The Bream Fishing Project

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.

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 Maybury 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.

Want More Lure Fishing Content?

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.

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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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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