PAUL GARNER Bagging baits for bream
Enjoy a red-letter day on the rivers
WITH rain putting some much-needed flow into our waterways, now is a great time to pursue any number of river species.
Among my favourite targets at this time of year are bream. Locate a shoal of slabs and a bumper day can be on the cards, as the fish are in prime condition and feeding enthusiastically.
Simple feeder tactics are all that’s needed, so let’s look at the best baits for a red-letter bream day this autumn.
CHOOSE STATIC BAITS
A cage feeder is perfect for autumn river bream, especially one loaded with dead maggots and chopped worm.
Plug the ends of the feeder with fishmeal groundbait to seal in the feed and create an attractive trail of particles in the water. By using dead maggots you’ll ensure that the bait cannot disappear into the riverbed. These static baits are also less attractive to small fish.
I will start with a large feeder and make around 15 quick casts to lay down a patch of bait. On big rivers use the line clip on the reel to make sure you are hitting the same line every time. I then switch to a medium-sized feeder when I start fishing to keep a steady supply of bait going in.
RING THE HOOKBAIT CHANGES
Bream can be finicky when it comes to hookbaits, so it’s worth trying a few variations. A worm and maggot cocktail is a great starting point, and on a good day is all you need. This relatively large bait will help you to land more fish, as it suits a larger size 12 hook.
If the bream are finicky, try switching to a bunch of dead maggots on a size 16 hook. This smaller bait will often bring bites when the fish are less inclined to feed confidently.
When the bream are feeding well and bites are coming soon after the feeder settles, try a piece of sweetcorn on the hook, as it is easy for them to find.