Carp fishing is a great sport. Carp are a large, heavy fish that require some serious skills to catch. Anglers who aim to bring home one (or more) of these bad boys expect some adventure in their fishing trip. There’s usually a great fight with the fish and the thrill of the chase. But it all feels ruined when you catch bream, instead.
So, how do you avoid bream when you’re carp fishing? A lot of the baits that carp love, bream are also attracted to. In order to get the most out of your carp-fishing expedition, make sure that you are using the right lures, bait, and positioning to deter bream and attract carp.
If your current carp-fishing strategy is bringing in more bream than you want, let’s take a look at how you can change things up. We’ll first look at why we love carp fishing so much and what makes bream less appealing. Then, we’ll delve deeper into the things that bream love, so you can avoid using them, and we’ll wrap up with the best lures and bait specifically for carp.
Is There a 100% Effective Method to Avoid Bream?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. We can tell you how to position your boilies, what bait to use, and what color that might make you lucky, but bream seem to be pretty open-minded. Carp fishermen have reported bream taking the bait even on baits as large as 32mm, which should be too large for them.
The only thing that we can tell you with all certainty is that trial and error is your best friend. Try different baits, setups, and hook sizes. Be patient with the carp and be even more patient with the bream. It sounds a little superstitious, but the more you hope the bream will stay away, they seem to show up more.
Why Fish for Carp
Carp are native to Asia and Europe. You’ll even find that Europeans don’t bat an eye when they see carp on the menu. They catch it, cook it, and eat it like Americans do trout. However, in the United States, the association with eating carp is a little less appealing.
While those living in North America still enjoy the thrill of fishing for these large beasts, many aren’t that interested in serving it for dinner.
Regardless, carp fishing feels more like a sport than most fishing. You have the sensation of a true hunt, picking your prime location and time. Then, you have the planning of your perfect rig. The moment you feel the line pull, it becomes a contest between you and a massive fish. No matter where you are, that’s a really great first reason to take up carp fishing.
Carp In the United States: An Invasive Species
Carp were introduced to the United States as a sporting fish. They fight hard, and they live in deeper waters, so it’s more of an effort to catch one. But it has become incredibly invasive. These large fish require a lot of food, so they tend to out-eat native fish. Because of this, native species of fish die out in areas heavily populated with carp.
For this reason, American anglers really should be trying to fish for carp for the main reason of getting these fish out of our waterways. While most US fishermen prefer catching bass or sunfish because they taste better, it’s worth noting that a properly prepared silver carp will taste exceptional. It’s all about the effort you put in.
While it is tempting to catch and release, because this is an invasive species, it’s actually better to hold on to the carp you catch. Even if you’re not interested in eating it. Consider having it mounted and using the meat as bait for future fishing trips.
In Europe: Catch a Prize Fish
If, however, you are living in Europe, carp have less of a stigma. Since these great fish can supply your family with quite a bit of meat for dinner, they make for a nice catch. Fishing experiences can take you to France, Belgium, The Netherlands, or even Morocco, just for a chance to catch a really nice one.
You’ll find that on this side of the pond, preparatory methods for cooking are more thought through, and common practice. And, because the species is native, it’s alright to do catch and release. This is great because it allows you to be choosy about the fish you’ll bring home to the family.
Larger, older carp tend to be tougher and not as tasty. For that reason, it might be better to get a picture with the monster you’ve caught and then let it go on with its life. Smaller carp have less exposure to heavy metals like mercury, which makes them better for eating.
What’s the Deal with Bream?
Let’s start with this: bream in the United States and in Europe are different. So, in order to figure out why fishermen are trying to avoid these fish, let’s look at them separately. Regardless of geography, any time you waste with a bream on your line is just valuable time taken away from your carp fishing opportunities.
Before we get too far into it, note that bream fishing in its own right is a perfectly fine sport, also. Regardless of the actual type of fish that you’re aiming for, just catching a fish should be considered a victory.
Real Bream Are European
The true bream is native to Europe. They live in the same areas as native carp and eat a similar diet. It’s a sweet freshwater fish, so it’s not necessarily a problem with eating it. But it is considerably smaller than a carp, so there’s less meat with one catch. Note that bream are still fairly large though, so it’s not going to leave anyone starving.
They are slower moving and more likely to come to the surface to check out your bait. That means that unless you’ve gotten exactly the right bait that carp love and bream do not, you might end up catching the wrong fish.
What Americans Call “Bream”
The United States may now be home to the invasive carp, but we don’t have bream, per se. Instead, what we consider “bream” are actually bluegill, sunfish, or perch. The disambiguation mainly comes from them living in close proximity to carp and messing with an American’s carp-fishing excursion.
Any fish that comes for carp bait and ruins the angler’s chances of catching what they want is basically just referred to as bream. The good news, though, is that if you do happen to catch bluegill, sunfish, or perch, instead, they are still easy to eat, albeit much smaller in size.
Unlike the European bream, which is essentially just a smaller version of a carp, US “bream” could be so small that the only way to prepare it is to cook it whole and pick at it. This is not usually a sporting fisherman’s favorite way to celebrate a catch, though. That would be the main reason to want to avoid bream.
What to Use: Setting Up Your Line Specifically for Carp
The goal behind setting your line up correctly is to make it completely appealing for the carp, and not so appealing for the bream. Sometimes the things that carp like, bream like, too. So, here are a couple of tips:
- Use a Floatie
- Try Tigernuts
- Use Large Baits
- Pick the Best Shape for a Boilie
- Place Multiple Boilies on the Line
- Correctly Place the Bait
- Scout Out Your Location
Use a Float
This is not necessarily the best way to catch a carp. However, if there are bream in the area, it’s an option. The problem with a float is that you need a finer line, which usually isn’t a great option for a large, heavy fish like carp. You’d want a heavier line, but carp will be more likely to see that. So, when using a float, be prepared to wait while the carp on the line tires itself out.
Try Tigernuts
Check with the authorities where you are fishing to see if Tiger Nuts are allowed. Then, try hairlining two together with a bit of cork between them. This makes it slightly buoyant and slow-moving so that carp want to take a bite. Plus, a number of anglers have reported that bream don’t come for Tiger Nuts when they use them for bait. It’s really worth a try.
Use Large Bait
The largest bream can only open their mouths about 30mm. Some fishing experts suggest that something as small as 24mm will be large enough to dissuade a bream from taking it. However, still others say, why risk it? Go really big. A 32mm boilie will be too large for a bream to take a bite out of.
And just as a note, feel free to use an artificial, soft plastic lure to attract carp. These work great if you’re fishing in shallow waters. You can put a heavyweight on it and use it to stir up the dirt on the bottom. This will bring in carp and get them interested. Of course, this technique works mostly if you’ve been scouting and know that bream are out of the area.
Pick the Best Shape for a Boilie
While a sphere is a common shape for a boilie, try forming the bait into a cylinder shape instead. Bream are less likely to be able to suck the hook into their mouths if they start to feed on the boilie of this shape. However, a carp who comes for a cylindrical boilie can easily be hooked as they take a bite out of it.
Place Multiple Boilies on the Line
If you’re out of large boilies, two or three evenly spaced medium or small sized ones hairlined together along the line will serve the same purpose. A carp can go at them and accidentally suck in the hook. And on the other hand, a bream may be able to take a couple of nibbles at the bait, but the hook won’t get stuck on them.
Correctly Place the Bait
Position the bait further away from the hook’s curve. Because a bream’s mouth is smaller than a carp’s, a hook too close to the bait is more easily pulled into their mouth. When the hook is further up the line, again, a bream can take a few nibbles at the bait, but they won’t be caught. That will save you a little bit of worry. A carp with its larger mouth, though, will take the bait, and will be more likely to be caught.
It is worth a note, though, that you should replace your bait if other fish have been eating it. You’re not going to catch much of anything with a naked line.
Scout Out Your Location
Even if you have time tested and perfectly set up the rig, it’s not going to do anything if you haven’t scouted your location. Carp tend to roll or occasionally surface after at least an hour or so of watching.
Also, take note that the lunar cycle may have an effect on how likely the “bream” are to take your bait. If it’s closer to a full moon in April and May, you’re going to find that bluegill and shellcrackers are spawning, and pretty happy to see the bait on your line.
What Not to Use: Lures and Bait that Bream Like
The only way for you to effectively avoid catching bream is to know what it is that they like. As you then pick out your rigging for carp fishing, you’ll be able to rule out things that appeal to bream. Keep in mind that while these things are great bream bait, carp might also love them. So, if you have it on good authority that there is no bream in your area, feel free to give these a try anyway.
Pellets
Pellets are compacted particles of feed that draw in carp. Unfortunately, they also bring in bream. In an area populated by a variety of fish, avoid pellets as bait. Keep in mind that boilies are a newer form of pellet that are larger and better for controlling your catch.
Groundbait
While groundbait mixed with sweetcorn is a great way to bring in the carp, it’s also the favored main course for bream and tench. You can totally take the risk by using it as bait, and you might end up with a really successful carp catch, or you could spend the day fending off bream. It’s entirely up to you.
High Protein Live Bait
Bream love high protein live bait, and even though carp would love to get in on that, you are more likely to bring home a cooler full of sunfish and bluegill if you try. So, if you want to catch carp, you can rule out bloodworms, earthworms, grasshoppers, and crickets. Instead, you can try some of the tips previously mentioned.
Ultra-Light Spinners
The North American version of bream are generally small fish, and they get a kick out of chasing ultra-light spinners. Frankly, these are not great lures for carp fishing, anyways, but there’s nothing wrong with experimenting to see what works for you.
Sometimes It’s Okay to Settle for Bream
In all honesty, catching bream, whether it’s the official European version, or the American fish misnamed “bream,” isn’t the worst thing that can happen. The kind you’ll catch in Euro-land is still pretty large, put up a great fight, they’re tasty, and frankly, you should still feel good about yourself for catching something.
For everyone fishing in North America, you may have dealt with other “superior” fishermen talking about how bream fishing is for kids. This is elitist and silly. There’s no shame in wanting to fish for bream, and likewise, if you happen to catch bream while carp fishing, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Take pride in having caught something.
Wrapping It Up
When you set out to go carp fishing, knowing that bream are in the water, you need to really set your headspace correctly. First, know that there is nothing wrong with catching a bream or two. It’s definitely not a kiddie fish. You, a grown person, are still perfectly good at fishing if you catch bream.
Secondly, come with a variety of options in your tackle box (and cooler). In case one of the things that should work just doesn’t, you should have a few different things to try. Keep on testing new things until you find something that works. Then, try it again to see if it will consistently work.
And on that note, keep a level head as you work through the trial and error of finding something that works. We’d have loved to give you some magical answer that works every time, but fish are fickle, and they will pick and choose what they like each day. However, it works out for you, happy fishing.