Identification.
Bream are deep bodied with flat sides and high back, young specimens are more slender. Head is scaleless, relatively small, the eyes small and the mouth can extend ventrally to form a tube.

Body scales small, 51-60 in the lateral line. Anal fin long bases with 24-30 branched rays, its outline is strongly concave. Bream coloration, dark brown or greyish on the back, sides golden brown, young fish are silvery sided. Fins greyish brown, ventrally tinted with red.

Habitat.
Bream inhabit deep slow moving rivers, backwaters and in flood plain lakes, reservoirs and flooded gravel pits. It lives close to the bottom in schools. At night bream tend to move into shallow water to feed.

Food.
Strongly dependant on bottom living insect larvae, worms, molluscs and crustaceans. The down turned tubular mouth of Bream is ideal for feeding on the lake bed.

Breeding.
Bream spawn in late spring and early summer amongst dense plant growth, mostly at night, and in shallow water. Yellowish eggs stick to the weeds.

Statistics.
Fish size will vary depending on the location. The current UK Bream record is 18lb 8oz.