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Just 395 grams separated first and third at the 2026 ABT Australian Open Bass tournament at Lake St Clair in New South Wales. Three anglers, three different approaches, and one remarkable final fish that helped decide the championship. In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, Andrew Death catches up with the top three finishers to uncover how they approached the tournament, the techniques that produced their fish, and the decisions that ultimately determined the results. From incredibly slow i-Waver presentations around shallow timber to jerkbaits worked through weed beds, this episode offers a fascinating look at competitive Australian bass fishing. And for Andrew, it was enough to spark a renewed interest in heading to Lake St Clair to chase a few bass himself! The Official Results 🥇 1st – Matthew Langford: 8.865 kg 🥈 2nd – Mitchell Cone: 8.490 kg 🥉 3rd – Braden Schuch: 8.470 kg Just 375 grams separated first and second, with only 20 grams between second and third. The tournament was contested over three sessions across two days, with anglers weighing three bass per session. Third Place – Braden Schuch Braden finished with 8.470 kg, relying heavily on a slow-sinking i-Waver to target bass holding around isolated timber, weed and shallow structure. His approach combined patience, precision and forward-facing sonar to identify fish and trigger bites. We discuss: The transition from power fishing to extremely slow presentations. Fishing i-Wavers around submerged timber in just three or four feet of water. How small, sharp lure movements triggered following bass. Using forward-facing sonar to observe fish behaviour. Modifying hooks, leader strength and lure sink rates. The frustration of losing fish in a tournament decided by such small margins. How boat traffic influenced his choice of fishing locations. Braden also shares some fascinating observations from pre-fishing, including bass actively feeding on dragonflies. Second Place – Mitchell Cone Mitchell finished just 375 grams behind the winner, catching every fish he weighed on jerkbaits. Despite initially locating fish around shallow weed and structure, increasing fishing pressure forced him to rethink his approach. One of his most important decisions came during the second session, when he moved away from the crowded creek arm and into the main basin, upgrading his entire bag in the final 45 minutes. We cover: Why the Jackall 61 Squirrel was his preferred jerkbait. Adjusting jerkbait retrieves to fish different depths. Targeting weed pockets, rocky edges and shallow structure. The importance of nearby deeper water. How fishing pressure affected his decisions. Chasing windblown banks and slightly discoloured water. Why changing locations rather than techniques proved so effective. Mitchell also reflects on representing Australia at the World Black Bass Championships in Arkansas and the lessons Australian anglers can take from fishing overseas. First Place – Matthew Langford Matthew claimed his first Australian Open victory with 8.865 kg, collecting $6,250 in prize money. His tournament revolved around identifying productive weed beds, understanding how bass positioned themselves within that weed, and making the most of changing conditions. Using a Rapala XR6 jerkbait, Matthew targeted shallow weed edges, openings and windblown points, concentrating on fish around the one-kilogram mark. But his final session presented a completely different challenge. As the wind dropped away and the water became increasingly clear, Matthew adapted his approach, picking up a black chatterbait for an important upgrade before returning to his jerkbait. Then, with approximately 15 minutes remaining, he made one final move. Matthew watched a bass emerge from the weed, follow his lure and eventually eat it just metres from the boat. That fish provided an upgrade of approximately 400 grams — a remarkable moment in a tournament he ultimately won by just 375 grams. We discuss: Locating productive gaps, corridors and transitions in weed beds. Why wind and slightly dirty water were so important. Fishing the Rapala XR6 over shallow weed. When to move away from productive water. Adapting as conditions became calmer and clearer. The final fish that helped secure his first Australian Open title. What Can We Learn From These Three Anglers? Andrew closes the episode by comparing the approaches of all three competitors and identifying several important patterns. Shallow-water confidence All three anglers successfully targeted bass around shallow structure, even in extremely clear water. Wind and fishing pressure Windblown banks, dirty water and the number of boats fishing an area all influenced where the anglers chose to fish. Confidence versus adaptability Braden committed to his OSP  i-Waver, Mitchell stayed with his jerkbaits while changing locations, and Matthew adjusted both his lure choice and fishing areas as conditions changed. It's a reminder that successful tournament fishing involves far more than choosing the right lure. Understanding fish behaviour, reading the conditions and making good decisions can be just as important. These are lessons that can apply to plenty of other species, not just Australian bass. Join The Lure Fishing Project Collective Want to take your fishing knowledge further? The Collective brings together anglers who want to learn, share ideas and improve their fishing. Members enjoy bonus podcast content, private discussions, live Zoom sessions, fishing challenges and access to a community of like-minded anglers. Join The Collective: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com/ Daiwa Day – 7 November 2026 Braden also discusses the upcoming Daiwa Day at the Horse Paddock in Woolwich, Sydney. The event begins at 11 am and includes fishing brands, equipment demonstrations, talks, casting activities and opportunities to meet anglers from across the industry. Entry is free, but registration is required. Check Daiwa Australia's social media for details. Follow The Lure Fishing Project YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thelurefishingproject Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelurefishingproject Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheLureFishingProject If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe to The Lure Fishing Project, leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform, and share it with another angler. A big thank you to Braden Schuch, Mitchell Cone and Matthew Langford for sharing their experiences. The Lure Fishing Project – Going beyond the results to understand how successful anglers catch their fish.

Six podium anglers. Two days of competition. One extraordinary 10-gram finish. The 2026 Daiwa BREAM Series headed to the Manning River at Taree, NSW, for the Lowrance-sponsored final qualifying round on 17–18 October. After last year's event was cancelled following flooding, the Manning River returned in spectacular condition, with remarkably clear water, plenty of bream and some fascinating fishing. In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, Andrew Death catches up with the top three anglers from both the boater and non-boater divisions to discover exactly how they caught their fish. And what a finish! Adam Kennedy snatched victory from Steve Morgan by just 10 grams, thanks to a crucial upgrade on his very last cast. But there's much more to this tournament than the final scoreboard. Across six interviews, we explore how changing tides, water clarity, lure presentation, fishing pressure and decisions made throughout the weekend influenced the results. NON-BOATERS 🥉 3rd – Michael 'Mikey' Vukic | 2.620 kg Mikey had a difficult Saturday fishing alongside Steve Morgan, watching bream respond to slowly retrieved vibes in deep water while struggling to convert bites on soft plastics. Sunday brought a completely different approach. Fishing with Alan Lister, Mikey went back to techniques he felt confident using, working Daiwa Bait Junkie Grubs across flats and gravelly areas. A quality 31 cm fork-length bream caught as the tide pushed across a shallow gravel area helped lift him from 13th overnight onto the podium. Mikey also discusses learning to fish Ecogear Aqua prawns, controlling his retrieve and why sticking with familiar techniques made such a difference. 🥈 2nd – Stephen Cyster | 2.840 kg Stephen had never fished the Manning River before and chose not to pre-fish, preferring to approach the tournament without preconceived expectations. On Saturday, fishing with Brian Everingham, he found success crawling Cranka Crabs slowly along the edges as the tide changed. Sunday was much tougher. Fishing with Brady White, he struggled through the morning before moving onto a flat and catching fish on a slowly retrieved Atomic Fat 37 Deep crankbait. His third and final legal fish came with only a handful of casts remaining, securing second place. Stephen shares some particularly interesting observations about tentative bites, lure movement, fishing light line and maintaining confidence when the fish aren't cooperating. 🥇 1st – Maksym Nestertsov | 2.990 kg Originally from Ukraine, Maksym brings a fascinating international fishing background to Australian bream tournaments, having represented his country in competitive freshwater fishing. He explains how his experience chasing European trout and predatory species translates to Australian bream fishing. Fishing with Daniel Richardson on Saturday, Maksym discovered the importance of gravelly flats, tidal movement and crankbait selection. After watching Daniel enjoy significantly more success on a Daiwa Rolling Crank, Maksym visited the tackle shop and purchased the same lure for Sunday. Fishing with David Yuill, that decision paid off. Maksym found consistent fish on shallow gravel areas, gradually upgraded his bag and landed his biggest bream just minutes before returning to the weigh-in. He also discusses the differences between braid and monofilament in exceptionally clear water and why he believes fishing as a non-boater offers an incredible opportunity to learn. BOATERS 🥉 3rd – Chris Smith | 5.685 kg Local knowledge proved valuable for Chris Smith, who made an outstanding start to the tournament. After drawing boat number one, Chris headed straight to a highway bridge and found himself fishing it virtually alone while much of the field concentrated on another bridge. Using a deep-running Spike 44 and Cranka Crabs, he quickly established a quality bag, including a 35 cm fork-length bream. He then headed into the Lansdowne River, where Ecogear Aqua Prawns produced an incredible session with approximately 20 fish caught during the final two hours. Unfortunately, Sunday's fishing didn't follow the same pattern, demonstrating just how quickly a successful tournament strategy can change. And there's a brilliant bonus story involving an 89 cm flathead Chris caught on the morning of his wedding! 🥈 2nd – Steve Morgan | 5.830 kg Steve Morgan continued an extraordinary season, finishing second by the narrowest of margins and securing the 2026 BREAM Boater Angler of the Year title. His pre-fish suggested a strong surface bite, with bream responding to Bent Minnows around current-affected banks and oyster racks. But competition day revealed something completely different. Using forward-facing sonar, Steve located schools of bream suspended in deeper water and discovered that an incredibly slow retrieve with a vibe was significantly more effective than aggressive lure movements. Steve explains what he could see on the sounder, how the fish reacted to different retrieves, and why even a small change in lure behaviour could switch them off. There's also some excellent advice for anglers who don't have forward-facing sonar, including how to locate and target suspended fish using conventional electronics. 🥇 1st – Adam Kennedy | 5.840 kg Adam Kennedy produced a remarkable tournament victory, catching his fish predominantly around highway bridge pylons using Cranka Crabs and small mussel-style lures. Precision was absolutely critical. Adam describes positioning his boat, casting within centimetres of the structure and using the current to carry his lure underneath the pylons. Rather than constantly moving the lure, he relied on controlled presentations, dead-sticking and occasionally opening the bail arm to allow the lure to drift further into the strike zone. After a strong Saturday, Adam returned to the bridges on Sunday and steadily built his bag. Then, with almost no time remaining, he made one final move to a different set of pylons. Two late upgrades followed, including a 50-gram improvement on his very last cast. That final fish helped deliver victory by just 10 grams. An incredible finish and a fascinating explanation of the precision, persistence and confidence required to win at this level. WHAT WE LEARNED Some of the most interesting lessons from this tournament include: Why slower presentations were so effective when bream were reluctant to commit. Dead-sticking crabs and mussels compared with slow-rolling crankbaits and vibes. How bream behaved around bridge pylons under different current conditions. Fish holding on shallow gravel flats versus suspended in deeper water. The influence of changing tides on fish positioning and feeding activity. Using forward-facing sonar to understand lure reactions. Why fishing 4 lb line sometimes produced more bites than heavier alternatives. Adapting your strategy when a successful day-one pattern stops working. How casting accuracy and lure positioning can be more important than lure selection. Why the final few casts of a tournament can change everything. Six different anglers, a huge variety of techniques and plenty of practical information for anyone looking to improve their bream fishing. 🎣 GO DEEPER WITH THE LURE FISHING PROJECT COLLECTIVE One of the most interesting things about these interviews is what happens when you start comparing them. Different anglers fishing the same river, in the same conditions, sometimes using completely different techniques — yet describing surprisingly similar fish behaviour. We're taking that analysis further inside The Lure Fishing Project Collective. By cross-referencing tournament interviews, tides, bite periods, lure presentations and the decisions anglers made throughout the competition, we're looking for patterns and lessons that might otherwise be missed. The idea is simple: go beyond what lure caught the winning fish and start understanding why, when and how different approaches worked. If you've enjoyed these interviews and want to get more out of the information Australia's best tournament anglers are sharing, come and join us. Collective members also receive access to our private Discord community, live Zoom sessions, fishing challenges, bonus content, replays and everything inside The Lure Fishing Project Vault. Join The Collective: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com TOURNAMENT RESULTS & INFORMATION 2026 Daiwa BREAM Series – Lowrance Manning River 17–18 October 2026 | Taree, NSW Official ABT event information, weigh-ins and scoreboards: https://abt.org.au/2026-daiwa-bream-series-lowrance-manning-river-17-18-oct-event-results-info/ SUPPORT THE SHOW Steve Morgan's Live-Sonar Masterclass – My Fishing Coach If you'd like to learn more about locating fish and understanding their reactions on forward-facing sonar, Steve Morgan's course covers sonar operation, settings, fish behaviour, lure presentations and targeting techniques. https://www.myfishingcoach.com/courses/live-sonar-masterclass/ Use code LFP10 for 10% off. ARK Genesis Lead-Free Jig Heads https://arkgenesis.com.au/ Use code BFP for 15% off. Using our promotional codes may earn The Lure Fishing Project a commission, helping support the production of more fishing content. FOLLOW THE LURE FISHING PROJECT Instagram: @lurefishingproject Facebook: The Lure Fishing Project Podcast: https://andreww3.podbean.com/ A massive thank you to all six anglers for sharing their experiences and to Steve, Nicole and everyone involved with ABT for putting on another great tournament. If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with another lure angler. Thanks for listening. Andrew Death The Lure Fishing Project

Bremer Bay in Western Australia has delivered some extraordinary bream fishing, with an average fish weight of 778 grams across the Hobie Qualifier. Big bags, aggressive fish and a nail-biting finish made this one a tournament to remember. In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, Andrew Death catches up with the top three finishers to break down exactly how they caught their fish, the lures that worked and the decisions that made the difference. 🥇 Paul Burton — 1st Place | 5.735 kg Paul arrived having never fished Bremer Bay before. After a challenging start, he discovered quality bream holding around windblown banks and rocky bombies. Using Sprats and S36 Pro hardbodies, he adapted to the changing conditions and produced a three-kilo bag on the final day to take the win. 🥈 Ben Oakes — 2nd Place | 5.645 kg Ben used Baby Vibes to establish his bags before targeting bigger fish along shallow, hard-bottomed areas. He explains how smaller hooks improved his hookup rate, why the fish were holding around changes in depth and how Slim Swims helped him find those important upgrades. 🥉 Alex Griesdorf — 3rd Place | 5.600 kg Alex targeted quality bream around the timber upriver using grubs, Sprats and Streaks. He also found an incredible shallow-water Chubby bite, catching a bag in just a few casts. Alex claimed Big Bream honours with a 1.18 kg fish. In this episode: Why Bremer Bay produced such impressive average fish weights Fishing windblown banks, rocky bombies and submerged timber Baby Vibes, Slim Swims, Sprats, Chubbies and S36 Pro hardbodies How lure weight, leader strength and hook selection influenced the results Finding bigger fish among large numbers of quality bream Adjusting techniques as wind, water clarity and fishing pressure change Three anglers, three different approaches and plenty of lessons you can take into your next bream session. 🎣 Join The Lure Fishing Project Collective Get access to bonus episodes, extended fishing discussions, our private Discord community, member Zoom sessions and more. https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com Enjoy the episode, and thanks for supporting The Lure Fishing Project

In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, we head back to the Action Fishing Tournaments round from 1 February 2026 and speak with the top three anglers from the event. Third-placed Joshua Richards worked rocky edges with a two-inch Slim Swim before switching to crabs — and once he made the change, the bites came thick and fast. One of the big lessons from Joshua’s session was just how shallow the fish were sitting on the high tide, including multiple bream coming from the top of individual rocks. Pasted text Pasted text Second-placed James Scott started with a Sprat 75 on a light hidden-weight presentation before changing to a Pro Lure Hybrid Shrimp as the bite changed. He also found an important difference in where the better fish were positioned — smaller fish tight to the mangroves, with the bigger bream sitting further off the edge. Pasted text Pasted text Then we talk to winner James Tran, who put together a 115 cm bag topped by a 41.5 cm bream. James takes us through fishing mussel-style lures around bridge pylons, jetties and heavy structure, losing fish and lures early, changing tackle to cope with the structure, and using line movement on the drop to recognise bites. Pasted text Pasted text There are some excellent practical lessons in this one around: • Fishing rocky edges on high water • Matching lure weight to shallow water • Crabs, prawns, plastics and mussel-style lures • Reading line movement on the drop • Finding better-quality fish away from the obvious edge • Fishing heavy structure with heavier leader and locked drag • Changing presentations when a bite starts to fade • Why sometimes the best tournament decision is simply fishing away from the crowd Final podium: 🥇 James Tran — 115 cm 🥈 James Scott — 112.5 cm 🥉 Joshua Richards — 106.5 cm Pasted text Pasted text Pasted text A quick note: these interviews were originally recorded when the show was still called The Bream Fishing Project, so you’ll hear the old name during the interviews. We’ve since become The Lure Fishing Project. 🎣 Join The Lure Fishing Project: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com Members get access to bonus content, the Vault and, for Collective members, our Discord community, Zoom sessions, challenges and more. If you enjoy the episode, follow the show and share it with another lure angler.

Welcome to EP232 of The Lure Fishing Project — and our first dedicated Australian bass episode. There probably couldn’t be a better guest to kick it off. Steve Morgan joins me fresh from an incredible run, winning back-to-back ABT Bass qualifiers at Somerset and Wivenhoe — around 20 years after his first ABT Bass qualifier victory. This conversation goes well beyond those two tournaments. Steve takes us right back through the evolution of Australian tournament bass fishing, from the early days of spinnerbaits, Sliders, ice jigs, Fireline and basic sounders through to the modern era of forward-facing sonar, strolling and targeting individual fish. We dig into what Steve learned at Somerset and Wivenhoe and why two neighbouring fisheries required very different approaches. Steve explains how he finds roaming bass with live sonar, how he positions the lure above the fish, what he watches for when a fish reacts and why sometimes the best thing you can do is actually move the lure away from the fish rather than toward it. We also cover Steve’s incredible Wivenhoe pre-fish session, matching lure size to the available bait, hook positioning in soft plastics, winter bass behaviour, finding fish without forward-facing sonar and the importance of being prepared to fail while learning something new. There are plenty of numbers in this one too — including a Somerset winning bag of around 23.8 kg for ten bass, a 3.35 kg fish, and Steve’s remarkable turnaround at Wivenhoe from one small fish the previous year to 19.4 kg for ten fish this time around. Perhaps the biggest lesson is that buying the technology isn't the same as learning how to use it. Steve has spent a huge amount of time watching fish, experimenting and understanding how bass respond to a lure. STEVE MORGAN’S LIVE-SONAR COURSE If you want to take the forward-facing sonar side of this episode further, Steve’s Live-Sonar Masterclass is available through My Fishing Coach: https://www.myfishingcoach.com/courses/live-sonar-masterclass/ Use the code LFP10 for 10% off. Using the code also helps support The Lure Fishing Project. JOIN THE LURE FISHING PROJECT COLLECTIVE Join the Collective for member content, Zoom catch-ups, fishing challenges, access to the Vault and the LFP community: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com Thanks for listening to our first Australian bass episode. Andrew The Lure Fishing Project

Spring is warming up, the fish are starting to move, and this month there’s plenty to unpack. Brett Geddes joins Andrew for another Lure Fishing Project Monthly Report, looking at what’s been happening on the water and what they’ve learned from it. Nev Hayes kicks things off with an extraordinary estuary perch session, landing fish of 50, 54, 57 and 58cm in the one outing. Brett has had a pretty memorable month himself, including a cracking 51.5cm bass, while continuing to pile up some remarkable perch and bream numbers. Andrew has also been spending more time back in the Hobie, getting ready for the Grand Final at Woy Woy and experimenting with ActiveTarget. That leads to jewfish, snapper and some interesting lessons about how fish react to lures on forward-facing sonar. There’s also plenty more in this episode: The devastating bream fish kill at Little Swanport in Tasmania Tony Pettie’s eventful journey to the China Open The latest reports from Mallacoota Spring bream pushing back onto the mangrove edges Why short, sharp fishing sessions can sometimes be incredibly effective Land-based estuary perch on weedless plastics New lures heading to Mallacoota Carl Dubois catching a metre mulloway on bream gear — without a rudder and with a net nowhere near big enough A look through an old ABT Tournament Angler Guide and how much bream fishing has — and hasn’t — changed The upcoming October tournament calendar It’s another wide-ranging Monthly Report packed with fishing stories, techniques, observations and plenty of laughs. SUPPORT THE SHOW ARK Genesis Lead-Free Jig Heads Use code BFP for 15% off. ARK Genesis Steve Morgan’s Live-Sonar Masterclass — My Fishing Coach Use code LFP10 for 10% off. The course covers how live sonar works, settings, locating and targeting fish, lure presentation and species-specific techniques. My Fishing Coach Steve Morgan’s Live-Sonar Masterclass Join The Lure Fishing Project Members get access to extra content, the community, challenges, Zoom sessions and more. https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com

The Lure Fishing Project heads north for the 2026 Daiwa Bream Series Atomic Gladstone Round, held on September 19–20. Gladstone proved to be one of the most unique stops on the calendar. Small neap tides, huge tidal variation, mangroves, bridge pylons, rock walls, shallow reefs and deep drop-offs all played a part — and almost every angler interviewed talked about just how much fun the fishery was. In this episode we speak with the top three anglers from both the non-boater and boater divisions and break down exactly how they caught their fish. NON-BOATERS 3rd – Allan Lavell Allan relied heavily on plastics, particularly Hurricane Sprats, while also finding fish on deep-running Chubbies. After pre-fishing with Jon Fitzgibbon, Allan was paired with Jamie McKeown on day one and Brett Crowe on day two. He talks through fishing rock walls, drop-offs and mangrove edges, keeping jig heads light and adjusting to the aggressive pikey bream. 2nd – Michael Maas Michael was paired with Marc Saric on Saturday and Wade Walker on Sunday. He found an unusual pattern slow-rolling Z-Man Grubs around bridge pylons before changing completely on day two and catching numbers of pikey bream on heavy Cranka Crabs worked slowly down a steep rocky bank. 1st – Mitch Vane Mitch travelled across from Western Australia and adapted quickly to a completely different fishery. Fishing with David Yuill on day one and James Graham on day two, Mitch used Gulp presentations around bridges before sight-casting prawn-style lures to bream pushing onto mangrove edges. A big day-one bag gave him the advantage he needed before bridge pylons became critical on Sunday. BOATERS 3rd – Jamie McKeown Jamie mixed deep-running Chubbies, topwater and crab presentations while exploring the huge Gladstone system. Fishing with Allan Lavell on Saturday and Gordon Pullin on Sunday, Jamie’s approach was heavily influenced by tide height, reef timing and constantly moving until he found active fish. A strong day-two bag pushed him onto the podium. 2nd – Steve Morgan Steve draws on years of Gladstone experience and explains the importance of bridge fishing, shallow reef patterns and understanding exactly how tide, wind and water level change the behaviour of Gladstone bream. The difference between being on a location at the right tide height — or just a little too early or late — proved critical throughout the event. 1st – Peter Cashman Peter went through the entire Friday pre-fish without catching a bream, but rather than abandon the area, he backed his plan. Deep Z-Man plastics, forward-facing sonar and a willingness to stick with what he believed in ultimately produced the tournament win. And make sure you stay to the end — there’s a great post-event story from Peter that’s well worth hearing. Gladstone might not produce the biggest bream bags in Australia, but this episode shows why it remains one of the most interesting and entertaining tournament fisheries on the calendar. Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project. For extra episodes, the Big Bream series, member-only content and more, join The Lure Fishing Project Collective: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com

The Atomic New South Wales Tournament Series headed south to Mallacoota for Round 5 — and as usual, Mallacoota produced plenty of fish and some seriously interesting bream fishing. Across the weekend, the top teams found bream everywhere from shallow flats and snags to deeper edges, with some fish sitting so high in the water column they were almost on the surface. First up, Luke West and Dean Henry-Smith from Flick Wits break down a huge weekend that saw them catch more than 150 bream across pre-fish and the two competition days. Using LiveScope, Hurricane Sprats, Hybrid Shrimp and lightly weighted plastics, they found schools of black bream suspended incredibly high in the water column and finished third with 10 fish for 7.91kg. Then Josh Jeffrey and Connor Jackson from Team Zero Technique talk through a very different tournament. After a slow Saturday morning, they adapted with lightly weighted plastics and deeper presentations to put together 4.11kg, before a change in conditions on Sunday saw the bite improve dramatically. They backed it up with 4.41kg to finish second with 8.52kg. Finally, Jason Mayberry joins the show after another victory for Team Shimano. Jason explains why the Hurricane Sprat in Cleaver became the standout lure of the weekend, how he used LiveScope to locate moving and mudding fish, and why he was confident fishing just 2lb line at Mallacoota. He also breaks down his unusual Sprat retrieve — skipping the lure across the surface like a fleeing prawn before allowing it to settle — along with an incredible session where yellowfin bream were feeding from just under the surface right through to the bottom. Team Shimano finished with 4.42kg on Saturday and 4.34kg on Sunday for 8.76kg and the win. IN THIS EPISODE: • Mallacoota black and yellowfin bream • More than 150 fish across three days for Flick Wits • Bream feeding just below the surface • Forward-facing sonar and LiveScope • Hurricane Sprat in Cleaver • Hybrid Shrimp • Lightly weighted plastics • 1/40oz, 1/28oz and other ultra-light jighead presentations • Fishing 2lb, 5lb and 6lb line and leader • Sight casting to big black bream • Adjusting presentations as fish become pressured • Skipping plastics across the surface like prawns • Tournament bite periods and decision-making • Jason Mayberry's Team Shimano victory 🎣 JOIN THE LURE FISHING PROJECT Want more from The Lure Fishing Project? The Collective includes extra episodes, the Big Bream Series, bonus content, Discord access, live Zoom sessions, fishing challenges, giveaways and more. Join here: lurefishingproject.supercast.com Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project.

Joseph Gardner has become one of Australia’s most consistent tournament bream anglers — Australian Champion, Angler of the Year winner, and an angler capable of producing results on completely different waterways around the country. So what is behind that consistency? In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, Joseph sits down with Andrew during the Hobie round at Wallaga Lake and breaks down the surprisingly simple approach he uses to catch bream around Australia. Joseph started tournament fishing in 2014 — and donutted his very first competition. Just a year later he recorded his first win, and from there began a journey that would eventually take him to the top level of Australian tournament fishing. One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is just how small Joseph's lure rotation really is. Rather than constantly changing lures, Joseph relies on a handful of presentations he knows extremely well and concentrates on putting them in the right places. We go deep into three of his key bream presentations: 🎣 Z-Man StreakZ — from shallow weed beds and timber to Gold Coast pontoons, including jighead weights, retrieves, colours and the violent twitching action Joseph uses to make the lure dart. 🎣 50mm Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawn — including Joseph's incredibly simple worm-hook retrieve, how he watches his coloured braid rather than the lure, and why he believes in setting the hook hard. 🎣 Blue Lip Baits Pygmy Mussel — a lure Joseph helped create, including how he fishes it around structure, bridges and sand flats and why tiny movements can be so effective. But perhaps the most important part of the episode is Joseph's approach to casting accuracy. He explains how he used to take a bucket to the park and practise casting into it over and over again — and why he believes that work has made one of the biggest differences to his tournament results. As Joseph puts it, you can make ten casts to a dock in the wrong place and catch nothing, while the next angler can make one accurate cast and catch the fish. We also cover: • How Joseph researches a completely new waterway before arriving • Why he can travel across Australia and still rely on the same core techniques • How he plans a pre-fish and eliminates unproductive water • Why he prefers fishing away from crowds • Why using identical rods and reels helps his casting accuracy • His unusual approach to changing lures — or not changing them • Why an extra 100 casts can matter more than constantly trying new presentations • Fishing tough tournament days without losing confidence • His Lowrance electronics setup in the kayak and boat • A memorable 49cm black bream from Denmark • The tiny bream that started his obsession with lure fishing • Joseph's three biggest tips for improving as an angler Joseph's final three pieces of advice are beautifully simple: Casting accuracy. Confidence. Time on the water. This is a detailed conversation with one of Australia's best tournament bream anglers and an episode packed with practical information you can take straight onto the water. 🎣 JOIN THE LURE FISHING PROJECT COLLECTIVE Get extra episodes, the Big Bream Series, bonus content, live Zoom sessions, giveaways and more: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com

The Gippsland Lakes have produced something special. In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, we head back to the 2026 Club Marine East Gippsland Bream Classic, where some enormous black bream and extraordinary bags hit the scales. At the top of the leaderboard, father-and-son team Brad and Cooper Hodges from Team Berkley produced a tournament for the record books. They opened with five bream for 7.095kg on Saturday and backed it up with 6.935kg on Sunday, finishing with 10 fish for a massive 14.030kg — believed to be the first 14kg two-day bag ever weighed at a Vic Bream Classic. And they did it fishing incredibly light around some seriously nasty structure. Brad breaks down why he trusts 4lb leader around jetties, how he uses free-spooling to get big bream around pylons and ropes, why casting accuracy is so important, and how Berkley Grubs in camo rigged on 1/16oz jigheads played a major role in their win. We also hear from second-placed Team Zero Technique — Josh Jeffrey and Kez Coleman — after an incredible Sunday charge. After sitting sixth overnight with 5.290kg, the pair produced a monster 7.460kg Sunday bag, including the 1.710kg Ecogear Big Bream, to finish with 12.750kg. They talk through fishing the Hollands area and the Straits, changing locations and presentations, fishing hard structure and flats, and the confidence it takes to keep searching for those bigger bites. Then Jarred Healey from Team Hummingbird takes us through another remarkable Sunday turnaround. After weighing 4.970kg on Saturday with his wife Michelle — fishing her first competition — Jarred teamed back up with Shaun and made the gamble to head to the opposite end of the lake. Using Hummingbird side imaging, 360 and live sonar, they found huge schools of bream and spent hours watching fish react to their lures in real time. They eventually weighed 6.495kg on Sunday to finish third with 11.465kg. In this episode: • Brad and Cooper Hodges' record-breaking 14.030kg victory • Fishing 4lb leader around jetties and heavy structure • Berkley Grubs in camo on 1/16oz jigheads • Weedless rigging for mussels, timber and structure • Why first-cast accuracy matters so much • Free-spooling big bream around pylons and snags • Josh Jeffrey and Kez Coleman's record 7.460kg bag • The 1.710kg Big Bream • Fishing Hollands, the Straits and Lake Victoria • Jarred Healey's massive day-two gamble • Finding schools with side imaging and 360 • Watching bream respond to lures on live sonar • Hybrid Shrimp, Hurricane Sprats, Chubbies, CrushCity and more • Michelle Healey catching a crucial fish in her first tournament • Three generations of the Hodges family competing at the same event This is a cracking tournament story and another reminder of just how good the Gippsland Lakes bream fishery can be. 🎣 JOIN THE LURE FISHING PROJECT COLLECTIVE Get extra episodes, the Big Bream Series, bonus content, live Zoom sessions, giveaways and more: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com

Bream Masters South Australia kicks off its 2026 season on the Port River — and it proved to be a seriously tough day on the water. Paul Cook came out on top with three bream for 1.72 kg, continuing an impressive run at the venue. In his last five tournaments on the Port River, Paul has now produced four podium finishes — along with one memorable donut! Paul breaks down how he prepared for the round, what he learned from his pre-fish, and why the extreme summer heat had him focused on making the early part of the session count. After a frustrating first two hours, Paul eventually unlocked the fish with an OSP Dunk fished around rock and structure. He explains why he has been experimenting with heavier straight-through fluorocarbon, how he fishes the Dunk around nasty structure, and the Miller Rods and Shimano setup he uses to do it. We also catch up with third-place finisher Ben Gibbs, who went into the event without a pre-fish and relied on a familiar Port River milk run. Ben landed two quality 37 cm bream early before the bite virtually disappeared, forcing him to grind out the rest of a very difficult session. Ben talks through his Gulp Crabbie and Pro Lure Grub approach, fishing vertical structure and rock walls, using forward-facing sonar, and why sometimes staying put and methodically working productive structure is better than constantly chasing new water. In this episode: • Paul Cook’s winning 1.72 kg bag • Ben Gibbs’ third-place 1.35 kg result • Fishing the Port River in tough summer conditions • OSP Dunk hardbody tactics • Six-pound straight-through fluorocarbon around structure • Pro Lure Grubs and Gulp Crabbies • Rock walls, oysters and vertical structure • Forward-facing sonar • Adjusting when the bream simply won’t commit • Why persistence and experience matter on tough tournament days • The Bream Masters SA series and its pathways to the Hobie Australian Championship A great insight into grinding out a result when the fishing doesn’t go to plan. 🎣 Join the Lure Fishing Project Collective for extra episodes, the Big Bream Series and more: https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com

Spring is here, and Brett Geddes joins Andrew for another Lure Fishing Project Monthly Report. This month, Brett finally has the mulloway story Andrew has been hassling him about. After years of trying, he lands his first proper Gippsland mulloway — a fish just under 70 cm — and tells the full story of finding it, hooking it and eventually getting it into the boat. Andrew and Brett also cover some standout fishing from the month, including cracking bream sessions, the latest Gippsland fishing and stocking news, squid and tuna, plus a look back at recent episodes of The Lure Fishing Project. There’s also an update on Andrew’s boat rebuild and the seemingly never-ending list of jobs, upgrades and outboard dramas. And Dumb Things is back. This month includes trailer-hitch problems, Andrew somehow driving home without strapping the boat to the trailer — although, importantly, he did wash it — and another worthy entry involving a Hobie. Then things get a little different. Andrew and Brett use ChatGPT live during the episode to come up with the idea for a fishing song about two mates, Mick and Dave, whose bream tournament starts brilliantly before an argument over a lost fish gets slightly out of hand. Stick around after the outro to hear how the finished song turned out. 🎣 Join The Lure Fishing Project Collective for extra episodes, the Big Bream Series and more: lurefishingproject.supercast.com The Lure Fishing Project — lure fishing stories, techniques, tournament coverage and conversations with anglers from around Australia.

Skinny-water flathead fishing is about as visual and exciting as lure fishing gets — and few anglers have spent more time working it out than Greg Reid. In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, Greg joins Andrew to break down his approach to targeting flathead in seriously shallow water, particularly around St Georges Basin. After years of guiding and thousands of hours on the water, Greg has stripped his fishing back to its simplest form: long casts, stealth, big lures and watching flathead hunt them down in the shallows. Greg explains why 120mm-plus lures can be the key to triggering aggressive flathead, how he fishes surface lures and how he switches to plastics and prawns when he wants to work below the surface. Lures discussed in this episode include: Crossfire — including 120mm, 150mm and 195mm sizes, plus the larger models Pro Lure Ultra Gar — 150mm Pro Lure XL Shad — 120mm, 150mm and 200mm Pro Lure Clone Prawn — 120mm Pro Lure Hybrid Shrimp — 92mm Greg covers tackle, leader selection, lure size and colour, hook choice, scent, casting for maximum distance and the importance of approaching shallow-water fish without giving away your presence. Most importantly, Greg breaks down the retrieve — including why the lure should hit the water already moving, how he uses movement to “ring the dinner bell”, and why the pause can be the most important part of the entire presentation. There’s also plenty on finding productive water, creek mouths, weed edges, seasonal timing, wind, water temperature and the visual cues that tell Greg when it’s time to start chasing flathead on top. Plus, before getting into the flathead masterclass, Greg talks luderick on fly, sight-casting to carp in Kangaroo Valley, South Coast salmon and some seriously big tailor. If you’ve ever wanted to watch a flathead break cover and charge down a surface lure in skinny water, this episode will give you plenty to work with.

EP223 – Lake Macquarie Mulloway with Nathan Butcher In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, I’m joined by Nathan Butcher from  Butcher’s Bite to break down how he targets mulloway — or jewfish — on Lake Macquarie. Nathan hasn’t actually been fishing for that long, but he’s packed a huge amount of time and effort into learning the system and has already developed some impressive consistency on Lake Macquarie mulloway. We get right into the practical details: where Nathan looks for fish, the importance of bait, birds, structure, cockle beds, drop-offs and depth, the weather and conditions he prefers, and how his approach changes throughout the year. Nathan also breaks down four of his key lure styles for mulloway, including: Z-Man PrawnZ Elite Samaki Vibelicious soft vibes Curl-tail grubs Paddle-tail plastics We cover jighead weights, hook sizes, colours, retrieves, rods, reels, braid, leaders, knots and plenty of the small details that can make the difference when targeting mulloway on lures. We also hear the stories behind some of Nathan’s most memorable mulloway and finish with his key advice for anyone trying to catch their first fish — or become more consistent. One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that you don’t need decades of experience to start putting the pieces together. Put in the time, pay attention to what each session teaches you and start building your own patterns. And while this episode focuses on Lake Macquarie, there’s plenty in this conversation that can be applied to chasing mulloway on lures in other systems as well. EXTENDED EPISODE The full extended version includes an additional section where Nathan goes deeper into how he uses his sounder and side scan to locate structure, bait and mulloway. You can hear the extended version through The Lure Fishing Project Collective or Vault, or through Butcher’s Bite YouTube members section. LINKS The Lure Fishing Project – Collective & Vault https://lurefishingproject.supercast.com/ The Butcher’s Bite – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ButchersBite The Butcher’s Bite – YouTube Members Visit the channel above and select Join to access Nathan’s members content. The Butcher’s Bite Fishing – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/butchersbitefishing/

Episode 222 takes us to the Tweed River for the 2026 Daiwa Bream Series Crush City Tweed River Round, held on 1–2 August. As Steve Morgan puts it, there’s “good Tweed” and there’s the tougher version — and this event definitely leaned towards the latter. With the boating division won with 4.78 kg and the non-boater division with 2.610 kg, anglers had to adapt as patterns changed and productive pre-fish areas failed to fire once competition began. In this episode we speak with the top three anglers from both divisions and break down how they found their fish, the lures and presentations that worked, and the decisions that ultimately put them on the podium. In the non-boater division, Colin Wilson finishes third after being one of only three non-boaters to catch a full six-fish tournament limit. Tom Guest travels across from Western Australia and takes second, learning some valuable lessons about fishing heavier jigheads in strong tidal flow along the way. Lance Marsh then makes it back-to-back Tweed River victories, adapting between shallow edges, deeper walls and a mix of prawn-style presentations to secure another win. The boating division produces an extraordinary three-way tie on 4.695 kg between Chris Lonnie, Steve Morgan and Kris Hickson, with the countback system determining the final placings. Steve Morgan talks through his approach to pre-fishing and managing productive areas, while Chris Lonnie’s 3.080 kg day-one bag ultimately earns him second place. Finally, Sam Peck joins us after securing his first ABT win with 4.78 kg. Sam explains how he targeted pontoons and canals, including the crankbait and surface-lure approaches that helped him put together enough weight on a river that had largely shut down. One of the most interesting parts of this round is the variety of successful approaches. Soft plastics, lightly weighted prawns, crankbaits, Cranka Crabs, surface lures and different depths and structures all feature throughout the episode. If you fish for bream — particularly in tidal rivers where yesterday’s pattern can disappear overnight — there are plenty of lessons in this one.