The Bream Fishing Project

EP208 I July Monthly Report – Hobie Tournament, New Boat, Nev's Fishing & Australian Lure Fishing Update

Welcome to the July Monthly Report from The Lure Fishing Project.
This month Andrew and Brett catch up on everything that's been happening throughout June, from kayak tournaments and family fishing to new boats, upcoming competitions and the latest developments within The Lure Fishing Project.
In this episode we discuss:
• The Georges River Hobie Kayak Bream Tournament and Harvey's first Hobie event.• The incredible generosity of the fishing community in helping young anglers get started.• Brett's remarkable perch fishing in the Gippsland Lakes and the techniques producing consistent results.• A catch-up with Nev from Nev's Fishing and the work behind one of Australia's biggest fishing YouTube channels.• Progress on Andrew's new boat and plans for a Lowrance Recon electric motor.• Fishing the upcoming Shimano Flathead Australian Open.• Around the Grounds – upcoming Australian bream and kayak fishing tournaments.
Whether you're into bream, perch, flathead, kayak fishing or simply enjoy hearing great fishing stories, there's plenty to enjoy in this month's report.
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EP207 | A First Vic Bream Classic Victory At Marlo

The Vic Bream Classics headed back to Marlo for the 2026 Megabass East Gippsland Bream Classic, and this one had a bit of everything — big bags, tight bite windows, huge schools of salmon, and a first-time win for Team Marlo Bait and Tackle.
In this episode, I catch up with the top three teams:
• Alex Franchuk and Paul Malov from Team Millerods – 3rd Place• Dan Mackrell and Declan Betts from Team Samurai Rods – 2nd Place• Harry Young and Brad Young from Team Marlo Bait and Tackle – 1st Place
The event was shaped by low water, limited flow, heavy boat traffic, and massive numbers of salmon sitting above the bream. For many teams, the challenge was not just finding the right fish, but getting through the salmon and slowing presentations down enough to tempt quality bream underneath.
Across the interviews we discuss:
• Fishing under massive schools of salmon• Why the edge bite was tough• Slow plastics in open water• Bloodworm colours, grubs, prawns and paddle tails• Using ActiveTarget and sonar to identify bream amongst mixed species• Managing bite windows that only lasted a few minutes• Why spot management was critical over two days• Fishing heavy leaders and weedless-rigged plastics tight to structure• Harry and Brad Young’s first Vic Bream Classic win
Team Marlo Bait and Tackle put together a dominant performance, weighing 5.490kg on day one and 5.365kg on day two for a total of 10.855kg. Their win came from backing their plan, fishing their water, managing their spots, and staying calm when Sunday morning started slowly.
If you fish Marlo, East Gippsland, or any system where fish sit under bait and salmon, there are some great lessons in this one.
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Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project. We'll catch you in the next episode.
 

EP206 | Cisco: Bass, Bream & BFS

 
In this first Angler Profile episode for The Lure Fishing Project, I sit down with Cisco Sevilla for a fascinating conversation that covers far more than just fishing.
Growing up on the US/Mexico border in Southern California, Cisco learned his craft chasing largemouth bass around some of the most famous bass fisheries in America. Long before Australian bream fishing entered the picture, he was spending his days walking lake edges, throwing plastic worms, learning baitcasters and immersing himself in the bass fishing culture that would eventually shape the angler he is today.
Along the way, he introduces me to a bass fishing technique called "stitching"—something I'd never heard of before—which leads to a fascinating discussion about how anglers approached deep-water bass fishing long before today's technology existed.
After moving to Australia with little more than a suitcase, an address and a sense of adventure, Cisco slowly found his way into the Australian fishing scene. What began as a search for something to fill the gap left by bass fishing eventually evolved into a passion for bream fishing, kayak tournaments and BFS tackle.
In this episode we discuss:
• Growing up on the US/Mexico border• Learning to fish for largemouth bass in Southern California• Early bass fishing techniques and tackle trends• The old-school bass fishing technique known as "stitching"• Moving to Australia with just $300 in his pocket• Discovering Australian bream fishing• How BFS changed everything• Favourite BFS tackle and rod selections• Topwater fishing for bream• Texas rigging, crankbaiting and bottom-contact techniques• Tournament fishing and kayak competitions• Lessons learned from both bass and bream fishing
Cisco is one of those anglers who sees fishing through a unique lens, combining decades of bass-fishing experience with a genuine passion for Australian bream fishing. The result is a conversation packed with stories, practical insights and plenty of laughs along the way.
This episode has been edited for public release. Members of The Lure Fishing Project can access the complete extended conversation with Cisco, including additional content not included in this version.
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Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project.
We'll see you on the water.

EP205 | NSW Tournament Series, St Georges Basin – Is The Basin Back?

 
The Atomic New South Wales Tournament Series headed to St Georges Basin for Round 3, and while the fishing has been tough at times over recent years, there are some encouraging signs that this iconic fishery is on the rebound.
In this episode, I catch up with the anglers who finished on the podium and break down the patterns, decisions and lure choices that shaped the event.
First up, Luke and Dean from Flick Wits discuss how a last-minute pre-fish decision paid off, finding quality fish in deeper water and using LiveScope to put together a strong two-day performance.
Next, Hallam and Marlon from Bream Burglars share their shallow-water approach, focusing on weed beds, sand patches and quality fish holding in surprisingly skinny water.
Finally, tournament winner Jason Mayberry joins me to explain how Team Shimano put together a dominant 8.7kg winning bag, including a 44cm yellowfin bream that secured Big Bream honours and helped create one of the largest winning margins we've seen in recent years.
Along the way we discuss:
• Why Hurricane Sprats dominated the event• Shallow versus deep-water approaches• LiveScope and forward-facing sonar tactics• Leader choices and finesse presentations• Finding quality fish after heavy rainfall• The return of healthy yellowfin and black bream to the Basin• How subtle location changes can produce tournament-winning fish
One thing becomes very clear throughout these interviews – if you're heading to St Georges Basin any time soon, make sure you've got a packet of Sprats in the tackle box.
There are also some fascinating insights into how different anglers approached the same fishery. While some teams focused on deeper water and forward-facing sonar, others committed to shallow flats, weed edges and visual fishing. The result was a diverse and highly competitive event that produced some outstanding bags and plenty of lessons for anyone looking to improve their bream fishing.
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Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project.
We'll see you on the water.

EP204: Winning the Blackwood – Three Anglers, Three Different Approaches

The 2025 Western Australian Kayak Bream Series Grand Final is in the books, and once again the Blackwood River produced a fascinating tournament.
In this episode, Andrew catches up with the anglers who finished on the podium:
🥇 Joseph Gardner – 1st Place🥈 Alex Griesdorf – 2nd Place🥉 Greg Cooper – 3rd Place
The three anglers took very different paths to their results, providing a great insight into how the Blackwood River fished during the event.
Joseph breaks down how a 990g kicker bream early on Day 1 set the foundation for victory, while Alex explains how electronics, water layers and a mid-water presentation helped him put together one of the strongest bags of the tournament. Greg shares his approach of constantly rotating through different lure styles and adapting to changing conditions, including an interesting observation about fish positioning away from traditional structure.
In This Episode
✅ How Joseph Gardner secured another major win on the Blackwood River✅ The importance of finding a single kicker fish in tournament fishing✅ Using ActiveTarget and sonar to identify fish positioning✅ Fishing freshwater runoff and salt wedge conditions✅ Joey's Pygmy Mussels, Bream Prawns, Slim Swims, Grubs and Vibes✅ How lure selection changed throughout the event✅ Long leader systems and tournament tackle setups✅ The role of local knowledge in high-level tournament fishing✅ WA Kayak Bream Series Grand Final recap
Whether you're a tournament angler or simply looking to understand how experienced anglers break down a river system, there's plenty to take away from this episode.
Featured Anglers
🥇 Joseph Gardner🥈 Alex Griesdorf🥉 Greg Cooper
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EP: 203 Craig Noorbergen Wins the 2026 Daiwa BREAM Australian Open | Full Tournament Breakdown

Episode 203 – 2026 Daiwa BREAM Australian Open | Craig Noorbergen, Steve Morgan & Jamie Mckeown 🎣
The Australian Open is one of the most prestigious events on the Australian tournament fishing calendar, and in Episode 203 of The Lure Fishing Project, we break down the action from the 2026 Daiwa BREAM Australian Open, held on Sydney Harbour from May 19–21.
This event delivered everything you could want from a major championship: huge fish, heartbreaking losses, tactical adjustments, and three anglers who each took a completely different path to the podium.
Andrew is joined by:
Jamie Mckeown – who continued his remarkable Australian Open record with another top finish. Jamie explains how a last-minute switch to stick minnows transformed his tournament, how forward-facing sonar both helped and hindered his decision-making, and why boat hulls continue to be one of Sydney Harbour's most reliable patterns.
Steve Morgan – who put together two incredibly consistent bags using a combination of Aquas, stick minnows and decades of local knowledge. Steve discusses targeting shallow fish in crystal-clear water, fishing washes and moored boats, managing ultra-light line, and converting big fish when it matters most.
🥇 Craig Noorbergen – the first-time Australian Open competitor who turned local Sydney Harbour experience into an unforgettable victory. Craig reveals how he used Cranker Crabs around rock walls, pontoons and structure, why current played such a critical role in his decision making, and how a late-session giant BREAM helped secure the biggest win of his tournament career.
In this episode you'll learn:
✅ How Jamie Mckeown used stick minnows and forward-facing sonar to unlock suspended fish around boat hulls
✅ Why Steve Morgan focused on Pittwater, Aquas and shallow cruising fish
✅ Craig Noorbergen's winning crab pattern around Sydney Harbour structure
✅ How tide flow influenced fish positioning throughout the event
✅ The role of current, boat hulls, pontoons and rock walls in producing quality fish
✅ The importance of adapting lure size and presentation during multi-day tournaments
✅ Lessons from three anglers who approached the same fishery in completely different ways
The Daiwa BREAM Australian Open continues to showcase the very best tournament anglers in the country, and this episode provides a rare opportunity to hear exactly how the top finishers approached one of Australia's most iconic BREAM events.
If you're looking to improve your tournament fishing, learn more about fishing Sydney Harbour, or simply enjoy hearing how elite anglers solve problems on the water, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Final Results
 Craig Noorbergen – 11.350 kg
 Steve Morgan – 11.175 kg
 Jamie Mckeown – 10.955 kg
 
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EP202 | The Next Chapter: The BREAM Fishing Project Becomes The Lure Fishing Project

EP202 | The Next Chapter: The BREAM Fishing Project Becomes The Lure Fishing Project
After 202 episodes, The BREAM Fishing Project enters a new chapter.
In this episode, Andrew and Brett discuss the evolution of the podcast into The Lure Fishing Project, what the change means for listeners, and the exciting opportunities it creates moving forward.
While BREAM fishing remains at the heart of the show, the new direction opens the door to conversations about flathead, bass, mulloway, trout, whiting and other lure-caught species from around Australia. The goal remains the same: to learn from great anglers and help listeners catch more fish and make the most of their time on the water.
In this episode:
🎣 Why the podcast is changing its name
🎣 What the changes mean for listeners
🎣 The future direction of The Lure Fishing Project
🎣 Brett's incredible day of 129 BREAM
🎣 Winter fishing tactics and lure selection
🎣 Andrew's new boat and plans to introduce more people to fishing
🎣 Harvey's upcoming Hobie competition debut
🎣 Reflections on family, fishing and the people who inspire us
🎣 Upcoming tournament action from around Australia
Thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast through the first 202 episodes. The name may be changing, but the mission remains the same: helping anglers learn faster, catch more fish and enjoy their time on the water.
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We've introduced two ways to access exclusive content and support the show.
The Lure Fishing Project Vault
The Vault is a growing library of exclusive content from The Lure Fishing Project.
We're starting by unlocking the Big BREAM Series — six in-depth interviews that helped inspire The Bream Fishing Project and ultimately led to the creation of The Lure Fishing Project.
A new Big BREAM Series episode will be released every two weeks, with additional bonus content, extended interviews and exclusive releases added over time.
The Lure Fishing Project Collective
The Collective is where anglers come together to learn, improve and share their fishing experiences.
As a Collective member, you'll receive everything included in The Vault, plus:
🎣 Live Zoom sessions
🎣 Access to the Collective Discord community
🎣 Collaborative lure and technique challenges
🎣 Challenge wrap-ups and member discussions
🎣 Direct interaction with Andrew and other members
🎣 Access to Collective replays and member content
🎣 Opportunities to learn from anglers around Australia
For less than the cost of a single lure each month, you'll gain access to a growing community of passionate anglers committed to learning, sharing and improving together.
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EP 201: ABT Hawkesbury May 2026

The Hawkesbury River delivered another outstanding round of the 2026 Daiwa BREAM Series, and in this episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, Andrew Death reviews all the action from the Bait Junkie Hawkesbury River Round held on May 16–17.
With six detailed interviews covering both the non-boater and boater divisions, this episode provides a complete breakdown of how the event unfolded, the techniques that produced results, and the lessons learned from one of Australia's most iconic BREAM tournament waterways.
The non-boater division produced a remarkable story, with first-time ABT competitor Sam Di Mauro taking victory in his very first event. Having followed tournament fishing for years through podcasts and media coverage, Sam finally took the plunge and entered an ABT event on his home water. His account of the experience, from meeting anglers he had listened to for years through to landing a tournament-winning bag, is one of the highlights of the episode.
You'll also hear from Rodney O'Sullivan, who backed up last year's Hawkesbury success with another podium finish, and Jesse Rotin, whose consistency continues to make him one of the most dangerous non-boaters in the country.
In the boater division, Captain Risky returned to winning form with an impressive two-day total of 9.545kg, ahead of Judd Kirkland and Steve Morgan. Their interviews provide valuable insights into pattern development, adapting to changing conditions, and extracting quality fish from the Hawkesbury system.
Across the six interviews you'll hear discussions covering:
Wash fishing with Cranker Crabs
Fishing Hybrid Shrimp presentations around rocky shorelines
Pontoon and marina tactics using soft plastics
Monster Rolling Cranks and crankbait strategies
Working river rock walls and current lines
Vibe fishing techniques for quality BREAM
Tidal influences and bite period timing
Rod, reel, braid and leader selections
Pre-fish strategies and tournament preparation
The realities of fishing from the back deck as a non-boater
Lessons learned from experienced ABT competitors
Rodney O'Sullivan details how he built both of his bags fishing wash zones with Cranker Crabs and Hybrid Shrimp presentations, while Jesse Rotin dives deep into his approach using Bait Junkie Risky Critters, 295 Flicks, Monster Rolling Cranks and finesse presentations around pontoons and rock structure.
First-time competitor Sam Di Mauro shares his tournament journey, including landing a 1.25kg fish early on day one and learning firsthand how different anglers approach the Hawkesbury system. His story is proof that newcomers can be competitive when preparation meets opportunity.
Whether you're preparing for your own Hawkesbury trip, looking to improve your tournament fishing, or simply enjoy hearing Australia's best BREAM anglers break down their techniques, this episode is packed with practical information and tournament insights.
2026 Daiwa BREAM Series Hawkesbury River Results
Boater Division
🥇 Kristoffer Hickson – 9.545kg🥈 Judd Kirkland – 8.740kg🥉 Steve Morgan – 7.705kg
Non-Boater Division
🥇 Sam Di Mauro – 4.590kg🥈 Jesse Rotin – 4.485kg🥉 Rodney O'Sullivan – 4.450kg
 

EP 200 !!! NSW Tournament Series Round 2 — Big Hawkesbury BREAM on Crabs

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to the mighty Hawkesbury River for Round 2 of the New South Wales Tournament Series, brought to you by Atomic and sponsored by Force Lures.
Run on 26 April 2026, this Hawkesbury round produced a technical and challenging bite, with anglers dealing with low fish activity, timid bites, heavy current flow and tough conditions around the deep rock walls of the river system.
The episode opens with a breakdown of the bite periods and tidal movements, before diving deep into interviews with the top three teams from the event.
First up, Mitch and Mat Simonis from Team Off The Scales break down their third-place finish with 5 fish for 4.06kg. The boys explain how they targeted deep rocky bottom with crabs and blades, how current speed completely changed the effectiveness of their presentation between pre-fish and comp day, and how a late kicker fish helped secure another podium finish. The interview also covers drifting techniques, fishing deep structure, lure control in heavy current and the importance of staying in the strike zone around the Hawkesbury’s brutal reef systems.
Next, Tim Vickers from Team Cronulla Slipways talk through their second-place finish with 4.15kg. Tim details how they chased the outgoing tide upriver using heavy cranker crabs on deep rock walls before adapting late in the session with washes, flats and forward-facing sonar. The interview covers using Mega Live and forward-facing sonar around structure, tracking fish schools on the flats, fishing Box Head washes, leader selection, and how a critical late-session upgrade secured second place in an incredibly tight field.
Finally, event winners Scott Wilson and Col Wilson from Team Surge break down their impressive winning bag of 5.03kg. Fresh off travelling back from Tasmania, the father-and-son team committed to fishing crabs on deep Hawkesbury rock walls despite having no pre-fish. Scott explains how rotating crab sizes, colours and scents — while constantly moving to fresh walls — helped them consistently upgrade throughout the day. They also discuss fishing extremely heavy tackle around reef structure, dealing with ultra-timid bites, fishing around boat pressure, and how they converted key bites into kilo-class fish.
This episode is packed with information for anglers wanting to improve their understanding of:
Hawkesbury River BREAM fishing
Deep water crab techniques
Fishing rock walls and reef structure
Current-based fishing strategies
Team tournament tactics
Wash fishing and flats fishing
Leader and tackle selection
Forward-facing sonar applications in tournament fishing
A huge thank you to all the anglers for making time to record these interviews at short notice.
Sponsors & Links
Check out Force Lures:https://forcelures.com.au
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SEO Keywords
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Hashtags
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EP199 | Swan River Shootout – WA Boat Round 3 Breakdown

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project we head across the country to Western Australia for the final boat round of the 2025 WA BREAM Series, held on the iconic Swan River in the heart of Perth.
This one-day shootout produced some quality fish and plenty of tactical decisions as teams battled changing wind, subtle bite windows, structure fishing and ultra-finicky Swan River bream.
The episode features interviews with:
Travis Newland & Josh Phillips (1st Place)
Aiden & Herbert Miller (2nd Place)
Callum Dow & Oliver Frank from Outback Bream Baits (4th Place)
We dive deep into:
fishing bridge pylons and retaining walls
mussel presentations
crankbait techniques
line control in wind and current
how subtle angles and lure placement changed the bite
pre-fish struggles and tournament adjustments
Swan River structure fishing strategies
and the importance of timing bite windows on tough systems
There’s also plenty of discussion around:
the Outback Bream Baits Muss
the new Shine Away leader treatment product
crankbait retrieves
tournament decision making
and how WA anglers are targeting big pre-spawn bream in urban systems.
Aiden and Herbert Miller also share the story of their first major event fishing together as a father-and-son team, while Travis and Josh break down the adjustments that helped them turn a brutal pre-fish into a tournament-winning performance.
As always, we also run through the bite periods, tides and key tournament conditions from the day.
A massive thank you to everyone supporting the show and The Bream Fishing Project Collective.
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Sponsors & Supporters Mentioned:
Outback Bream Baits
Tackle West
Shine Away
Tackle Addiction
Force Lures
Pro Lure
Shimano
Daiwa
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