Best baits and tackle

There is no shame in using a cane pole with live bait, a combination that has fed many a hungry stomach.

But a Mississippi-based company, B&M Poles of West Point, offers a vast array of poles made of fiberglass and space-age materials. Crappie poles also work well for bream and collapse for easy storage and travel.

Every major tackle maker offers light and ultra-light rod and reels for every taste. While many anglers opt for 4-pound monofilament, Stuart recommends a 6-pound mono or a stronger braided line with a 4 to 6 pound diameter.

“There have been too many times when I have been fishing for bream and find myself with a 6-pound catfish with a swallowed bream hook,” Stuart said. “A few shakes of the head and those catfish teeth will abrade the line, causing it to break.”

Bream baits come in many forms, from insects to worms, and a long list of artificals. Crickets are tops on the list according to a bait shop manager at Chotard. In years past roaches were considered a top bait for big bluegills. Not the big winged roaches that people pay to have exterminated, but smaller brown roaches.

Tiny artificial lures also have a place in bream tackle. An ultra-light rod/reel combo loaded with 4- to 6-pound test line will do the trick and allow the tiny baits — some 1/8-ounce or lighter — to be cast on target. Artificals take many forms such as grasshoppers, frogs, minnows, grubs and beetles. The Beetle Spin, in green and black, is a top choice everywhere.