Inside Lancashire Sport

Richard from Keighley asks...

Dear Martin
I would be most grateful if you could help me with some advice on how to - and most importantly-  where to catch a River Aire Bream.

I fish the River regularly on the KAC book and catch Chub regularly but never a bream.

Perhaps I'm fishing the wrong stretches? Your experienced help would be gratefully appreciated.

Martin's advice...

Dear Richard

The bream in the River Aire are certainly not spread around like currents in a pudding. In fact, they are in very small groups but they do grow big - there's a chance of a nine pounder.

Please note I have only caught 3 bream in a session. It's usually just one fish. You will, like me, need a good chunk of luck. I well remember fishing with Alan Roe of Blackpool and as we sat making a brew the rod tip shivered I struck.

Alan said: "That's not a bite."

It certainly wasn't - a bream over 6lbs. On another occasion I was with Graham Cook when I spotted a good chub.

I said: "Graham chuck it a bit of crust, and I will put a bit of crust down the fast run."

Within seconds I had a bream just a few ounces off 8lbs. Graham couldn't get a bite from the chub.

One area where I have had some good bream, is the bottom stretch of the Keighley AC water. It starts down stream of Silsden where Bradford City AA beat ends then goes down to the start of the golf course. The next stretch down from KAC is the Bradford No 1AA. The big bend with the bay on the opposite side of the river holds good bream. You can often see the bream in the first two three hundred yards of their water. The high bank helps. 

Another stretch holding big bream is about 800 yards downstream of Kildwick Bridge; also the new stretch upstream of the Kildwick Bridge is worth a try.

I reckon trying to catch a bream is a roving game. I give each spot about twenty minutes then when I reach the end of the beat I start all over again.

If you live close to the river I suggest you do a pre-baiting campaign lasting several days. Chopped lobworms sweet corn and dead gentles with lots of brown crumb. Vitalin could be a good feed base. Pick an area where there are over hanging trees where it's lightly fished. I did this for a full two weeks going across from Clitheroe very night. It paid off I had three big bream I though all the effort was worth it. If you don't get any bream you should get some chub and you might get a rare two pound roach. I hope this is of some help.

Please keep me informed how you get on.

Cheers
Martin

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