The Bream Fishing Project

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, Andrew breaks down the Atomic Tournament Series Round 1, held at Lake Macquarie on March 14–15.

This was a standout event where numbers of BREAM were high, but consistently upgrading to better-quality fish proved to be the key to success. Across the two days, over 300 fish were weighed, with a noticeable drop in average size on day two, making decision-making and execution critical.

The episode begins with a full breakdown of bite periods, tides, and tournament stats before diving into interviews with the top three teams.

🥇 1st Place – James Dunn & Mark Huisken (9.22kg + Big Bream 1.38kg)
A dominant performance built around one key lure — the Samaki Reddick (40LC).

Fishing shallow flats and edges in 1–3 metres, they focused on slow rolling their lures, keeping them close to the bottom and pausing when needed to trigger bites. Early in the session they identified a freshwater/saltwater line, which held fish and allowed them to quickly build a strong bag.

Technique: Slow roll with pauses

Depth: 1–3 metres

Lure: Samaki Reddick (medium & deep)

Key factor: Matching bait profile and staying in productive water

They filled a bag quickly both days (including a 20-minute bag on day two) and spent the rest of the time upgrading, finishing with over 9kg and taking out Big Bream as well.

🥈 2nd Place – Mitch & Matt Simonis (7.52kg)
A highly consistent approach built around 30mm vibes (matte black, no eyes).

Fishing around 2–2.5 metres off weed edges, they worked vibes along the bottom with a hopping retrieve, with most bites coming on the drop. They secured a bag early and upgraded steadily throughout the day.

Later in the session, they switched to topwater (Force Lures Ziggy), raising fish off structure and landing key upgrades.

Technique: Bottom hopping vibes + topwater later

Depth: ~2–2.5 metres

Lures: 30mm vibes (matte black), Force Lures Ziggy

Key factor: Locking in numbers early, then upgrading

🥉 3rd Place – Aaron Clifton & Simon Moore (6.91kg)
A methodical approach starting on the flats before moving deeper to upgrade.

They mixed hard bodies (chubby-style cranks) and plastics, working from shallow water out to 10–15 feet, upgrading fish gradually throughout the day.

Technique: Rotating depths and lure types

Depth: Flats out to 10–15 feet

Lures: Hard bodies (chubby style), plastics

Key factor: Patience and systematic upgrading

A small but critical adjustment — switching from 6lb to 4lb leader — made a noticeable difference in bites.

🎯 Key Takeaways from Lake Macquarie

Early bagging was critical

Upgrading separated the field

Hard bodies, vibes, and subtle presentations dominated

Topwater played a role later in the session

Small adjustments (leader size, retrieve, depth) made a big difference

Fish were holding in specific zones, not everywhere

This is a must-listen episode for anyone looking to improve their tournament BREAM fishing or understand how to break down a system like Lake Macquarie under pressure.

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, Andrew is joined by Vic Bream Classics founder Bill Hartshorne to break down the full 2026 season, including all five rounds and the Grand Final.

With over 20 years of history behind the Vic Bream Classics, Bill shares insights into how the series has evolved, the incredible statistics behind the events, and what anglers can expect from this year’s calendar.

The conversation dives into each round in detail, including Gippsland Lakes, Marlo, Mallacoota, the Hopkins River, and Nelson. Bill explains how each location fishes differently, seasonal changes, and what anglers need to consider when preparing for each event.

There’s also a strong focus on what makes Vic Bream Classics unique, from the team format and grassroots feel to the supportive community that helps new anglers improve quickly. Bill shares stories of how beginners progress through the ranks and how experienced anglers contribute to the growth of the sport.

The episode also highlights:

The structure of the 2026 Vic Bream Classics season

Key locations and expected fishing conditions

How the team format benefits anglers

Sponsor contributions and prize structures

Junior and female angler initiatives

The importance of community and knowledge sharing in tournament fishing

Bill also discusses the future of the series, including opportunities for growth, sponsorship, and ideas for expanding events.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone interested in tournament BREAM fishing, whether you’re looking to compete, improve your skills, or better understand how these events operate.

🎣 Sydney Harbour Showdown! | NSW Tournament Series Round 6 Recap

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we head to iconic Sydney Harbour to break down Round 6 of the 2025 New South Wales Tournament Series, held on September 14.

This was a fascinating event with tough conditions, changing water clarity, and a strong mix of experienced anglers returning to the scene. From early bag limits to last-minute upgrades, this round had it all.

We’re joined by the top three teams as they walk us through exactly how they approached the day, what worked, what didn’t, and the key decisions that shaped their results.

🏆 Top 3 Results & Interviews

🥉 3rd Place – Jason Graham & Craig Norbergen (Team fishing.com.au)
A strong start west of the bridge saw them quickly secure a bag on soft plastics before upgrading with a crucial kicker fish on a crab in the Lane Cove River. They dive into how scent played a key role and how they balanced plastics vs crabs throughout the day.

🥈 2nd Place – Joshua Richards (Team Fanatics)
Fishing shallow rock structure, Josh and his teammate put together an incredibly consistent day, catching fish right from the start and rotating productive zones. With over 30 fish landed, they explain how persistence and simple patterns paid off, plus insights into lure selection, leader choice, and fishing efficiency.

🥇 1st Place – Adam Hughes & Matthew Green (Team Edgy Bites)
A late decision to fish the event turned into a winning performance. Targeting shallow flats in Hen and Chicken Bay, they secured an early kicker fish and built their bag quickly. Their strategy of sticking to strengths, fishing confidently, and making the most of subtle conditions proved the difference.

🎯 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• The importance of getting a quick early bag to unlock upgrade opportunities
• How scent can influence bite conversion in pressured systems
• Adjusting leader strength based on water clarity and structure
• When to commit to plastics vs crabs in Sydney Harbour
• Why confidence and fishing your strengths can win tournaments

🌊 Conditions Overview

• Location: Sydney Harbour
• Date: 14 September 2025
• Low Tide: 6:45 AM (0.49m)
• High Tide: 1:27 PM (1.53m)
• Bite Window: Minor period from 11:19 AM – 12:49 PM

👏 Special Mentions

A big thank you to the New South Wales Tournament Series team for running a fantastic event, and to all competitors who continue to support and grow the sport.

🎧 Listen Now

If you’re looking to improve your tournament performance or better understand how top anglers approach Sydney Harbour, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply on your next session.

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🎣 Hobie Fishing Series Australia – Marlo Round 2 (2026) | Full Breakdown + Angler Interviews

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project Podcast, we head to Marlo, Victoria for Round 2 of the Hobie Fishing Series Australia, held on February 21–22, 2026.

Andrew was on the ground for this one, soaking up the atmosphere, catching up with mates, and diving deep into what turned out to be a fascinating and highly tactical tournament.

Marlo is one of those iconic systems that can reward anglers with big BREAM—but it can also humble even the best. This round showcased exactly that, with strong bags, shifting bite windows, and a mix of finesse and surface techniques proving critical.

🏆 Tournament Overview

We break down all the key results and standout performances from the event, including:

Anaconda Big BREAM: Patrick Byrne – 1.4kg
Monster Mover: Evan Leonard (Donut Day 1 → Huge comeback Day 2)
Youth Division Winner: Riley Whelan
Women’s Division Winner: Beth Harris
Masters (60+) Winner: Lindsay Pryke (4.95kg – inside Top 10 overall)

Top 10 Highlights:
1st – Joseph Gardner – 6.15kg
2nd – Brendan Pieschel – 5.93kg
3rd – Ben Hanscombe – 5.84kg
4th – Simon “Batman” Morley
5th – Dale Baxter
6th – Tyler Bruce
7th – Lindsay Pryke
8th – Leon Loeng
9th – Joe Crosby
10th – James Scott

🎙️ Featured Angler Interviews

This episode includes in-depth interviews with the Top 3 finishers, breaking down exactly how they approached the event:

🥉 Ben Hanscombe (3rd Place – 5.84kg)
Dialled in shallow water finesse bite
Key lure: Pro Lure Hybrid Shrimp
Fishing ultra-light (3lb straight through)
Focused on lake edges and subtle presentations

🥈 Brendan Pieschel (2nd Place – 5.93kg)
Incredible Day 2 comeback with the biggest bag of the tournament (3.56kg)
Key lure: Hurricane Skimp (cleaver colour)
Strategy built around tight casting into reeds and shallow structure
Stuck to one lure for the entire comp

🥇 Joseph Gardner (1st Place – 6.15kg)
First time fishing Marlo and takes the win
Unique approach using surface (Bent Minnow)
Long pauses and ultra-subtle retrieves triggered bites
Focused on less-pressured water in Frenchs Narrows

🧠 Key Takeaways from Marlo

Surface lures can dominate—even in tough systems
Slow presentations and long pauses were critical
Light line vs confidence—finding the balance
Managing pressure and fish location over multiple days
Adapting retrieves based on weather and light conditions

🎣 The Marlo Factor

Marlo continues to prove why it’s one of the most exciting—and challenging—BREAM fisheries in the country.

Big fish are there… but not easy
Bite windows are short and crucial
One decision (or one lost fish) can change everything

🤝 Thanks & Acknowledgements

A big thank you to Hobie Fishing Australasia for running another outstanding event, and to all competitors who shared their insights throughout the episode.

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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 1
Location: Bemm River, Victoria
Dates: 17–18 February 2026
Round 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 BREAM
Cameron Cole – 1.15 kg

Monster Mover
Corey Lean
Day 1 – 0.14 kg
Day 2 – 1.96 kg

Youth Division
Riley Whelan – 2.62 kg

Women’s Division
Ruth Beeby – 4.30 kg

Masters Division
Patrick Byrne – 4.33 kg

First-Time Competitor
David Chapman – 1.97 kg

Overall Podium Results
🥇 1st Place – Greg Crebert
Total – 6.14 kg

🥈 2nd Place – David Crebert
Day 1 – 2.29 kg
Day 2 – 2.97 kg
Total – 5.26 kg

🥉 3rd Place – Leon Leong
Day 1 – 2.23 kg
Day 2 – 2.71 kg
Total – 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 2
5.26 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 Death
2019 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.

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