Species · Sea · Spondyliosoma cantharus
Sea Bream
The black bream - the sea bream UK anglers actually catch. It moves inshore in summer, spawning over gravel and wrecks in April and May, then drops back to deeper water for the winter. Omnivorous, feeding on algae and shellfish, and a willing taker of crab and ragworm baits.
Where and when
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Wrecks, rough ground, reefs and mixed seabeds |
| Best time | Daytime |
| Category | Coarse |
Baits and tactics
- Tactics: Leger, Float, Beach casting
- Baits and flies: Lugworm, Sandeel, Ragworm, Peeler Crab
Tackle that suits
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Hooks | 1-1/0. Strong forged. Aberdeen or wide gape sea hooks |
| Mainline | 0.25-0.30mm. 10-15lb. Standard beach casting mono |
| Hooklength | 0.20-0.25mm. 12-18". Fine mono snoods for more bites |
| Shotting | 2-4oz grip leads on beaches. Light running leads in estuaries. |
| Field notes | Bream feed in huge shoals - find one and expect repeats; Whole or half lugworm is the mainstay bait; Autumn to early spring is the season - they follow the cold water in; Estuary fishing on spring tides is deadly; Light tackle is enough - bream are not heavy fighters; They feed mid-water and at the surface - float rigs catch them higher |
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