Black Bream

Going on a trip for Black Bream off Littlehampton in a couple of weeks....have been advised that squid baits on long flowing traces are the best method. I've read elsewhere that the use of freshwater swimfeeders with chopped fish, etc are a good attractant method, anyone got experience of this re how to use this, and any other tips would be most appreciated!

Replies:

1. "Never tried the swim feeder and long trace myself but it sounds good in theory. I usually prefer a 3 boom paternoster rig with a bit of lug or rag topped off with a bit of squid.

If you are on a charter, I would give the skipper a ring and ask his advice as local knowledge is the best and he will know from experience if he is any good."

2. "A couple of tricks I've used to good effect over here and in the Channel Islands (the Black Bream capital of the world) revlove around the rig and setup.

Use a long rod and never strike simply wind in to the fish, use the rod to do the hooking.

Fluorocarbon works better in clear water and has less stretch, don't just go with one hook below the weight use three if you have to, better still fish one down and two up or two down, one up.

Powergum leaders are used in Jersey to counter the effect of three bream pulling in different directions it stops them bouncing themselves of the hook.

The swim feeder trick does work if the fish are scarce but if they are about in numbers then it doesn't double your catch.

Shorter shanks hooks, ultra sharp make the world of difference, try some carp hooks, stay sharp all day always go in and are designed to land 50lb fish."

3. "Trotting a bait about is a good idea when the tide is running wherever you are fishing, for bream though it is just luck of the draw. The fish swim about in very tight shoals over their patch of seabed swimming round and round. You'll get a wave of bites for a couple of minutes then nothing for five or ten then another load of bites. The only exception is when you are over such a huge shoal that they don't ever move to far away.

Try using quite a heavy lead and a short running length this helps set the hooks a lot better (like a bolt rig), this is why paternoster are usually preferred. Always make sure your hook is at the end of the bait, any excess is just ripped off and the fish are rarely hooked."