Bream Fishing..Baiting and Catching Bream

The Bream is the only flat fresh-water fish. It is stately and beautiful, when full grown, and very large; its flesh is very good, but not so soft as that of the Flounder and Plaice.

Some will have the Bream and the Carp to be of one kind, and differing only in shape; and say, that the Bream is nothing but a flat Carp, and the Carp nothing but a deep Bream; but this is a mistake.

The flesh of the Bream is esteemed better than the flesh of the Carp; yet some think it more pleasant than wholesome. The preference is to be given to the head and belly of the Bream.

The Bream are very broad in shape, excellently and thick scaled, with a forked tail; their eyes are large, and they have a mouth small in proportion to their body. Some think them a bastard breed, and that they engender promiscuously with the Roach. But I see no reason to believe this. The Roach is flat-sided, or flat-bellied; but the Bream is flat-backed, almost like a Flounder.

They breed both in rivers and ponds, but increase exceedingly much faster and better in the latter; and if they like the soil, they will be very fat, and very large. They are very long in growing, but grow very fleshy; and will multiply so fast, as to starve the other fish in the pond, if they are not removed out of it from time to time.

The Bream, when in the river, loves slow streams, and deep muddy places; and therefore chiefly found under bridges, and in ponds. They bite best in windy Weather, and when the water is rough; and in ponds, when the waves are high, the Bream are always borne along in the highest part of them. Their time of feeding is uncertain; but if the weather be dark and hazy, and with a smart gale of wind, they will bite all Day long.

The Bream spawns in June, or beginning of July; and is easily taken, for after one or two gentle turns, he falls on his side, and you may draw him to land with ease. The best time of angling for him is from four to eight, either in the Morning or Afternoon, towards the end of July, and till the beginning of September; for then, having had all the summer's food, they are in good condition, and very fat. They may also be angled for from the beginning of April till, very early, or very late.

The Red Worm is the best Bait for the Bream; and he is fondest of such as are to be found at the root of a great dock, and lie wrapped up in a round clue; he also greatly loves Pastes, Flag Worms, Wasps, Gentles, Green Flies, Butter flies, and a Grasshopper with his legs cut off.

The Method of catching Bream is this. First, bait the Ground (where you know they resort) with a considerable quantity of sweet gross-ground barley malt, boiled but a little while, and strained when it is cold.

About nine O'Clock over-night, take your prepared malt to the place, and squeezing it between your hands, or making it into balls, throw them into the river, and it will sink. If the stream run hard, throw your balls a little above the place where you intend to angle.

Having baited your ground; in the morning, bait your Hook with the largest Red Worm you can get--You may find them in Gardens, or Chalky Commons, after a shower of rain; and they are to be kept at least a month, in dry moss, which must be changed every three days, before they are proper for this use.

Then observe where your fish play longest, which is commonly in the deepest and broadest part of the piver; and having baited your hook, so that the worm may appear best for inticing the fish, plumb your ground, and bait within half an inch of it; for although you see some Bream play at the top of the water, yet these are accounted but sentinels to them that are beneath.

You may have three or four Rods out at a time, stuck into the bank side; let them be long, with a strong Line, and the floats swan or goose quills, which must be sunk with lead, and their tops bearing above water about half an inch.

Let your rods be cast in one above another, at about a yard and a half distance, and then withdraw from the bank so far as just to be able to perceive the top of the floats where you stand; and when either of them sink, creep to the water side, and give it as much line as you can. If it be a Carp, or Bream, he will run to the other side; then strike gently; and hold your rod at a bent a little while, but do not pull, for then you spoil all; and it is necessary they should be tired, before you land them. The Carp is worse to land than the Bream, being more brisk and strong.