Bream Tench and Blanched Maggots

Hi, Autumn is with us again, doesn't this picture make you want to get your rods out.
In this post I'm going to carry on with the process of revealing my top ten favourite fish. So far I've covered the eel, which due to its sliminess and hook swallowing capability, came in at number 10. Spot number nine was taken up by the big girls blouse of the freshwater fish world, this is the thickest of all fish and is of course, the Pike.

This week we will start at number eight, a place that is filled by the humble bream. This fish ought to be called old snotty because it doesn't half put some mucus on your line. It is hard to describe the bream's fighting capability because it has about as much fight as a jelly. In fact the bream has only one redeeming factor and if it wasn't for that it wouldn't appear in my top ten at all. The reason it is in my top ten is because they are relatively easy to catch. They will take a wide range of baits and there is no need to worry about fishing the right depth for this fish. All you have to do is make sure your bait is nailed to the bottom. The first shot should also be just on the bottom and about nine inches from the hook. Plumbing the depth is very important when fishing for bream and more can be seen about that in my angling book. Click here to see details
Another thing that I discuss in the book is the need to make sure that you get rid of all the slime off your line after catching a bream. I know it's a bit mucky and it could turn your stomach if you are half way through a bacon butty, but get rid of the slime, because you won't get another bite until you do. Fish might not be the most intelligent creatures on the planet but they do have instincts and if they see a long string of their mate's mucus strung between bb shot and a lump of sweetcorn, they are apt to give it the cold shoulder.

Anyway, as long as you keep your line clean the bream is easily caught and comes to the net very easily. And that is why it's one of my favourite fish. I have won many matches in my fishing career and the bream has played a major part in a lot of them. In fact there is only one other fish that has consistently contributed to the number of competitions I've won. That fish, and you might be surprised what it is, comes in a number two so you will have to wait a few posts to find out what it is.

The Tench is the next fish in my top ten. Like the bream this fish also has a problem with slime, but not quite so bad. I have a soft spot for the tench because it's a good looking fish and a lovely shade of green, unlike the bream the tench can put up a very good fight.

On the downside, they definitely seen to like the early morning approach and are probably one of the first fish to decide that breakfast is over and they'll go and sleep for the rest of the day somewhere under a big patch of weeds. They don't bother with lunch and won't be seen again until they come out for a bit of light supper.

So that's why the tench only comes in at number seven. It is good for the pleasure angler and I've had some good tench sessions, but it's a fish that has never contributed to helping me win an angling competition. This is probably because most competitions start after the tench has had its fill and gone back to bed.

For the record, and perhaps it doesn't seem so good nowadays, but back in the early seventies I caught my best ever tench. It was a specimen of 5lb 4oz and was considered such a specimen at the time that it was reported in our local newspaper.

I know a tench of that size wouldn't get a mention now but at that time any tench over 4lb was considered a very good fish. Anyway I caught the fish at a venue called Copmere, which is just north of Stafford. At the time the fishing rights were with GEC angling club, but I think it is now in private hands.

It was at Copmere, that one of my regular fishing companions introduced me to the joys of blanched maggots. I would hasten to say that it was also the last time I used blanched maggots and hope I never come within sniffing distance of one again. You can find out more about the blanched maggot escapade in my book.

In my next fishing post we'll take a look at number six a fish with attitude.