Bream are one of Arkansas’s most popular game fish. Almost every angler cut their teeth fishing for these small, yet feisty fish. It doesn’t take a lot of expensive equipment or skill to catch a few bream, and they’re great on the dinner table.
Bream is a catch-all term for many species of sunfish. All sunfish are found near aquatic vegetation and sunken trees in shallow water. While some may be found in streams, bream often prefer the water of ponds, lakes and backwaters of rivers.
#1: License, Rods, Reels
Fishing in Arkansas means getting a fishing license. Luckily, they’re only $10.50 for a basic license and you only need a license if you’re 16 years old or older.
An ultralight spinning or spincast rod-and-reel combo is also an excellent choice for bream fishing. It allows anglers to cast a little farther from the bank and cover more area. Anglers can use the same bobber setup as a cane pole, or they can tie on a small spinner or jig to cast and retrieve past likely targets.
#2: Collect Your Bait
Crickets are the number one lure for all species of bream. They’re easy to use and are available at almost any bait shop.
Freshly caught grasshoppers and other insects will work in a pinch.
Redworms and small garden worms work very well for bream, especially red ear sunfish.
Some anglers prefer using artificial lures, such as small spinners and tiny jigs. When bream are really active, they’ll hit artificials just as well as live bait.
#3: Other Helpful Equipment
#4: Fishing Tips from the Pros
- Bream fishing is often best in the morning and evening. Be sure to get to the water early to take advantage of the bite.
- They tend to stick near submerged trees in shallow water, especially willow trees with lots of insect activity nearby.
- Bream gather in shallow water to spawn in June and July. This is the best time to load the cooler with tasty fish.
- When fishing with live bait, don’t waste a lot of time soaking your cricket in one place. If a bream is near, they’ll hit the lure within a minute or so. If you don’t get a bite within a minute, lift your lure out of the water and try a new spot nearby.