When do the bream start biting?

Triggernosis

Ten Pointer
When do the bream (bluegills, pumpkinseeds, shellcrackers, etc.) start biting? I seem to recall "when the dogwoods start blooming", or thereabouts. I'm looking forward to some worm-and-bobber fishing this season.
 

Firefly

Old Mossy Horns
If this warm weather keeps up it shouldn't be long for the Bream to start. Oldtimers used to tell me you could catch Bream when the Dogwoods started to bloom in the Spring..
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I love fishing with crickets. Bream will tear them up. Been seeing some movement on the pond lately so will probably try a few Friday.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Good rule of thumb was always when the dogwoods bloomed, crappie were on the beds. When blackberries bloomed, bliegills were on the beds.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
I havent been bream fishing in years but i loved it and your hard pressed to find a better tasting fish.
 

Boojum

Ten Pointer
They start biting a long time before the dogwoods bloom. THey don't bed until later, but they don't have to be bedding for you to catch them.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Have some friends In Il and Id and they posted some impressive pics back in Dec. of ice fishing on ponds of some slab bream. First I had ever seen of that.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Dang, i luv some fishing but you will never ever see me sitting on the ice looking at a little bitty hole with a little bitty rod in my hand. Well like catfisher said it would have to be a well insulated hut and I will add that it has to has 2 purty females in there , then I will ice fish. so, my guess is thats never happening.
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
come on guys,,,,,snowmobile in a couple of miles pulling a sled of gear (and beer),,,,,digs holes, set popups,,,build big fire,,,,,,,,,,,

life is good,,,,,,,

never did much jigging with the baby poles,,,,,but 10 popups spread across the lip of a drop off,,,,action city!!
 

FITZH2O

Old Mossy Horns
come on guys,,,,,snowmobile in a couple of miles pulling a sled of gear (and beer),,,,,digs holes, set popups,,,build big fire,,,,,,,,,,,

life is good,,,,,,,

never did much jigging with the baby poles,,,,,but 10 popups spread across the lip of a drop off,,,,action city!!

This^

Nothing like hearing the cry "FLAG UP!!!!!!"
 

JoeR

Eight Pointer
I've had no problem catching them all winter. It's the cats I'd like to figure out. I've only caught two in the last 4 trips.

Joe
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've had no problem catching them all winter. It's the cats I'd like to figure out. I've only caught two in the last 4 trips.

Joe
Blues and channels will bite all winter, just follow the bait, they will be with them. Obviously they are starting to move shallower as we speak.
 

JoeR

Eight Pointer
Blues and channels will bite all winter, just follow the bait, they will be with them. Obviously they are starting to move shallower as we speak.

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep at it. I remember when we first started fishing for Stripers in Long Island Sound. The first several years were pretty lean. We always caught blues, but the Stripers were hard to come by. Now it's a rare trip that we don't put a few in the boat.
I'm sure the cats will come eventually, but right now I'm struggling.

Joe
 
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