Alongside the carp, our lakes hold plenty of quality tench and bream — and both are a real treat to catch. Get your approach right and you can build a big weight over the course of a session. Here is how to make the most of these hard-pulling species.

Bait for bites

Worm and caster is a classic combination that tench find hard to resist. There is something about a wriggling worm tipped with a caster or two that brings the bigger tench feeding confidently. Bream, meanwhile, love a bed of groundbait laced with corn, pellet and chopped worm. Don’t be afraid to introduce a decent amount of feed early to get them grubbing about.

Fish on the bottom

Both species feed hard on the deck, so present your bait right on the bottom over your feed. A simple feeder or float-legered approach works a treat. For bream especially, a groundbait feeder lets you build a tight, attractive area of bait that holds a shoal in place.

A simple tench and bream rig

Keep it robust but sensitive: a small feeder or a couple of swan shot, a hooklength of around a foot, and a size 12 to 14 hook to match your bait. Tench in particular pull hard for their size, so do not go too light on the line.

Timing is everything

Dawn and dusk are prime time for both tench and bream. If you can be set up for first light, you will often catch before the sun gets high — and again as the evening draws in. On a warm, still morning, the sight of tench bubbles fizzing over your baited spot is one of the great sights in coarse fishing.

Build the swim

The key to a big net is patience and consistent feeding. Introduce a solid bed of bait at the start, then keep topping up little and often to hold the shoal. Bream in particular can back off if you overfeed or make too much disturbance, so keep things tidy and let the swim build.

Put it into practice

Get it right, and a summer session for tench and bream can be one of the most enjoyable days on the bank. Take a look at our three lakes, check the prices, and come and see what you can put together. For more tactics, browse the rest of our guides.