BIGGEST EVER RIVER BREAM
13lb 3oz fish taken by master float maker
A FLOATFISHED piece of bread has accounted for the biggest bream ever caught from a river.
Tipping the scales at 13lb 3oz, it was banked by renowned float maker Andy Field when he targeted a stretch of southern river.
Using one of his own hand-made floats, his Drennan Acolyte float rod and 3lb line tied straight through to a size 14 hook it only took the March, Cambs, floatfishing fanatic an hour to induce the bite from the fish that more than doubles his personal best for the species.
“I’ve always known that this stretch holds big bream,” Andy told Angling Times.
“But with the river carrying extra colour I knew that my best chance would be in a large pool where there was a big back eddy of slacker water.
“I knew if there were any big bream around that a big chunk of breadflake would sort them out.”
Many anglers faced with a high river and a swim that was 12ft deep probably wouldn’t reach for their floatfishing tackle, but Andy believes that there are too many anglers who ignore this method on running water and are consequently denying themselves great catches.
“Too many anglers just stick on a big feeder, load it with pellets and chuck it out, especially when the river is carrying extra water and colour,” Andy said.
“Fishing the float allows you to get a delicacy and balance of presentation that is unrivalled by any other method.
“I was fishing 12ft of water, which might put many people off fishing in this way, but, trust me, if you master it, you’ll reap the rewards.”