Black Bream
Fish
A deep-bodied, silvery-grey fish with a slightly humped head profile and faint dark vertical bars that show more strongly on males during the summer spawning season.
Facts
- Forms spawning shoals over specific reef and gravel sites each summer, drawing dedicated local boat and shore effort.
- Males develop a more pronounced blue-black head colouration and steep forehead during the breeding season.
- A hard-fighting, good-eating fish that punches well above its size on light tackle.
UK fishing rules
Several IFCAs (notably Sussex) apply a local minimum landing size for black bream around 23cm, plus seasonal protection of known spawning reefs — check your regional IFCA byelaw before keeping any.
Where to catch Black Bream (9 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton Marina West Arm | South East | May–Sep | Ragworm or squid fished hard on the bottom around the rougher mid-wall bays (9-15); expect tackle losses. |
| Charlestown Harbour | South West | Jun–Sep | Bottom-fished bait (worm/fish strip) from the harbour wall. |
| Chesil Beach (Ferrybridge, Dorset) | South West | May–Aug | Fish/worm bait fished tight to the steep shingle on light gear. |
| Chesil Beach (Ferrybridge, Dorset) | South West | Apr–Sep | Worm bait fished on light flowing rigs in cleaner ground. |
| Deal Pier | South East | May–Aug | Peeler crab fished hard on the bottom |
| Hayling Island Seafront (South Beach/Eastoke) | South East | Summer | Float tackle at the Langstone Harbour entrance |
| Selsey Bill | South East | May-Aug | Fished over the reef on light gear, fish up to 4lb |
| Shoreham Harbour Arms (East & West Arm) | South East | May-Aug | Fished on the bottom over the harbour approach |
| West Bay | South West | May–Sep | Ragworm or fish strip fished on light gear inside the piers |