The Bream Fishing Project

The Hobie Kayak Bream Series headed to Little Swanport, Tasmania, producing one of the standout events of the 2026 season. Clear water, expansive weed flats and changing tides tested the field, but those who unlocked the pattern were rewarded with some exceptional black bream.
In EP214, Andrew Death is joined by Tony Pettie and Mitchell Maddison to break down two very different paths to the podium.
Mitchell shares how what started as a relaxed family holiday turned into a third-place finish, fishing alongside his son Cohen, who spent the weekend catching quality bream of his own. He explains how lightly weighted soft plastics, shallow weed beds and understanding the wind helped him build two consistent bags.
Tournament winner Tony Pettie then reveals how he put together an incredible 7.03 kg tournament total, highlighted by a massive 4.13 kg Day Two bag and the Anaconda Big Bream of 1.71 kg. From subtle lure colour changes and jighead selection to timing the tides and reading current flow, Tony's interview is packed with practical tournament knowledge that any bream angler can apply.
Whether you fish tournaments, kayak fish, or simply enjoy learning from Australia's best lure anglers, this episode is loaded with insights that will help you put more quality bream in the net.
🏆 Tournament Results
🥇 Tony Pettie (VIC) – 7.03 kgDay 1: 2.90 kgDay 2: 4.13 kg
🥈 Joseph Gardner (WA) – 6.55 kgDay 1: 3.22 kgDay 2: 3.33 kg
🥉 Mitchell Maddison (NSW) – 6.06 kgDay 1: 3.18 kgDay 2: 2.88 kg
Anaconda Big Bream🐟 Tony Pettie – 1.71 kg
Monster Mover📈 Gareth Goodhew – 0 kg → 2.35 kg
Division Winners
Youth: Ethan Howard – 4.42 kg
Women's: Ruth Beeby – 4.79 kg
Masters: David Shanahan – 5.84 kg
First Time Competitor: Selwyn Edson – 1.72 kg
In this episode
• Building tournament-winning bags on shallow Tasmanian weed flats
• How tide timing dictated the bite
• Fishing lightly weighted soft plastics over ribbon weed
• Choosing jighead weights for changing wind and current
• Lure colour changes that triggered better fish
• Landing trophy black bream on light leaders
• Fishing a major tournament alongside family
• The story behind Tony Pettie's incredible 4.13 kg Day Two bag
Locations
Little Swanport • Tasmania
Brands Mentioned
Hobie Kayak Bream Series • Hurricane Lures • Atomic • Daiwa Bait Junkie • Anaconda
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• Extended podcast episodes• The complete Big Bream Series• Monthly fishing challenges• Live Zoom sessions• Our members-only Discord community• Exclusive content you won't hear anywhere else
If you simply want more audio content, The Vault gives you access to the extended episode library without the community features.
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Round 4 of the Atomic Tournament Series headed to the Georges River and Botany Bay, with plenty of rain, a tricky tide and some exceptional tournament fishing.
Host Andrew Death sits down with the top three teams to break down exactly how they approached the day, the decisions they made on the water and the techniques that produced the winning bags.
Although all three teams finished on the podium, each found success in a completely different way. From lightly weighted plastics around moored boats, to targeting sticks in Woolooware Bay, to fishing oyster-covered structure and pontoons, this episode is packed with practical tournament knowledge that any bream angler can apply.
There is also plenty of discussion around modern electronics, including Lowrance ActiveTarget, lure selection, jighead weights, leader choice, tournament decision-making and how changing conditions affected the bite throughout the day.
Round sponsor Samaki also gets a mention, with a story about Harvey catching quality bream while chasing mulloway on a Samaki soft plastic.
Round 4 Results
🥇 1st – Rise Above PlumbingGlenn Ross & Shaun Eagan5 Fish – 4.44 kgBig Bream – 1.35 kg
🥈 2nd – Hooked Up / DDH PlumbingDaniel Holden & Steven Cefai5 Fish – 4.32 kg
🥉 3rd – Team ShimanoJason Mayberry & Mick Duck5 Fish – 4.12 kg
In this episode
• Breaking down three completely different winning tournament strategies• Fishing moored boats with lightly weighted plastics• Targeting fish around sticks, pontoons and oyster-covered structure• How Lowrance ActiveTarget helped locate and catch fish• Choosing the right jighead weights for changing conditions• Leader selection and fighting big fish on light line• Tournament decision-making under pressure• Lure selection that produced podium finishes
Locations Covered
Botany Bay
Georges River
Woolooware Bay
Oyster Bay
Kogarah Bay
Sylvania Waters
Featured Brands
Atomic Tournament Series • Samaki • Shimano • Daiwa • Lowrance • Bait Junkie • Rapala 
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Become part of The Lure Fishing Project Collective and gain access to:
• Exclusive extended podcast episodes• The Big Bream Series archive• Monthly fishing challenges• Live Zoom sessions• Discord community• Behind-the-scenes content and much more.
If you'd prefer bonus audio only, check out The Vault, where you'll find the extended podcast library without the community features.
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If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating or review and share it with a mate. It really helps us continue growing the Australian lure fishing community.
We'll catch you on the water.
 
 
 

Luke Rogan has done it again.
In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, we head to Queensland for one of Australia's premier bream tournaments – the 2026 Samaki BREAM Queensland Open. Across two days of competition, anglers tackled Moreton Bay before heading south to the Gold Coast, with changing conditions, different bite windows and plenty of strategic decisions separating the leaders.
Joining me on the podcast are the three anglers who stood on the podium:
🥉 Chris Greensill – A brilliant comeback after a difficult start to Day 2, including a fascinating discussion on using ActiveTarget, reading fish behaviour and making late tournament decisions that ultimately secured third place.
🥈 Jamie McKeown – One of Australia's most consistent tournament anglers explains his evolving approach to boat hulls, stick minnows, hybrid shrimp, crankbaits and why slowing down with Live Sonar has changed the way he fishes.
🥇 Luke Rogan – Back-to-back Queensland Open champion. Luke shares how he approached the event with minimal pre-fishing, adjusted to heavy fishing pressure around Redcliffe and overcame equipment issues to claim another major title.
Along the way we also discuss:
Live Sonar and how it's changing tournament strategy
Boat hull and pontoon cranking
Stick minnows vs hybrid shrimp
Crankbait colour selection and why chrome continues to dominate
Tournament decision making under pressure
Reading tides, current and fish positioning
The mental side of tournament fishing
Plus... a little State of Origin banter that nearly derailed the evening!
If you're serious about tournament bream fishing, there's plenty to learn from three anglers who approached the same event in very different ways.
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The 2026 Daiwa BREAM Series headed west to the iconic Blackwood River for the Garmin-sponsored round, and despite favourable fish activity predictions, the anglers were met with changing weather, difficult conditions and some very tough decisions over two days of competition.
In Episode 211 of The Lure Fishing Project, Andrew Death sits down with the podium finishers to unpack exactly how they approached one of Western Australia's premier bream fisheries.
You'll hear how anglers adapted to changing wind directions, why some abandoned productive areas while others stayed committed to their game plan, and the subtle lure, retrieve and location changes that ultimately separated the winners from the rest of the field.
Throughout the episode, the anglers discuss:
How they approached pre-fishing and prepared for tournament day.
The influence of wind, tide and changing conditions throughout the weekend.
Why tiny adjustments to retrieve speed made all the difference.
Fishing shallow flats versus deeper structure.
Working mussels, blades, crankbaits, stick minnows and soft plastics.
How modern electronics helped locate fish on otherwise featureless flats.
Managing tournament pressure and making the right decisions when the bite slowed.
Lessons learned from fishing alongside some of Australia's best tournament anglers.
Featured interviews include:
Boaters
🥇 Alex Greisdorf (plus Mercury Bonus winner) – 5.970 kg🥈 Benjamin Oakes – 5.370 kg🥉 Callum Dowell – 4.770 kg
Non-Boaters
🥇 Michael Sammut – 3.230 kg🥈 Darcy Miller – 3.110 kg🥉 Oliver Franke – 2.925 kg
Whether you're a tournament angler or simply looking to catch more bream, this episode is packed with practical information you can apply on your next trip.
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What does it take to catch your first Murray cod?
In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, I sit down with accomplished kayak angler Joel Crosbie to break down the fundamentals of Murray cod fishing.
Many anglers know Joel from his success in tournament bream fishing, but after stepping away from the competition scene for several years, he immersed himself in chasing Australia's iconic freshwater predator. In this conversation, he shares the lessons he learned, the mistakes he made, and the simple approach he'd recommend to anyone wanting to catch their first cod.
In this episode we cover:
Joel's journey from tournament bream to Murray cod.
The three lures he'd recommend to beginners.
Rod, reel and line setups.
Fishing structure and lure presentation.
Kayak tactics for Murray cod.
Surface strikes, big fish stories and lessons learned.
Practical tips to help shorten your learning curve.
Whether you're planning your first cod trip or you're simply curious about one of Australia's most exciting sportfish, this episode is packed with practical advice and entertaining stories.
Looking for more?
A longer, extended version of this interview is available exclusively to members of The Lure Fishing Project Collective and The Vault, where Joel shares additional stories, techniques and insights that didn't make the public release.
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Episode 209 – Action Fishing Tournament Round 1 | Berowra Waters
The 2026 Action Fishing Tournament season gets underway at Berowra Waters, with three anglers who all took very different paths to the podium.
In this episode, Andrew Death sits down with the top three finishers to break down exactly how they approached the day, the adjustments they made, and the key decisions that produced the winning bags.
🥇 Jeff Kirkby talks through his first tournament victory, including the 45.5cm big bream that anchored his winning bag and how a simple modification to his Baby Vibe proved to be the difference.
🥈 Rick King explains how an explosive surface bite on cicadas transformed an average start into another podium finish, along with why he believes the fish were holding deeper than expected.
🥉 Zane Duce shares the story of his first Action Fishing Tournament podium after surviving three hours without a legal fish before a late-session change completely turned his day around.
Throughout the episode you'll hear discussions on:
• Fishing transition periods• Surface cicada techniques• Baby Vibes and stick minnows• Working pontoons, rock edges and deep banks• Leader choices and lure modifications• Competition strategy and decision making under pressure• How three very different approaches produced almost identical bags
Congratulations to Geoff, Rick and Zane on outstanding performances to kick off the season.
If you're looking to improve your tournament fishing or simply enjoy hearing Australia's best lure anglers explain exactly how they caught their fish, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
🎣 The Lure Fishing Project is proudly supported by the people and companies helping grow lure fishing across Australia.
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Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you in the next episode.
#LureFishingProject #BreamFishing #TournamentFishing #KayakFishing #BerowraWaters #ActionFishingTournaments #AustralianFishing #FishingPodcast #KayakTournamentFishing

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.
If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow the show, leave a review and share it with another angler.
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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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Join The Vault for:
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Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project. We'll catch you in the next episode.
 

 
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.
Want More From The Lure Fishing Project?
Join The Vault for:
• Extended interviews• Bonus content• The Big Bream Series• Early access releases
Or join The Collective for:
• Everything in The Vault• Discord community access• Live Zoom sessions• Challenges and member-only discussions
Find out more at:
lurefishingproject.supercast.com
Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project.
We'll see you on the water.

 
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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The Lure Fishing Project now offers two membership options:
The Vault• Extended interviews• Bonus content• The Big Bream Series• Early access releases
The Collective• Everything in The Vault• Discord community access• Live Zoom sessions• Challenges and member-only discussions
Join us at:
lurefishingproject.supercast.com
Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project.
We'll see you on the water.