When bream spawning begins and ends depends directly on the water temperature. In regions with high average daily temperatures, this period begins in mid-spring, and in mid-latitudes it shifts closer to summer. The fish are characterized by flocking together in schools; all individuals that have reached maturity go to the spawning ground in the same place. Bream (males) gain the ability to spawn in the third or fourth year of life, this depends on the conditions of the reservoir and the amount of food. Females acquire the ability to spawn 1 year later. Smaller fish go to spawn in the first wave, then large bream move.
Peculiarities of bream spawning
Content
Bream spawning time is directly related to weather conditions. If the winter was not long and the spring was warm, the spawning period occurs in April, less often - the end of March. In mid-latitudes we can observe spawning only from mid-May. In northern latitudes, spawning occurs even later, sometimes in mid-late June.
When are suitable conditions for spawning in different regions:
- in Karelia the dates are slightly delayed until the first ten days of June;
- in the Krasnodar Territory, bream spawning begins in April;
- in the Moscow region approximately after mid-May.
The spawning time of bream is directly related to weather conditions.
The main interest among fishermen is the presence of bream fat before spawning. Now the prey is gaining strength for travel and mating games, since during the spawning process there will be no time for food. Sometimes a large bream is caught on a hook, but this is more an accident than a pattern.
A week after spawning, the eggs hatch into fry, which in just one month reach a size of 1 cm and gain the ability to independently feed on animal food. In one year they will become breams 10 cm long.
Spawning process
Bream spawning begins with “mating games”; fish of the same size move in a circle. Larger individuals begin spawning first. The spawning process is very noisy. The fish splashes forcefully on the water and makes a noise similar to “laskanka” (“clacking”), it is thanks to this feature that the name of the fish came about.
Photo 3. What beauty in this desire for procreation!
The next stage is considered to be the stage of laying eggs by female bream. The fertility of these individuals is quite high (about 150 thousand eggs from one female). The eggs, which are yellow in color, attach to aquatic vegetation. After a week, the eggs turn into larvae. The transformation of larvae into fry occurs in a month, and after a couple of months they already reach twelve centimeters in length. The timing of development is also affected by water temperature. The warmer the water, the faster the ripening process will be.
Conditions for bream spawning
Bream is a heat-loving fish; it senses temperature changes well. A water temperature of 11°C can trigger the start of the preparation period for spawning. Before the fish leaves the spawning grounds, it has an active appetite.
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When bream goes to spawn, it is forbidden to catch it, and even when it starts to spawn, the fish loses interest in food. Fishing is still doomed to failure; at best, you will be able to catch small individuals. When bream goes to spawn in the spring, it completely stops feeding for 5-6 weeks. Usually the end of spawning is accompanied by warming of the water to 22°C.
A regular thermometer will help you clearly determine when bream spawns in the spring in a particular body of water and in the region. When the water warms up to 13-15°C, the spawning period begins. Once the water reaches 22°C, this is a sure indicator of the completion of the process. All reservoirs warm up at different rates - it depends on the reservoir and the weather. Large reservoirs take longer to heat up; shallow reservoirs heat up the fastest. The rate of increase in water temperature is influenced by underwater sources.
Important! Spawning of bream does not begin for a long time at water temperatures up to 11°C. If the cold is prolonged, the fish are forced to spawn in colder conditions.
It is forbidden to catch bream when it goes to spawn
Spawning period
The spawning period is directly related to climatic conditions. If we take the middle zone, then bream can begin to spawn in mid-May or June. If we take into account warm regions where the water heats up somewhat faster, then this fish can spawn as early as April. Bream perfectly feels how the water temperature rises. As soon as it reaches a certain point (+11°C), the fish immediately begins preparing for the breeding process.
As for Ukraine, bream spawning starts in mid-April and can last up to 5-6 weeks. In Belarus, bream starts spawning a little later. In any case, the most important indicator of the onset of spawning is water temperature.
Regardless of the region in which the bream is located, the spawning period can last up to 1.5 months. The end of spawning occurs when the water warms up to +22°C.
If you constantly measure the water temperature, you can clearly determine the beginning and end of bream spawning. At the same time, in each reservoir the water is heated differently, depending on the size of the reservoir and the presence of deep sources. This factor indicates that bream can spawn differently in different bodies of water, regardless of the climatic zone. Although, in this case, the shift in the moment of the beginning of spawning is insignificant.
Bream spawning areas
The preparation of bream for spawning begins much earlier than spawning. Around March (over the course of a month, depending on the weather), small and large fish begin to flock into schools and move upstream in search of spawning grounds. If the reservoir has standing water, the prey approaches the shore in search of a secluded place; usually the fish looks for a suitable area in advance. The process may be delayed in case of human intervention.
When choosing a location, bream prefers to settle in water-filled meadows during high water. The fish lays eggs directly on the grass. The main condition when choosing a place comes down to the presence of greenery on the site: grass, algae, reeds, etc., to which the caviar sticks.
First, the bream begins to swim in circles in one place, this means the completion of the selection of a site for laying eggs. The main feature of spawning is the fight for females; for this purpose, bream behaves especially actively, showing its strength and abilities. Usually in a reservoir there are several schools of fish, which are distributed by age. Large individuals reach a weight of 3-4 kg; they flock together in schools, and bream weighing 2 kg are kept separately. The collection point is easy to notice by the splashes of water and the noisy behavior of the fish.
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Preparing for spawning
At the end of winter, bream leaves their “wintering” areas and goes in search of a place to spawn. This process is also called the pre-spawning run.
During the “trip”, a place for spawning is selected and this process has its own characteristics:
- bream is a phytophila (spawning involves laying eggs on plants);
- reproduction of this type of fish occurs near its permanent habitat;
- many individuals return to their previously “favored” spawning grounds.
Before the spawning process, the bream changes: its color darkens (this happens due to an increase in pigment points under the skin), and the body of males becomes covered with a rash in the form of warts.
Bream before spawning
Before the second ten days of April, bream does not begin to spawn (except in exceptional cases), but preparation for the important process begins even if there is ice on the reservoir.
The noisy behavior makes it easy to spot where the fish are gathering.
Conventionally, preparation takes place in 3 main stages:
- awakening. As soon as warm spring water begins to seep into the reservoir, bream emerges from the holes in search of food. Its main task is to restore strength and provide itself with energy for the entire spawning period;
- path. The movement of schools of bream occurs at the same time as the ice drift. Now he is moving towards the spawning grounds and choosing suitable places. Often the fish have to travel 2-4 km in search of a suitable place. The bream's appetite before spawning is still preserved; it greedily eats almost any food that gets into the water;
- arrival. While the bream finds a good place for eggs, the water usually warms up. The temperature is fixed and allows you to engage in spawning.
Fishing for bream before spawning is effective from February until the end of March. The entire period from the moment of awakening to the discovery of the spawning ground, the prey is well hooked.
Baits for bream in spring
Bream fishing in winter is successful with both plant and animal baits.
IMPORTANT! The colder the water in the reservoir, the more caloric bait you need to offer to the fish. In early spring it is better to use animal bait, from mid-spring they add “sandwiches”, from May – vegetable bait is in full swing.. We start spring with maggots, worms, bloodworms and bark beetles
These baits contain a large amount of protein, which will certainly attract fish. It’s better to tie several baits in a bundle, then the fish will be even more interested.
We start spring with maggots, worms, bloodworms and bark beetles. These baits contain a large amount of protein, which will certainly attract fish. It’s better to tie several baits in a bundle, then the fish will be even more interested.
Among vegetable attachments, preference should be given to dough, bread, corn, peas, and pearl barley porridge. “Sandwiches” also work well, combining several components at once (it is advisable to combine plant and animal elements). On some reservoirs, colored foam balls can also work well. Bream will not swim past boilies - dough balls molded according to a special recipe. Here you can experiment with smells. Boilies are good because in the spring they can stay in water for a long time without becoming soggy and without losing their appetizing properties. Boilies are especially good when the fisherman aims to catch a large fish. In this case, a large ball is molded, which will be too tough for various small fish.
There is a good and proven recipe for high-quality boilie. We wet a couple of tablespoons of semolina, add a little flavoring and coloring, mix, wrap the resulting mixture in gauze, and tie it in a knot. Place the cheesecloth in boiling water and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. We take it out, cool it, break it into portions and make boilies. This recipe has not failed fishermen for many years, who are used to regularly going for bream.
Complementary feeding in the spring
Fishing for bream in the spring will be better if you feed the area. It is better to prepare the mixture yourself at home, since this allows you to experiment with components that may differ significantly for different bodies of water. The following complementary food is considered universal: mix 300 g. crackers, 100 gr. crumbly cookies, 100 gr. wheat bran, 10 gr. boiled and trampled corn, 30 gr. oatmeal, 10 gr. roasted crushed seeds. You can also add a little dry milk to the mixture: it will add additional cloudiness to the water. You can also safely add finely chopped worms, maggots, bloodworms and various larvae to complementary foods. From May you can gradually add flavorings. It is best to use caramel, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and cherry flavors for spring bream.
Read: Catching crayfish with crayfish
IMPORTANT! It is better to put less flavoring than more, since too strong a smell can easily scare away the flock.
Bream spawning
The spawning period of bream is associated with visual changes in the individual; all fish acquire a dark color, which inexperienced fishermen confuse with disease. Males are additionally covered with peculiar warts; they look unattractive; such bream are often thrown back into the water, but in fact this does not bring any important changes for the fisherman.
The time when bream begins to spawn can be easily seen by the fish jumping out of the water. As sunset approaches, adults begin to rub against each other and jump over the water. It is common for bream to fall flat on the water, creating a loud sound that can be heard throughout the entire body of water. Spawning lasts all night and continues until dawn, ending only in the heat of the day.
Spawning can be completed in just 1 day if the weather is favorable
In favorable weather (no wind and bright sun), spawning can be completed in just 1 day, and in worse conditions it takes longer - up to 3-4 days. If it gets sharply cold, females regard this as unfavorable conditions, stop scattering eggs and swim to depth. In such weather, the spawning process may stop altogether, and the eggs gradually lose their former properties. The remaining eggs can cause the death of the female.
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Tackle for spring bream
In the spring, bream can be caught with a variety of gear. This could be a float rod, donka or feeder. In this article we will look at the first two tackles, since I wrote about the latter in the article catching bream in the spring on a feeder.
Float fishing
As you probably guessed, you can catch bream on a float in the spring only in the morning and evening. In this regard, sliding equipment is not needed, since the fishing depth does not exceed 2-3 meters.
The rod should be quite long and light. The optimal length of the form is 6 meters and above. Bream is very shy, and the bait must be delivered to the fishing point as quietly as possible. For this reason, long fishing rods are used. Ideally, it is better to fish with a plug, but since this tackle is quite expensive, we will not consider it.
A Bolognese fishing rod is perfect for these purposes. This is due to fishing tactics, which will be discussed below. It is worth using an inertial reel, as it has better control over the equipment.
The main line must be strong. In my opinion, the best option would be 0.2-0.22 mm. Leaders can be used much thinner, for example 0.16. Since long casting is not required, the likelihood of the thin leader overlapping is very small.
It is better to choose floats with an elongated body in the shape of a diamond. Such models show a good bite on the rise. The carrying capacity of the float is selected depending on the wind and waves of the reservoir. If the waves are strong, it is worth using long hollow antennas and loading the float to the limit, no matter what the equipment jumps on the waves.
It is best to use an elongated fixed olive as the main sinker. Such a load will not create unnecessary splashes and scare away the bream. You should definitely use a pod, since most bream bites occur on the rise.
Read Fishing for pike with live bait
Again, if there are waves on the reservoir, you can put a heavier feed and a smaller main load. This technique will allow you to see a bite on the rise even in strong waves.
You need to choose hooks according to the size of the bait. If you have a large worm, the hook needs to fit. The only thing you need to remember is that the hook must have a long shank in order to make a voluminous bait.
Donk fishing
Fishing with a donk requires more fishing time, but this tackle usually catches decent trophies that travel alone or in a small flock. The best time for fishing with a donkey is during the day and late evening.
A strong fishing rod is not needed here. A Chinese telescope 3-4 meters long will be enough. It is better to use braided line as the main line. Spring bites are extremely cautious, and braided line shows them perfectly.
There is no need for long leashes, since the sinker does not scare away the bream, and we do not use bait. 20-30 centimeters will be enough. The breaking load of the leader line must be at least 5 kilograms.
As we know, bream feeds from the bottom, so it is best to use feeder equipment. The usual classic equipment, although it will not scare away the bream, may not result in a bite. As an experiment, try placing another leash above the sinker, and you will see that bites occur only on the bottom hook.
The requirements for hooks are the same as for a float fishing rod, so I don’t see any point in mentioning this.
Lures for catching bream
In spring, bream bite only on animal baits. The best of them are worm, bloodworm, and maggot. If there is bleak in the reservoir, it is better to refuse maggots. Since fishing takes place in shallow areas, the bleak will eat the maggots. Various combinations of baits also perform well, such as bloodworms and maggots, worms and bloodworms, etc.
The bait for bream should be voluminous. In the spring, bream is not wasted on trifles; you will no longer get away with 3 maggots in the summer. Therefore, do not be afraid to make a voluminous bait. The bait should be placed in such a way that it constantly moves.
But at the same time, it is not advisable to leave long ends of the worm in order to exclude bites from the ruff and other fish that also actively feed.
Bream after spawning
The first time after spawning, a school of bream does not go anywhere. After spawning, the bream tries to regain strength, for which it actively consumes all the food. The duration of the zhora is only 3-4 days. Having regained a little of the lost energy, the fish floats downstream to its usual habitat.
Within one week, the eggs hatch into fry. If the conditions were difficult, the incubation period extends to 12 days. The little thing eats plant foods and already after reaching the age of 1 month gains 70 g of weight.
general information
This fish is found everywhere: it inhabits the basins of the Black, Caspian, Baltic and North Seas, is found in the lakes of Karelia, and in almost all reservoirs of the northwestern and European parts of our country. Bream prefers a weak current, likes to stand in deep creeks and holes, in hollows under steep banks, etc. It is especially good at catching above dams and dams. Such places attract bream not only due to the lack of a strong enough current, but also due to their depth, as well as the presence of rubble of snags. This representative of cyprinids prefers a clayey bottom covered with silt. In lakes and ponds it stays at a certain distance from the shore.
Temperature conditions
The main indicator for bream spawning to begin is, of course, the water temperature in a particular body of water. As soon as it crosses the eleven degree mark, this representative of the cyprinids begins preparation. And soon the bream begins to spawn. The time of day also matters a lot. Bream spawning almost always begins in the early morning. The fact is that in addition to water temperature, there is one more condition mandatory for spawning: it is almost complete silence.
