THE KNOWLEDGE
A fish mainly of the south-west reefs, this species is making a comeback in some areas
Turning the spotlight on red bream.
ReD bream were once the commonest of the several species of bream caught throughout the british Isles, but excessive commercial fishing during the 1960s and ’70s decimated the population to the point where, for many years, they were regarded as being a rare capture. Thankfully, in some of areas the species appears to be making something of a comeback.
SPeCIeS
Usually found in depths ranging from 50-400m, red bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) feed mostly on seaweeds and invertebrates. The average size of red bream in most areas is small, usually less than 2lb, but in their heyday much larger specimens were regularly caught. The british boatcaught record for this species stands at an impressive 9lb 18oz 12dr, and was caught off mevagissey, Cornwall, in 1974.
Despite the name, most red bream, especially smaller specimens are mostly pinkish or even silver in colour, however a distinct black spot near the tail will confirm identification. In some areas they are known as black spot bream.
WHere & WHeN
In the south-west of the UK, red bream can be caught throughout most months of the year, with most encountered throughout the summer and autumn. The vast majority of red bream today are caught from reefs.
red bream range from Northern europe to the mediterranean, where they are still common, and north-west africa.
In the british Isles they are mostly caught throughout the south west, with hotspots including various reefs off the Cornish peninsula, notably off Falmouth.
Increasingly, occasional specimens are being reported further west off the coasts of Devon, Dorset and Hampshire. reefs off Newquay on the north coast of Cornwall also produce numbers of red bream.
The species is more common throughout the Channel Islands.
TaCKle
Given an average size of less than 2lb, light tackle is clearly best, in order to achieve the most from these especially hard-scrapping fish. a 6/12lb-class boat rod or better still, a medium spinning rod is perfect, especially when fishing shallow ground, though in many of the deeper areas where bream are caught, local conditions will probably dictate the use of heavier tackle.
modern Continental-style boat rods matched with fixed-spool reels are perfectly suited to bream fishing in many areas where they are caught.
RIG CHOICE
Rigs for bream fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you like to make them.
Many anglers simply use baited strings of small mackerel type lures, with which they catch plenty of fish. If you prefer to catch fish one at a time, then a basic running ledger is an excellent choice.
Specialists tend to use more complex two and three-hook rigs often incorporating beads, sequins and other attractors, most being variations of a paternoster rig.
Long-shanked Aberdeen hooks from size 2 to 1/0 are popular for bream fishing, offering the advantage that the extra shank length minimises the chances of a fish swallowing the hook and biting through the nylon trace. Modern carp hooks are perfect for bream fishing, as they are strong enough to cope with larger specimens in strong tides, or bonus fish of other species. Likewise, small semi-circle hooks are a good choice for bream.
BEST BAIT
Red bream can be caught on a wide range of different types of bait, and many anglers use cocktail baits consisting of two or three different ingredients. Small, thin cuts of mackerel or a fillet taken off a sandeel works very well.
Live king ragworm is another great bait, as is any type of shellfish. Thin strips of squid or cuttlefish are two of the most commonly used, and thus effective, bream baits, with an inch-long sliver of white flesh invariably proving irresistible to many fish.
METHOD
Typically, bream bites are hard, rattling affairs, and when the fish are active it is essential to hold your rod, or else you will simply reel in bare hooks. One highly effective technique is to use just enough lead weight to maintain contact with the bottom, then keeping the reel in freespool and using light thumb pressure to ever so slowly allow the bait to trot back downtide.
Often the highest concentration of fish will be extremely localised, and this is a great technique to help to locate them, especially if the current is resulting in any ground bait being used, concentrating fish in one particular area. When you feel the first rattle of a bite, slowly lift the rod tip, which can induce the fish to confidently take the bait, invariably hooking itself in the process. ■