THE ULTIMATE ANGLING BUCKET LIST

Already we are seeing that, not only in terms of new species such as the couches and pandora breams
being added to the home waters list within my angling life time, but also the push northwards over the
past several years.
It is now possible to fish Luce Bay in Scotland and successfully target black bream in good numbers, a
species which barely ventured much further north than Cardigan Bay in Wales not that long ago.
A family characterised by laterally compressed, often deep body profiles, a single dorsal fin comprising
sharp spines then softer rays, rough scales, and in many cases an almost metallic look.
Also a family in which sex changing can occur. And as was the case with the mullets, there is an
imposter in there too, the rays bream, which is no relation to the true sea breams of the family sparidae.
It unfortunately just happens to share the word bream in its name.
BLACK BREAM Spondyliosoma cantharus
Bucket List status – result
A typical bream-like fish with a laterally compressed oval body, single continuous dorsal fin comprising
a spiky first section and a softer second section, a small mouth, rough scales, plenty of sharp finger
threatening spines, and a rather metallic looking sheen to its overall visual presentation.
Helping separate the black bream from its many close relatives is its colouration, which can be quite
dark, and in some individuals, as the name suggests, bordering on black, though often as a colour wash
over a silver metallic looking back ground, particularly lower down the flanks.
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