What Are Bream Doing On High Tide
On high tides, bream behavior changes significantly as they take advantage of the increased water levels, which allow them to access new feeding grounds and move into areas they otherwise couldn't reach. Here’s a closer look at what bream are typically doing during high tides and how you can optimize your fishing approach:
1. Moving into Shallow Areas and Flats
-With higher water levels, bream are more likely to move onto shallow flats, grassy areas, and mudflats in search of food. These areas often contain an abundance of small prey, like shrimp, worms, and crabs that are more accessible during high tides.
Fishing Tip: Target shallow flats, grassy banks, and mudflats. Casting small, natural-colored soft plastics, worms, or crab imitations into these areas can be effective, as bream will actively forage here.
2. Feeding Around Structure and Mangroves
-High tides allow bream to access structures like mangrove roots, oyster beds, and undercut banks, where they find plenty of food. These areas attract a variety of small fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates, making them prime feeding spots for bream.
Fishing Tip: Cast around the edges of mangrove forests, oyster racks, and other structures submerged at high tide. Using weedless rigged soft plastics can help prevent snags in areas with heavy cover, and casting close to the structure will increase your chances of finding feeding bream.
3. Becoming More Aggressive and Bold
During high tide, bream often feel safer in the deeper, more expansive water, making them less cautious and more likely to actively chase down prey. This can result in more aggressive feeding behavior, especially around high-tide transitions
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Fishing Tip: Use more active lures with noticeable action, such as small hard-bodied crankbaits or soft plastics with a fast retrieve. This approach can capitalize on the bream’s bolder feeding behavior, especially if you're fishing near the end of the rising tide.
4. Spreading Out and Exploring New Territory
High tides give bream the opportunity to spread out and explore, meaning they might not be as concentrated in one spot. They are more likely to roam areas they can’t access at lower tides, including shallow banks and rocky outcrops that become submerged.
Fishing Tip: Cover more water by casting in a fan pattern or moving along the shore to locate bream. By covering different areas, you increase your chances of finding where they’re feeding.
5. Taking Advantage of Increased Current and Food Supply
High tides often bring stronger currents, which stir up sediment and bait, creating ideal conditions for bream to feed actively. They’ll often position themselves along current breaks, eddies, and points where food is funneled toward them.
Fishing Tip: Cast into areas where current meets still water, like along banks, points, or eddies. A slow to moderate retrieve that mimics natural prey drifting in the current can attract bream looking for easy food.
6. Targeting Edges of Reefs and Sandbanks
During high tide, bream can also access the edges of reefs, sandbanks, and rock pools, which provide a great feeding ground. These areas tend to hold crustaceans, small fish, and other prey that bream actively hunt during high water.
Fishing Tip: Fish along the edges of sandbanks, reefs, and rock pools, focusing on areas where depth changes occur. This tactic is especially effective in coastal areas, where bream often patrol these spots during high tides.
Summary
During high tides, bream are more active, less cautious, and spread out as they explore new feeding grounds in shallow flats, mangroves, and around other submerged structures. To increase your success:
- Focus on shallow flats, mangroves, and other newly accessible areas.
- Use more active lures, as bream are often less cautious and more likely to chase prey.
- Cover a wide area and target current breaks or eddies for feeding bream.
High tide offers bream a wealth of feeding opportunities, and by adapting your techniques to this change in behavior, you can maximize your chances of landing a catch.
