Think Small For Bream

  The Rainbow River is famous for it’s largemouth bass, but there is another fish in the river that is easier to catch, and to my way of thinking, better on the table. I am referring to the ubiquitous bream, that staple of young boys and canepoles.

  “Bream” is essentially a southern term for what northerners call sunfish. The name encompasses many different varieties; bluegills, stumpknockers, redears – basically all of the panfish found in the rivers and lakes. Like all fish, their food value is directly proportional to their habitat. Fish taken from muddy water will not have the clean flavor of those from a river like the Rainbow. They can be caught with a variety of baits and lures, but there are some time-tested standbys that will usually always work.

  Firstly, there is the good old-fashioned worm. While red wrigglers will work, for guaranteed results one should use nightcrawlers. There has never been a bream born who could resist a crawler dangling in front of him. Use a small hook and light line (4-6 pound test), with no weight added. This might not be as easy to cast as a weighted rig, but chances are that the weighted rig will end up buried in the tall grass, out of sight of the fish. We use ultralight spinning tackle for bream, and it is ideal. An un-weighted hook/crawler combination is a more natural presentation.

  Then there are the spinners. One of my favorites is the Beetle Spin, a small lure with a bobby-pin frame, a plastic grub body and a tiny spinner blade that will turn with the slightest movement through the water. These lures are idiot-proof to use. You simply cast it out, let it sink for a moment and retrieve it slowly. Sometimes fish will hit it on the fall, so watch your line carefully. They are available in a variety of colors, but my favorite has always been black.

  When looking at spinners, don’t overlook the Mepps, Rooster Tail, Panther Martin or any of the smaller spinners designed for panfish. They will all work, and for the purist who will not use bait, it is a good way to go.

  Speaking of “purists”, we now come to my favorite method of catching bream: the fly rod. A fat, scrappy bream on a whippy 6 weight fly rod is one of life’s greatest pleasures!
Any of the smaller flies work well, but I prefer ant imitations and small streamers. Cast parallel to the shoreline, keeping in the shallow water. Early morning and evenings are best, when the light levels are lower. The main advantage of the fly rod is that even if you don’t catch fish, you will look really good doing it!

  OK, you’ve got your stringer full of tasty bream. (You do have a fishing license, right?)
What to do now?

  You will need a good sharp fillet knife, one on the small side and with plenty of flexibility. Fillet the bream and wash them thoroughly, then dry the fillets. Dip them in an egg mixture, then some good batter, then into the frying pan they go. The fillets will be thin, so be careful not to overcook them. Drain the fried fish on some paper towels and serve with a fresh garden salad.

  At this point you will understand why they are called “panfish”!