The Bream Fishing Project

Ep 185: Hobie Kayak Fishing,Round 1, Bemm River, Feb 17-18, 2026

Hobie Fishing Series 2026 Round 1 – Bemm River | Greg & David Crebert Go 1–2 | Leon Leong Breaks It Down
In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to Bemm River in Victoria for Round 1 of the 2026 Hobie Fishing Series, held on 17–18 February 2026.
This round was sponsored by St. Croix Rods and Strike Pro, and it produced one of the best stories you could ask for to start the new Hobie season.
At the end of two fascinating days of fishing, the event delivered a remarkable result with brothers Greg Crebert and David Crebert finishing first and second, while Leon Leong rounded out the podium in third place after a very methodical and thoughtful tournament performance.
This episode includes discussion about:
• tournament strategy at Bemm River• fishing weed edges and flats• how wind direction shaped the event• lure choice for big BREAM• breaking down open water structure• the mental side of tournament fishing
Hosted by Andrew Death, the 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion, this episode is a great recap of a cracking tournament and a strong start to the 2026 Hobie season.
Event Overview
Event: Hobie Fishing Series 2026 – Round 1Location: Bemm River, VictoriaDates: 17–18 February 2026Round Sponsors: St. Croix Rods and Strike Pro
Bemm River once again showed why it is such a respected tournament location, producing strong bags and interesting tactical fishing.
The winning total weight was 6.14 kg, which works out to just over 1 kg per fish across the six fish weighed over the two competition days.
Special Awards and Division Winners
Big BREAMCameron Cole – 1.15 kg
Monster MoverCorey LeanDay 1 – 0.14 kgDay 2 – 1.96 kg
Youth DivisionRiley Whelan – 2.62 kg
Women’s DivisionRuth Beeby – 4.30 kg
Masters DivisionPatrick Byrne – 4.33 kg
First-Time CompetitorDavid Chapman – 1.97 kg
Overall Podium Results
🥇 1st Place – Greg CrebertTotal – 6.14 kg
🥈 2nd Place – David CrebertDay 1 – 2.29 kgDay 2 – 2.97 kgTotal – 5.26 kg
🥉 3rd Place – Leon LeongDay 1 – 2.23 kgDay 2 – 2.71 kgTotal – 4.94 kg
Leon Leong – Third Place
Leon Leong’s interview is one of the highlights of this episode.
Andrew notes during the conversation that listeners should pay attention to the way Leon broke down the system and worked through the conditions, because his approach was very disciplined and thoughtful.
Leon explains how his preparation included:
• listening to previous Bemm River podcast episodes• researching the fishery online• testing the river during pre-fish before abandoning that plan• identifying a key five-foot zone with broken weed patches
Using side scan, Leon located fish holding around weed patches and worked through the area very methodically.
His key lures and tackle included:
• Cleaver Sprat plastics• Wave Minnow• Clone Prawn• Atomic Deep 38 crankbait• three-pound leader• Atlas tungsten jigheads• Shine Away and S-Factor scent
Leon describes how:
• the fish wanted long pauses and subtle bites on Day 1• on Day 2 they responded strongly to the Cleaver Sprat• broken weed patches in about five feet of water held the better fish• kayak positioning and wind direction were critical
For third place Leon took home:
• $895 cash• St. Croix Mojo Bass rod• trophy and sponsor prize pack• qualification for the Australian Championship
Greg and David Crebert – Brothers Finish 1st and 2nd
One of the best stories from the event was the Crebert brothers finishing first and second.
Andrew interviews Greg Crebert and David Crebert together, which makes for a fun conversation as they talk about fishing together and competing against each other.
They explain that:
• every fishing trip between them becomes competitive• they record results when fishing socially• they share information but still want to beat each other• this result was special because it happened with family
Pre-Fish Strategy
The Creberts kept things simple during pre-fish.
They headed toward Mahogany, where they quickly found fish holding close to the reeds.
Key lures included:
• Sprat 75 soft plastics• Baby Vibes
During pre-fish the fish were sitting extremely shallow, right near the reeds.
Day 1
Conditions changed slightly and the bigger fish were no longer right in the shallows.
Both anglers moved slightly deeper to target fish around weed edges.
David Crebert
• early fish – 900 g• second fish – 540 g• third fish – 760 g
Day 1 total – 2.29 kg
Greg Crebert
• early fish – 900 g• second fish – 450 g• third fish – 1.1 kg• later upgrade – 980 g
Day 1 total – 2.97 kg
Greg finished Day 1 in first place.
Day 2
Stronger winds on Day 2 forced both anglers to adjust by moving to heavier jigheads while continuing to fish the same productive area.
David Crebert
Late upgrades pushed his bag to:
2.97 kg on Day 25.26 kg total
Greg Crebert
Greg found a late bite window and upgraded strongly with several quality fish.
Final winning weight – 6.14 kg
Key Lures and Techniques
This episode includes lots of useful insight into lure selection and tournament tactics.
Lures mentioned
• Sprat 75 plastics• Cleaver Sprat• Wave Minnow• Clone Prawn• Atomic Deep 38• Baby Vibe
Key tactical themes
• targeting broken weed patches• reading side scan for fish positioning• adjusting to wind direction• changing jighead weights for wind conditions• fishing productive depth zones rather than just banks• staying patient until feeding windows appear
The Bream Fishing Project
Hosted by Andrew Death2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion
The Bream Fishing Project brings you:
• tournament recaps• interviews with top anglers• BREAM lure fishing tactics• kayak tournament strategy from around Australia
New episodes every Tuesday.
Join The Bream Fishing Project Collective
Want deeper insight into tournament tactics and discussions around episodes like this?
Join The Bream Fishing Project Collective for:
• early access to episodes• live streams• bonus content• deeper tournament discussion
Join here:
breamfishingproject.supercast.com
Support the Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode please consider:
• following the podcast• leaving a rating or review• sharing it with a mate who loves chasing BREAM on lures
 

Ep 184: Hobie Kayak Fishing, Round 9, St Georges Basin, 4-5 Oct ,2025

Hobie Fishing Series Round 9 – St Georges Basin | Grant Oliver Claims First Hobie Win | The Bream Fishing Project
In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to St Georges Basin on the South Coast of New South Wales to recap Round 9 of the 2025 Hobie Fishing Series, brought to you by BerleyPro and Fish Tech Solutions.
This was a tough two-day tournament, with only three full bags recorded across the entire field, but despite the difficult conditions there were still some standout performances, including a dominant win from Grant Oliver, who put together two full bags for a total of 4.57 kg and secured his first Hobie Fishing Series victory.
Host Andrew Death, the 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion, was also on the water for this event and sets the scene for a challenging but memorable weekend that included changing conditions, strong bite windows, a daylight savings time change, and a few big storylines — including the season-long Batman and Robin battle between Simon Morley and Tony Petty.
If you enjoy tournament recaps, kayak fishing strategy, and hearing how top anglers break down difficult BREAM events, this is an episode worth listening to.
Event Overview
Event: Hobie Fishing Series Round 9Location: St Georges Basin, NSWDates: 4–5 October 2025Sponsors: BerleyPro and Fish Tech Solutions
St Georges Basin produced a very tough round, with anglers having to adapt to changing weather and low bag numbers across the field.
Conditions and Bite Periods
Saturday – 4 October
Fish Activity Wheel: 60Major Bite Period: 8:02 AM – 10:32 AM
High Tide: 6:12 AM – 1.18 mLow Tide: 11:51 AM – 0.44 m
Sunday – 5 October
Fish Activity Wheel: 74Major Bite Period: 9:49 AM – 12:19 PM
High Tide: 7:49 AM – 1.29 mLow Tide: 1:39 PM – 0.32 m
A couple of factors made the event even tougher:
• A north-westerly wind came through on Sunday• Daylight savings changed on Saturday night, meaning anglers effectively started an hour earlier on Sunday
The result was a challenging competition where every fish counted.
Division Winners
Anaconda Big BREAM
Ben Harrison – 0.99 kg
Monster Mover
Luke Rogan – 1.95 kg
After recording zero on Day 1, Luke came back strongly on Sunday to claim the Monster Mover prize.
Women’s Division
Leanne Cowen
Leanne landed three fish for 1.97 kg on Saturday, which was enough to secure the women’s division and finish 12th overall.
Masters Division
Peter Nord – 2.62 kg
Peter recorded 1.99 kg on Saturday and one fish for 630 g on Sunday.
Overall Podium Results
🥇 1st – Grant OliverDay 1: 3 fish – 2.27 kgDay 2: 3 fish – 2.30 kgTotal: 4.57 kg
🥈 2nd – Adam LalorDay 1: 3 fish – 2.15 kgDay 2: 3 fish – 1.35 kgTotal: 3.50 kg
🥉 3rd – Rick KingDay 1: 3 fish – 1.85 kgDay 2: 2 fish – 1.30 kgTotal: 3.15 kg
Only three anglers recorded full bags for the entire tournament, highlighting just how tough the fishing was.
Rick King – Third Place
Rick King continued what he described as a “purple patch” season, finishing third overall with 3.15 kg.
Rick committed to fishing the islands, using shallow crankbaits and blades to grind out bites in difficult conditions.
Key lures and techniques discussed in this episode:
• Pro Lure Combat crankbaits• Stealth blades• Slow rolling crankbaits to avoid weed• Fishing 1–2.2 metres around the islands
Rick finished the season 7th in Angler of the Year and walked away with:
• $550 cash• Hobie trophy• Sponsor prize pack
Adam Lalor – Second Place
Adam Lalor had one of the most dramatic performances of the event.
After struggling most of the morning on Day 1, Adam suddenly caught three fish in three casts to secure a bag over 2 kg.
Key techniques Adam discusses in the episode:
• Daiwa Rolling Cranks in brown suji• Fishing shallow structure around the islands• Switching to Hurricane Vibe 37 in camo crab• Fishing the entire event on 2 lb fluorocarbon
Adam also talks about rod choices, including Millerods Flats Freak rods, and how long casts helped him cover water effectively.
For second place Adam received:
• $915 cash• BerleyPro Bottom Drawer storage system• Trophy• AC qualification• Sponsor prize pack
Grant Oliver – First Place
Grant Oliver delivered the standout performance of the tournament, catching two full bags for a winning total of 4.57 kg.
Grant relied on years of accumulated marks around St Georges Basin and focused on a consistent pattern fishing 2–2.5 metres around the islands.
Key lures and techniques:
• Jackall Chubby Deep – brown suji• Pro Lure Clone Prawn• Gulp Nemesis soft plastics• Slow rolling crankbaits into weed and sand patches• Targeting known fish-holding structure
After filling his bag early both days, Grant upgraded multiple times to secure a winning margin of just over one kilogram.
First place winnings included:
• $1,500 cash• Hobie trophy• Sponsor prize pack• Australian Championship qualification
Batman vs Robin – The Season Result
For years, Simon Morley and Tony Petty have jokingly been called Batman and Robin, a nickname given by Peter Nord.
The rule is simple:
Whoever finishes highest becomes Batman.The other becomes Robin.
Round 9 Result
Simon Morley – 7th place (2.58 kg)Tony Petty – 8th place (2.57 kg)
Just 10 grams separated them, meaning Simon Morley was Batman for the round.
2025 Angler of the Year
Joseph Gardner
Simon Morley
Tony Petty
Jack Gamy
Ryan Honeybrook
Adam Lalor
Rick King
Brendan Pieschel
Greg Cooper
Peter Nord
This means Simon Morley was Batman for the 2025 season as well.
Why This Episode Is Worth Listening To
This episode is packed with insights for anglers interested in:
• BREAM tournament fishing• Hobie kayak fishing events• St Georges Basin fishing strategies• lure selection in tough conditions• two-day tournament tactics• how top anglers adapt when fish are hard to catch
When only three anglers manage full bags, every decision becomes important — and that’s where the best lessons come from.
The Bream Fishing Project
Hosted by Andrew Death,2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion.
Each week the show features:
• tournament recaps• interviews with top anglers• lure fishing strategies• kayak fishing insights
Join The Bream Fishing Project Collective
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Join here:breamfishingproject.supercast.com
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Ep 183: Hobie Kayak Fishing, Round 8, Burrill Lake NSW, October 2, 2025

Hobie Kayak Fishing Series 2025 – Power-Pole Round 8 | Burrill Lake | Luke Rogan Takes the Win
In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to the south coast of New South Wales for the Power-Pole Round 8 of the 2025 Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, held at Burrill Lake.
What started as a calm, mill-pond morning quickly turned into an absolute washing machine of wind and waves, making for a very challenging day of tournament fishing.
Despite the tough conditions, the anglers still managed to find some quality fish, with Luke Rogan rising to the top with a winning bag of 2.58 kg, ahead of Corey Lean in second place and Daniel Quarmby in third.
Host Andrew Death (2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion) sits down with the podium anglers to break down exactly how they approached Burrill Lake, the key decisions they made throughout the day, and the lures and techniques that ultimately produced their fish.
Event Overview
Location: Burrill Lake, NSWSeries: Hobie Kayak Fishing Series 2025Round Sponsor: Power-Pole
With strong winds forecast later in the day, the event launched early at 6:00 AM to give anglers the best possible window to fish before conditions deteriorated.
Bite Periods
Major Bite Window: 6:22 AM – 8:52 AM
Tides for the session:
High Tide – 4:26 AM (1.05 m)
Low Tide – 9:38 AM (0.68 m)
Even with a good bite window early in the morning, Burrill Lake fished very tough, with only a small number of anglers managing to secure full bags.
Tournament Results
🥇 1st Place – Luke Rogan3 fish – 2.58 kg
🥈 2nd Place – Corey Lean3 fish – 1.88 kg
🥉 3rd Place – Daniel Quarmby3 fish – 1.82 kg
Big BREAM:Wade Walker – 1.17 kg
Daniel Quarmby – Third Place
Daniel travelled five hours from Orange in Central West NSW to compete in the event and went into the tournament without a pre-fish.
Starting on the edges with crankbaits, Daniel initially struggled to find BREAM and instead caught several pinkie snapper and flathead while searching the lake.
Eventually he located fish holding deeper off a point and switched to soft plastics, using:
Keitech Easy Shiner
Z-Man Grub (motor oil)
Light jigheads with a long fluorocarbon leader
By anchoring in shallow water with his Power-Pole and casting into deeper water around six metres, Daniel slowly worked his plastics along the bottom and secured three scoring fish.
His biggest fish measured 37 cm, helping him claim his first Hobie podium and his first tournament trophy.
Corey Lean – Second Place
Corey focused on deeper structure and drop-offs early, finding fish holding slightly off the edges rather than up shallow on the flats.
Fishing lightly weighted soft plastics and prawn-style lures along a drop-off, he secured two fish early before landing his key fish for the day.
One of his best BREAM came from beneath a pontoon boat sitting over deeper water, where he skipped a soft plastic under the structure and hooked a 41 cm fish on light line.
As the wind intensified, Corey made the decision to head back early for safety, finishing the day with three fish weighing 1.88 kg and securing second place.
Luke Rogan – First Place
Luke’s winning strategy involved committing to fishing upstream in the creeks, despite hearing reports from other anglers that the area hadn’t been producing fish.
Fishing crab-style crankbaits around deeper snags, Luke found BREAM holding slightly off the bank in deeper water rather than tight to structure.
Once he located the fish, he quickly secured his bag, landing multiple quality fish to finish with 2.58 kg, giving him a clear win in the tough conditions.
Gear and Techniques Discussed
During the episode the anglers discuss a range of gear and techniques used during the event, including:
Samurai Infinite rods
Samurai Reaction rods
Shimano Stella reels
Atomic X8 braid
Soft plastics and prawn-style lures
Crab-style crankbaits
Long fluorocarbon leaders
Power-Pole anchoring systems
Listen to The Bream Fishing Project
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday
Hosted by Andrew Death – 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion
The Bream Fishing Project brings you:
• Tournament recaps from around Australia• Interviews with elite competition anglers• Techniques to help you catch more BREAM on lures
Join The Bream Fishing Project Collective
Become part of the community through The Bream Fishing Project Collective, where members get:
• Early access to episodes• Monthly live streams with anglers from around the country• Extra fishing content and discussions
Join here:https://breamfishingproject.supercast.com
Support the Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider:
⭐ Subscribing⭐ Leaving a rating or review⭐ Sharing the show with a mate who loves BREAM fishing

Ep 182: Action Fishing Tournaments, Round 8, Berowra Waters, September 21, 2025

In this episode of The BREAM Fishing Project Podcast, we head to Action Fishing Tournaments Round 8, held at Berowra Waters on September 21, 2025, for a fascinating look at how this event unfolded and how a standout bag of fish separated one angler from the rest of the field.
This was a cracking little tournament, with plenty of storylines right through the top placings. Ben Gillespie put together an incredible winning bag of 123.5cm, built around fish measuring 44cm, 42cm and 37.5cm, to take a commanding win by a huge margin. Warren Allen returned to the show after finishing second with 107.5cm, while James Tran continued his strong run of form with another podium finish, taking third with 106.5cm. The episode also rounds out the top five, with Jose Lopez on 105.5cm, including a 48cm Big BREAM, and Josh Richards on 101.5cm.
As always, the episode opens with the key conditions for the day, including the bite periods, fish activity and tides. On Sunday, September 21, 2025, the fish activity wheel sat at 97, with a major bite period from 10:11am to 12:41pm. The tide information for the event saw a high at 7:53am (1.55m) and a low at 1:53pm (0.25m), helping paint the picture of how the day set up and why certain patterns came into play.
The first interview is with James Tran, who backed up another strong result with a smart and disciplined performance to finish third. James talks through a valuable pre-fish session where he spent time sounding out fish and experimenting with deeper presentations, including blades and soft plastics, before ultimately trusting his instincts on tournament day. He explains how he found fish holding away from the edges during pre-fish, but then abandoned that plan once competition day began and instead committed to his confidence technique around hard structure.
James goes deep into his use of the Cranka Crab, explaining how he cast tight to rocky edges, pontoons and gnarly structure, often placing the lure right into tight gaps and holes. He describes a day built on accurate casting, slow lure movement and confidence in fishing close to the bank. He also shares details of his gear, including his move to 4lb straight-through fluorocarbon, fishing with near locked drag, and using a Shimano Raider rod paired with a Vanford 2500. It’s a detailed discussion about commitment, accuracy, confidence in light line, and how a simple edge-fishing pattern can still produce under pressure.
James also shares some entertaining stories from the day, including the chaos of the launch, some on-water banter with fellow competitors, and a frantic late rush back to the ramp to avoid another costly late check-in. It adds a lot of personality to the episode and shows just how much happens in a comp day beyond simply catching fish.
Next up is Warren Allen, who finished second by fishing to his strengths. Warren explains how he skipped pre-fish and instead relied on past experience from fishing Berowra Waters in previous events. After trying a few different approaches early, including fishing boats, blades and other lure options, he eventually settled on one of his confidence techniques: a Hurricane Sprat on a hidden-weight 1/28 jighead.
Warren breaks down a really interesting pattern, where he found fish set up not behind the rocks, but actually on the front of the rocks in the current pressure wave. He talks about visually spotting the structure, reading clearer water in the shallows, and making repeated casts to likely ambush points. He also explains how small details like current flow, rock positioning and bait movement influenced where the BREAM were sitting. For anglers who love finesse fishing, this section is full of practical insights, especially around lure weight, hook selection, leader choice and the importance of understanding where fish position themselves in current.
To finish the interviews, Ben Gillespie joins the show after a dominant win. Ben did not pre-fish, but used a mix of past experience, map work and sounder research to develop a plan around likely productive edges and drop-offs. Once on the water, he stuck to that plan, eventually finding a section of rocky edge and broken structure that held multiple quality fish. Ben talks through how he cast his Cranka Crab hard against the bank, let it settle, and then worked it back slowly with tiny movements and occasional shakes. The fish were often hitting within the first few winds, and he was able to repeat the pattern again and again across the right type of structure.
Ben’s interview is packed with detail on how that winning bag came together, including the type of banks he preferred, why steeper drop-offs were less effective than rocky edges with rubble and back eddies, and how critical confidence in the lure was on the day. He also explains his tackle setup, including 8lb braid and 8lb leader, and talks about the rod he trusts most for crab fishing. His winning fish did serious damage to his lures, flattening trebles and destroying the crab bodies, which gives you a fair idea of how hard the better fish were eating.
This episode is a great listen for anyone interested in kayak tournament fishing, Australian BREAM fishing, Cranka Crab techniques, edge-fishing patterns, light-line structure fishing, and the fine details that often separate a good bag from a winning one. It also captures the community side of kayak comps, with plenty of laughs, on-water stories and appreciation for the people who make these events happen.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about fishing a tournament, this episode also highlights why the Action Fishing Tournaments format is such a good entry point. It’s a friendly and welcoming scene, and this round is a perfect example of how simple patterns, smart decisions and a bit of commitment can put you right in the mix.
In this episode:
Action Fishing Tournaments Round 8 at Berowra Waters
Event date: September 21, 2025
Top five results and standout bags
Bite period and tide breakdown
James Tran on another podium finish
Warren Allen’s finesse soft plastic pattern
Ben Gillespie’s dominant crab-fishing win
Cranka Crab retrieves, structure choices and gear setups
Light line versus heavier leader discussions
Tournament strategy, pre-fish preparation and on-water adjustments
Top 5 Results:
Ben Gillespie – 123.5cm
Warren Allen – 107.5cm
James Tran – 106.5cm
Jose Lopez – 105.5cm
Josh Richards – 101.5cm
If you enjoyed this episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next show. There’s a flurry of episodes coming, and plenty more tournament breakdowns, fishing stories and tactical insights on the way.

EP: 181 The Monthly Report March 2026, with Brett Geddes

The BREAM Fishing Project – March 2026 Monthly Report
March is here and the tournament scene is starting to fire back up around the country. In this Monthly Report episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, Andrew is joined by Brett Geddes to look ahead at what’s coming up in the next few weeks, reflect on the Marlo round, and dive deep into some technical discussions that will help you catch more and better BREAM.
We kick things off by running through the March tournament calendar, including the BREAM Masters SA event on the Glenelg River, the Hobie round at Wallaga Lake (including the Saturday night talk session), WA boat rounds, the NSW Tournament Series event at Lake Macquarie, and Vic BREAM at Gippsland Lakes. There’s also a bit of exciting news around the first official BREAM Fishing Project Team heading to Vic BREAM — something we’ll be watching closely.
From there we unpack the listener survey results, with over 140 responses from the community. We talk through what listeners are enjoying, what they want more of, and some of the feedback around species coverage and content direction moving forward.
A big portion of this episode is dedicated to a full Marlo recap, including Brett’s last-minute trip down, pre-fish observations, the challenges of a boom-and-bust fishery, and some honest reflections on how quickly a session can unravel when you miss key details like hydration and preparation. There are some great takeaways here for anyone fishing systems that can turn on and off quickly.
The second half of the episode shifts into a detailed soft plastics and rigging session. We explore:
Using heavier jighead weights and a more aggressive retrieve to trigger bites
How different jighead weights can completely change lure action and presentation
Rigging a prawn-style soft plastic multiple ways (forward, backward, and mid-body hook placements)
Weedless rigging options and when they’re most effective
How subtle rigging adjustments can change your hook-up rate and presentation in pressured systems
Brett also shares his flies eyes / dumbbell eyes concept, originally adapted from fly fishing, and how it can be used to control sink rate and lure orientation when targeting fish in shallow water. This leads into some really interesting discussion around sight fishing opportunities and how to present plastics in front of actively feeding BREAM.
We also touch on Andrew's recent session at Towra Flats, a quick chat about Arc Genesis hooks (use code BFP to support the show and grab a discount), and finish up with a wrap on a sight fishing session at Lake Tyers and some gear insights including Hobie sunglasses.
This episode is packed with practical takeaways, honest reflections from recent tournament experiences, and plenty of ideas you can apply on your next session.
🎣 Join The Collective
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👉 Join here: breamfishingproject.supercast.com
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Share the episode with a mate
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Thanks for listening to The BREAM Fishing Project — we’ll see you on the water.

EP 180: ABT, Round 2, Mallacoota 7-8 Feb, 2026

🎣 Mallacoota ABT 2026 Wrap-Up | Mark Healey’s 3-Peat, Non-Boater Battles & Tactical Breakdowns
In this episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, we head to one of Australia’s most iconic tournament arenas — Mallacoota, Victoria — to wrap up the Victorian leg of the ABT Road Show for 2026.
Held across February 7–8, this round delivered classic Mallacoota conditions — glassed-out mornings, spooky fish, heavy prawn activity, and a brutal 40+ knot northeaster that turned the final session into survival mode.
And at the top of it all… Mark Healey makes history with a three-peat at Mallacoota.
This is a deep-dive tournament breakdown packed with real-world tactics, lure selection, decision-making under pressure, and the subtle details that separate top-10 finishes from the rest of the field.
🏆 EVENT RESULTS SNAPSHOT
Non-Boater Division
🥇 1st – Robert Bluemink – 4.997kg🥈 2nd – Michael Sammut – 4.601kg🥉 3rd – Darcy Clifton – 4.524kg
Boater Division
🥇 1st – Mark Healey – 10.131kg (Three-peat winner)🥈 2nd – Mario Vukic – 9.707kg🥉 3rd – Jarrod Healey – 9.372kg
🌊 CONDITIONS & KEY PATTERNS
Glass-out mornings with highly visible fish on edges and flats
Spooky fish behaviour – requiring finesse presentations
Heavy prawn influence across both days
Mid-water fish holding identified via live sonar
Strong northeaster (up to 40 knots) impacting final-day strategy
Tidal timing critical for access to larger yellowfin down the front
🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE
This episode is loaded with practical, tournament-level insights you can apply straight away:
🔹 Non-Boater Strategies
Fishing deeper water behind boaters to find untouched fish
Adjusting lure profiles when fish are present but not feeding
Using LiveScope/sonar feedback to refine presentations
Managing pressure and upgrades across two days
🔹 Boater Winning Tactics
Mark Healey’s two-zone strategy (lake system + front system)
Timing tide windows for big yellowfin BREAM bites
Using topwater, twitch baits, and prawn imitations to match conditions
Adapting to wind, current, and boat pressure
🔹 Key Lure Patterns
SPRAT plastics on light jigheads (1/16–1/12)
Hybrid prawn imitations for mid-water fish
Bent minnows for early topwater fish
Chubbies & twitch baits for structured edges
Crabs and shallow minnows as upgrade tools
🧵 GEAR & TECHNIQUE INSIGHTS
Light leaders: 3–6lb fluorocarbon for natural presentation
Ultra-light rod setups for finesse lure control
Adjusting jighead weight to match wind, depth, and current
Watching fish behaviour on sonar to guide retrieve style
The importance of slow presentations and patience in pressured systems
🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM MALLOCOOTA 2026
You didn’t need numbers — you needed quality bites
Prawn imitations were the dominant pattern across both divisions
Sight-casting and subtle presentations were critical in clear water
Mid-water fish played a bigger role than bottom-holding fish
Timing the front system correctly was the difference maker
🔗 LINKS & COMMUNITY
👉 Join The BREAM Fishing Project CollectiveEarly episode access, live streams, bonus content and challenges:https://breamfishingproject.supercast.com
📸 Follow along on Instagram@thebreamfishingproject
🌐 Website & community updateshttps://breamfishingproject.com
🙌 THANK YOU
Massive thanks to all the anglers who took the time to jump on the mic after long tournament days — your willingness to share knowledge is what makes this project possible.
And to everyone who filled out the recent listener survey — your feedback is helping shape the future of the show.
🎧 Subscribe, share and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode — it helps grow the BREAM community and keeps these stories coming.
The BREAM Fishing ProjectInforming, inspiring, and entertaining Australia’s BREAM anglers every week.

EP 179: ABT, Round 1, Gippsland Lakes 3-4 February 2026

ABT 2026 Season Opener – Gippsland Lakes | Winning Techniques, Gear, and Tournament Breakdown
The 2026 ABT season is officially underway — and it starts with a cracker event at Gippsland Lakes.
In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project Podcast, we break down the ABT Gippsland Lakes Round (February 3–4, 2026) with full tournament results, in-depth angler interviews, bite period analysis, and the exact techniques that produced winning bags.
If you want to catch bigger BREAM in tournaments or recreationally, this episode is loaded with practical insights from anglers who were right at the top of the leaderboard.
📍 Event Overview – ABT Gippsland Lakes
Dates: February 3–4, 2026
Location: Gippsland Lakes, Victoria
Conditions: Tough bite periods, shifting wind, and subtle presentations required
Winning weight (boaters): 12.81 kg
Winning weight (non-boaters): 5.413 kg
🌊 Key Bite Windows & Conditions
We break down the fish activity wheel, tides, and major/minor bite periods, including:
Major bite windows late in both sessions
Low tide early morning, rising into strong late-session periods
Subtle bites and structure-oriented fish behaviour
Understanding this pattern was critical to unlocking the better fish during both competition days.
🥇 Top Performances – Non Boater Division
🥇 Simon Krause – 1st Place (5.413 kg)
Slim Swims rigged weedless on light jigheads
River fish holding 1.5–1.8m off banks
Slow bottom hops and subtle rod shakes
Last-minute upgrade on a Jackall Chubby sealed the win
🥈 David Morris – 2nd Place (5.318 kg)
Hardbody spike bite on shallow flats
Hurricane Sprat upgrade fish
Ultra-fine copolymer leader for extra bites
🥉 Allan Morrison – 3rd Place (5.187 kg)
Heavy mussel patterns on jetties
Slow bottom presentation with long pauses
Over-1kg average fish across his bag
🥇 Top Performances – Boater Division
🥇 Steven Pryke – 1st Place (12.81 kg)
Bloodworm grubs and dock fishing
High water-column fish holding around pontoons
Final-hour upgrade fish each day secured the win
Strong hook-sets on heavier gear to control big fish
🥈 Mark Healey – 2nd Place (12.152 kg)
Cranka Crabs all tournament
Fishing deep structure and jetty bases
Slow presentations — bites coming off the bottom
Precision casting within inches of structure
🥉 Mario Vukic – 3rd Place (11.404 kg)
Soft plastics (Wave Minnow, Bloodworm)
Livescope + structure fishing in Mitchell River
Tide-driven fish movement and schooling behaviour
🎣 Key Techniques Covered in This Episode
✔️ Fishing slim plastics weedless from the back of the boat✔️ Using Cranka Crabs on structure for big BREAM✔️ When to fish light leaders vs heavy leaders✔️ How to adjust when fish are sitting high vs on the bottom✔️ The importance of last-hour upgrades in tournaments✔️ Using side imaging and Livescope to locate fish✔️ Managing pressure, nerves, and decision-making across two days
🧰 Lures & Gear Mentioned
Jackall Chubby Crankbaits
Daiwa Spikes & Wise Minnow
Hurricane Sprat
Zman Slim Swim soft plastics
Bloodworm grubs
Cranka Crabs
Atomic jigheads (weedless setups)
Shimano Vanford 
Daiwa reels and Infeet rods
🧠 Big Takeaways from Gippsland Lakes 2026
Structure was key — jetties, docks, river edges
Light lines = more bites, but heavier gear = better control in structure
Fish often required slow, patient presentations
The last hour of each day was critical for upgrades
Anglers who adapted quickly to conditions finished at the top
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🎙 About The Podcast
The Bream Fishing Project Podcast is your weekly deep dive into Australian BREAM tournament fishing, featuring:
Elite anglers
Winning techniques
Tackle breakdowns
Tournament reports
And everything you need to catch more and bigger BREAM
Hosted by Andrew Death, 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion.
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🎧 Next Episode:We head to Mallacoota for the next ABT round — don’t miss it.
 

EP 178: Bream Masters SA Championship Round Port River 2nd November 2025

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to South Australia to review the BREAM Masters South Australia (BMSA) Tackle Tactics Championship Round 2025, held on the Port River on November 2nd, 2025.
This was a strong finish to the season with good numbers of legal BREAM weighed in, and it also rounded out a standout year for Paul Cook, who capped things off with a huge result across the season.
Results – Top 5
1st: Paul Cook – 2.17kg
2nd: Josh Bland – 2.09kg
3rd: Ben Harrison – 2.01kg
=4th: Craig Richards – 1.81kg
=4th: Ryan Ottens – 1.81kg
What you’ll hear in this episode
Ben Harrison (3rd – 2.01kg) breaks down a strong pre-fish session, how the day changed with tide movement, and how he mixed Crabbies, Hurricane Skimps and a late hardbody upgrade run — with lightning, rain, and a couple of painful late mistakes.
Josh Bland (2nd – 2.09kg) talks through a no pre-fish approach, fishing a central Port River structure zone, and his lure rotation including the Spike 53 medium running, Bait Junkie Prawn 2.35” (Clear Gold) on a 1/30 jighead, and a bite window on mussel-style lures around pylons — plus his thoughts on the wider impacts of the toxic algal bloom in SA.
Paul Cook (1st – 2.17kg) rounds out the show, reflecting on a rough pre-fish a month out, how conditions improved in the weeks leading in, and the “less is more” mindset that helped him lock in a tight gameplan — focusing on edges, small profiles, and maximising time fishing rather than travelling. He also covers the season wrap-up, prize packs, and what it means to take the championship and season achievements.
The Collective (community + challenges)
If you’re looking to connect with more anglers and get involved in challenges, Zoom sessions, and community chat, check out The Bream Fishing Project Collective (now running on Discord):breamfishingproject.supercast.com
Big thanks to the volunteers behind BREAM Masters South Australia for putting in the work to run the series, and to the sponsors supporting the season.

EP :177 Action Fishing Tournaments Tunks Park, Sydney Harbour, 31, August 2025

 
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Action Fishing Tournaments – Tunks Park (31 Aug 2025) | James Tran wins + Big BREAM (46.5cm), Trent Rogers 2nd, Claudio Araujo 3rd
In this episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, Andrew breaks down the Action Fishing Tournaments round held Sunday 31st August 2025 at Tunks Park (Middle Harbour) — a tough day on the water where half the field didn’t land a fish, but a few anglers cracked the code.
We cover the bite periods + tide info, then jump into the angler interviews with Claudio Arjo (3rd), Trent Rogers (2nd), and James Tran (1st + Big BREAM) — including the stories behind their key fish, the lures they used, and the moments that nearly cost them the result.
Bite periods + tides (as mentioned in the episode)
Fish Activity Wheel: 11
Major bite: 4:01am – 6:31am
Minor bite: 9:25am – 10:55am
Low tide: 6:49am (0.56m)
High tide: 1:46pm (1.32m)
Results (Top 3)
🥇 1st – James Tran: 113.5cm (46.5cm Big BREAM, plus 35cm & 32cm)
Takes home $650 for 1st + $100 Big BREAM
Lands a PB 46.5cm BREAM and wins by 20cm+
🥈 2nd – Trent Rogers: 92cm
Gets his bag fast (first fish around 7:33am), mostly on blades around boats
Takes home $400
🥉 3rd – Claudio Arjo: 91cm (29.5, 29, 32.5)
Finds a bite window early and puts fish together when most struggled
Takes home $250
Lures, gear & patterns discussed (from the interviews)
Deep boat/mooring bite with blades (including Eco Gear VX-35 in 439)
Claudio’s run of fish around 10–12m on a small blade, plus testing a baby vibe (but too slow to sink in that depth)
James mixing muss/crab style lures, Cranka Crab, and Berkley Gulp Crabby, plus the full “comp day chaos” story (bungs, bust-offs, getting snagged on a rope, and climbing onto a boat to free his line)
Shout-outs mentioned
Dane Tamagotchi / Zeus Tackle (Camden)
Adam – fishing.com.au
Steve – Tackle Addiction
Craig + team for running AFT, plus the wider tournament community
Find James Tran
James’ YouTube channel: JG Kayak Fishing
Join “The BREAM Fishing Project Collective”
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Follow the podcast
Instagram: @thebreamfishingproject
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EP176 | Monthly Report – Brett Geddes with Steve Morgan | ABT 2026 & Live Sonar

Welcome to the Monthly Report episode of The BREAM Fishing Project, hosted by Andrew Death, with regular contributor Brett Geddes, and special guest Steve Morgan.
In this episode, Andrew and Brett are joined by Steve Morgan to cover a wide range of topics around tournament fishing, fishing education, and how anglers develop their skills over time. Steve reflects on his long involvement in fishing media and tournaments, including his approach to teaching anglers and the importance of sharing knowledge within the sport.
The conversation explores how people learn to fish, the influence of magazines and media on modern lure fishing in Australia, and how those learning pathways have changed. Steve also shares insights from fishing and competing across different systems and conditions around the country.
A key part of the episode focuses on tournament fishing, including a detailed discussion of the ABT 2026 season, with commentary on venues, timing, and how different fisheries tend to fish throughout the year. The discussion also touches on decision-making during competition days, fishing pressure, and adapting when conditions or plans change.
Steve also outlines his upcoming Live Sonar course, explaining what it aims to teach, who it’s designed for, and how anglers can better interpret what they’re seeing on their screens when using modern sonar technology.
As always, the episode includes the regular Monthly Report segments:
Full Boof-Head, highlighting moments and behaviour that don’t help the fishing community
What Cheeses Me Off, with reflections on online negativity, community discussion, and broader issues affecting anglers
Other topics covered throughout the episode include:
Learning through experience and observation
Differences in fish behaviour across systems
Shallow versus deep water approaches
How sound, lure presentation, and pressure affect fish
Tournament mindset and adapting throughout a session
The episode wraps up with broader reflections on the fishing community and the importance of constructive conversation and shared learning.