.

Bream can grow up to 7kg in size and 75cm in length, and they tend to be found in the demersal zone, at greater depths where there is aquatic vegetation. Bream are a schooling fish, so if they are active, they can be caught in large numbers. In Lithuania, bream are targeted in almost all water bodies, except small, flowing rivers and streams. Elsewhere, bream are plentiful. Probably the only body of water where there is a problem with bream is the Curonian Lagoon. 20 years ago it was probably the best fishing ground for bream, but with the banning of nets in inland waters and the reduction in poaching, the bream population has increased dramatically everywhere except where nets remain, and the efficiency of the nets has improved considerably. The Curonian Lagoon has thus gone from being the best bream fishery to being perhaps the worst, dominated by small bream up to 1kg in size and in limited numbers.

The bream are targeted in three ways: feeder, float and method. Let's talk about all three.

Feeder fishing for bream

Feeder fishing for bream is mainly used where the bottom is not covered with dense vegetation and where there is no thick layer of mud. These are usually ponds, larger rivers and large lakes, where the bottom is covered with gravel rather than silt. This is because feeder fishing is not very effective if your feeder burns into the mud or gets stuck in the grass when you try to pull it out. The choice of feeder rod itself depends on where you plan to fish most often and what distances will be required. If you are going to fish in a strong current, you would choose a powerful rod with a 120g or 150g test and a length of 3.9m to 4.2m. If you are mainly fishing in a narrow, slow-flowing river or small lakes, you will choose a shorter and weaker feeder. The reel for the feeder is chosen according to the length and power of the rod. If the feeder is 3.9m - 4.2m long, a larger reel of size 5000-7000 should be chosen. If the bottom feeder is 3.3m long, a reel of 3000-4000 will be sufficient. Another reel parameter to consider is the reel gearing, which determines the speed of the retrieve, i.e. how much line is retrieved per turn of the knob. There is a trade-off here, since it is desirable for the reel to pick up the line as quickly as possible, but a high transmission reel, or rather its knob, will spin harder and the reel itself will suffer more when pulling more weight. Thus, when fishing in the river with very heavy feeders and at distances that are not too far away, a reel with a lower ratio, i.e. 4.7/4.8:1, is best. Such a reel, even if it is not very expensive, will serve well enough. When fishing for bream in large lakes and ponds, it is usually over long distances and requires a reel that can pick up the line quite quickly. These reels usually have the words Long Cast in their name and collect more than 100cm per revolution. Fishing is much faster and more efficient with such reels. It is recommended that the reel drum is spun with a braided line. When fishing with a braided reel, you will see a cautious bite of bream, no matter how far you fish. When fishing with a monofilament reel at further distances, you lose the opportunity to undercut the cautious bite. You will only see a bite if the fish is biting itself and is dragging the line with all its weight. The monofilament line has its own arguments only when fishing in the river at short distances. It has the advantage of less biting grass or pollen carried by the current, and of cushioning the fish. When fishing with a braided line and using a more powerful feeder, it is necessary to use a feeder rubber. It is low enough in elasticity not to interfere with the sight of a cautious bite, but when the catch is hooked, it helps to cushion its blows and keeps the leash or curved hook intact, which does not straighten