The growth rate of bream (Abramis brama) had been estimated in one Czech (long-term 15 years study), two English and one Dutch reservoirs. Thermal conditions of these reservoirs were similar. Natural-banked reservoir (Rimov Reservoir, Czech republic) was characterised by dense fish populations (many hundreds kg/ha), poor presence of larger zooplankton, slow growth rate and relatively small maximum sizes of fish. Bowl type impoundments have low fish stocks, large zooplankton and fast fish growth. Despite the fact that bream is an omnivorous fish, zooplankton seems to be the most preferred food if available. As a key diet component the state of zooplankton can be used for the prediction of the bream growth rate for at least the first four years of life. The only exception from this pattern were the first years after impounding Rimov Reservoir, when the fish were growing fast although the large zooplankton was nearly absent due to overgrazing (fish growth was not related to the presence of large zooplankton).