Differences Between Bream Beds and Bass Beds?

[AJ Hauser]

Hey guys,

As the water continues to stay hot, I've been working on techniques that can go deeper. I had a lot of luck in the 8 foot and shallower range this spring - and it sounds like that is common - but lately I can't buy a bite, aside from the rogue bass hiding out under an overhang along shore in inches of water. I've been reading about bream beds, and how they can be found in 12-18 feet of water in the summer. Some have even said that bream will use and reuse these beds with the new moon.

 

How do you guys tell the difference between a bass bed, and a bream bed? 

 

Have you seen them get reused throughout the year like what I've read - and bass don't do that same thing... do they?

 

Thanks, hope y'all are well! 

Talk soon. 

[WRB]

Size and proximity to each bed. Bream beds are dinner plate size and In colonies close together. Bass are usually 2 to 3X the size and far apart.

Tom

[Team9nine]

Bass beds are individual and often isolated, bream are colony nesters and look like honeycombs. Very easy to spot on side imaging units. Bream will continue to use the same beds month after month, and it does seem like new or full moon periods generate the most activity. Depths of 12-18 ft sound a bit unreasonable though unless the water is exceptionally clear. The deepest I’ve ever found beds around here is 5’-7’ ft., usually about as deep as you can still see bottom or just beyond. 

[WRB]

12’-18’ is deeper then I seen bream beds in very clear water.

It’s possible the lake has risen and the beds are old.

Tom

[AJ Hauser]

Perfect - thanks guys - this is very helpful information. Much appreciated! 

[MGF]

From my scuba diving days...Lots of bream beds at about 12 - 15. It seems to have more to do with bottom composition than anything. I used to dive a lake that had bluegills on beds just about all summer. The beds were in three main areas and they seemed to be active at different times. Looking back I wish I kept more detailed records but I wasn't doing much fishing through the diving years.

 

One area was active early (springish?) shallower, like 6-10 ft.  It was small gravel mixed with some sand and this weeds that grew several ft off the bottom. My wife and I used to just hang out and watch a three ring circus. The bluegill would chase bass fry while the male bass chased them off. All the while the catfish would be trying to sneak up on the bluegill beds.

 

The deeper beds were on an old road bed down to about 15 ft or so. Those were some of the largest gills. Those are the deepest beds that I remember.

[AJ Hauser]

On 8/20/2023 at 7:48 AM, MGF said:

The deeper beds were on an old road bed down to about 15 ft or so. Those were some of the largest gills. Those are the deepest beds that I remember.

 

This is very cool! Thank you for the info - and I wish you were taking "better notes" back then too, lol. Seriously though this is awesome, thank you

[N Florida Mike]

If you find bream beds , bass will often be lurking around the outer edges waiting to pick off the bream !

[AJ Hauser]

5 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

If you find bream beds , bass will often be lurking around the outer edges waiting to pick off the bream !

 

Noted - thank you

[Darth-Baiter]

Bream beds look like the dimples of a golf ball.  or the surface of the moon.  they litter the area.  

 

that was the one time i had water clear enough to see them. 

[AJ Hauser]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Bream beds look like the dimples of a golf ball.  or the surface of the moon.  they litter the area.  

 

that was the one time i had water clear enough to see them. 

 

Excellent - thank you guys!