Bream fishing is a popular choice for anglers around Cornwall, since the county’s varied coastline offers many suitable places to find these fish. Knowing how to identify bream, where they are likely to feed and which bait and tackle to use can improve your chances of success.
How to Identify Bream
Bream have deep, laterally flattened bodies alongside a silver or grey colour, and one of the most common species of bream that's caught by sea anglers is the black bream.
This type of bream has a fairly high-backed body, a small mouth and a long dorsal fin with sharp spines at the front. Its colour can often range from silver-grey to darker shades of grey, often accompanied by faint vertical bars along the sides. Adult black bream also have darker markings around their heads and fins.
Other species of bream can appear in UK waters too, so you should always look at their body shape, colour, fin shape and markings carefully before identifying a fish. It's important to identify what fish you're catching correctly, since different fish may or may not be covered by different fishing rules or seasonal restrictions.
What Are the Most Common Types of Bream Found Around Cornwall?
Black bream and red bream are the main species of bream that anglers may encounter. Both species belong to the sea bream family, but they differ in their appearance, behaviour and size.
Black bream have deep, flattened bodies with silver-grey colouring, and adult black bream often have darker vertical bands along their sides. Additionally, male black bream tend to become darker during the breeding season. They are commonly associated with coastal waters, and they tend to gather in groups.
Black bream commonly grow to around 30 centimetres, although larger individuals can grow to about 60 centimetres. The maximum recorded weight of a black bream is around 1.2 kilograms.
On the other hand, red bream, also known as "blackspot seabream", are usually pinkish-grey or reddish in colour. They also have a noticeable dark spot near the start of the lateral line to help distinguish them from black bream. Red bream generally live in deeper water over rocky, sandy or muddy seabeds, whereas younger red bream often live closer to the shore.
Red bream can also grow larger than black bream, reaching about 70 centimetres in total, with a maximum weight of around 4 kilograms. Their redder colouring, black shoulder spot and preference for deeper water are the main differences between the two species. Read more about whether sea fishing is free in the UK.
Where Are Bream Usually Found?
Bream are commonly found around coastal waters, particularly in areas that provide food, shelter and suitable seabed conditions. Black bream are often found near rocky ground, reefs, wrecks and mixed seabeds made up of sand, gravel and rock. This is because these areas support small fish, shellfish, worms and other marine life that bream feed on.
During the warmer months, black bream often move into shallower inshore waters, making them more accessible from beaches, rocks, piers and boats. They can also gather around underwater structures too, as long as there's enough food available.
During their breeding season, male bream often remain close to the seabed to guard their nests. Red bream are commonly found in deeper offshore water, but they can be found near rocky, sandy or muddy seabeds, depending on their age and the local conditions. Younger bream also tend to move closer to the shore, while larger adults are generally found in deeper areas.
What Time of Year Is the Best for Catching Bream?
The best time of year to catch bream in Cornwall is between late spring and early autumn, since black bream become more active as the sea temperature rises. It's often best to fish for bream between May and September, although the exact timing can vary depending on the water's temperature, weather and local conditions.
During spring, black bream begin moving into shallower inshore waters, and this movement is linked to their feeding and breeding activity. During summer, the coastal water becomes warmer, and bream are more likely to be found around reefs, rocky ground, wrecks and mixed seabeds. The summer months are especially popular for bream fishing because they are more active and are often within reach for both shore and boat anglers.
During autumn, the sea temperature begins to fall again, causing many black bream to move back into deeper offshore waters. For this reason, fishing during late spring and summer is usually the best time to catch some bream.
How the Tide Can Affect Bream Fishing
The tide can have a big effect on bream fishing because the moving water can influence where the fish feed and how easily they can find food. Bream often feed more when there is some tidal movement, as the current can push small worms, shellfish and other marine life across the seabed for them to eat.
Areas around reefs, rocky ground, wrecks and sandbanks can be massively affected by the tide. This is because as the water moves over these areas, food sources can become disturbed and easier for bream to find. However, strong currents can sometimes make fishing more difficult because the bait may move too quickly or become harder to keep near the seabed.
For anglers, understanding the tide is important when you're choosing when and where to fish. Checking your local tide times can help you identify the most suitable fishing times, and it can also help you choose the right tackle and weight to keep your bait in position.
The Best Baits for Catching Bream
Some of the best baits for catching bream are ragworm, lugworm, squid, mackerel, prawns and small pieces of crab. These baits work well because they match the types of food that bream naturally search for.
Ragworm and lugworm are popular choices because they release a scent into the water and move naturally on the hook. Squid is also widely used because it's tough, stays on the hook well, and it can be cut into small strips.
Mackerel is an oily bait with a strong scent that can attract fish from nearby areas, and prawns and pieces of crab can also be effective, especially around rocky ground, reefs and other areas where shellfish are found.
Smaller baits are often more suitable because bream have relatively small mouths. Fresh bait is usually preferred because it gives off more of a natural scent.
Shore Fishing Techniques for Catching Bream
Bream often feed around rocky ground, reefs, harbour walls, piers and seabeds since worms, shellfish and other small food items are available. Therefore, you can simply use a bottom fishing rig because it keeps the bait in the feeding area. However, anglers should use enough weight to hold the rig in place without making the tackle unnecessarily heavy.
Using smaller hooks can also be effective because bream have fairly small mouths. Casting your line near changes in the seabed's depth can also improve your chances of catching bream. However, you need to watch your rod tip carefully when you're bream fishing since their bites can sometimes be light and easily missed. For more on fishing for them from the beach, see our guide to shore fishing for bream in Cornwall.
Boat Fishing Techniques for Catching Bream
Boat fishing for bream usually works best when you target the areas where bream naturally feed, such as reefs, wrecks, rocky ground and mixed seabeds. Fishing close to the seabed is important because bream commonly search for worms, shellfish and other small marine life in these areas.
One effective method is to anchor the boat near suitable ground and lower baited rigs towards the seabed. This keeps the bait in one place and allows its scent to attract nearby fish. Drifting can also be effective, especially when you're covering larger areas or rough ground. However, the drift should be controlled enough to keep the bait close to the seabed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Fishing for Bream
The most common mistakes to avoid when fishing for bream are using tackle that's too heavy, using unsuitable bait and fishing away from likely feeding areas. Bream have relatively small mouths, so your hooks and bait should be measured carefully. This is because large hooks or oversized pieces of bait can make it harder for the fish to take the bait properly.
Another mistake to avoid is failing to keep the bait close to the seabed. Bream commonly feed around reefs, wrecks, rocky ground and seabeds, so any rigs should be placed near the bottom. Anglers should also avoid ignoring the tide and weather conditions. Water movement can heavily affect bream's feeding activity and how well your rig stays in position.
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