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JACKSON — May arrives in Mississippi and the fishing season is in full swing. While the action-packed spawning season for bass and crappie may be winding down, bream season is soon to be upon us.

Bream is a popular name given to bluegill, redear sunfish, and other members of the sunfish family. They are a smaller bodied fish and can outfight, pound-for-pound, nearly anything in the water and fry up just as well.

Bream have a long reproductive season, during which fish may spawn multiple times. This means their “peak season” lasts much longer than that of many other fish – often into the summer. Bream can be caught around submerged structure and near spawning beds in water ranging from 3 to 5 feet deep.  Bream beds are typically located in calmer areas of the lake that have sand or gravel bottom substrate.

Gearing up for bream fishing can involve anything from a simple cane pole to a lightweight fly rod. For most, the “go to” equipment includes an ultralight or light rod, with corks, split shot weights, and small hooks baited with crickets or worms. If you’re looking for a challenge, try artificial baits such as small jigs, inline spinners, or soft plastics. Many will be surprised to know that great bream fishing may be closer than you realize. Good places to catch bream include farm ponds, Community Fishing Assistance Program (CFAP) lakes, State Fishing Lakes, State Park lakes, and even larger waters such as oxbow lakes and reservoirs.

A bream fishing trip is a great way to get kids and beginners hooked on fishing because bream can be easy to catch and are capable of producing near nonstop action. Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned angler or someone fishing for the first time, the excitement never changes as you watch your cork slip under the water and the fight begins.

Bob M. Dearing State Park Fishing Reports: 

Bass

Bass fishing has been fair. Try fishing for bass in 3 – 6 feet of water. Try using red colored Texas rigged soft plastic lures to catch shallow fish. Some anglers have been having some success using large weedless junebug colored jigs imitating a fleeing crawfish.

Crappie

Crappie fishing has been fair. Try fishing the outside edge of timber targeting standing tree tops in 5 – 15 feet of water with minnows or jigs. Fish attractors located in deeper water should be good this time of year.

Bream

Bream have been biting fair. Try tight lining worms along the flat in front of cabins fishing in 3 – 6 feet of water.

Catfish

Catfish have been biting good lately. Try tight lining with liver on points or treetops in 10 – 15 feet of water. Commercial blood baits can also be good lures to fish with.

Water temperature — 78 degrees

Water Visibility — 24 inches