The Lure Fishing Project

Six podium finishers, three days of tournament fishing, and a fascinating look at the techniques that made the difference at the 2026 Rapala BASS Pro Series Grand Final.

For the first time, The Lure Fishing Project takes an in-depth look at the ABT BASS Grand Final, held at Lake Glenbawn in New South Wales from 11–13 October 2026.

Host Andrew Death catches up with all six podium finishers across the boater and non-boater divisions to find out exactly how they approached the tournament, the lures and techniques that produced their fish, and how they adapted to changing weather conditions and increasing fishing pressure.

From dark-coloured chatterbaits and surface cicadas to skirted jigs, jerkbaits and sophisticated forward-facing sonar techniques, these interviews are packed with valuable information for anyone interested in Australian bass fishing.

Whether you're an experienced tournament angler, a keen recreational bass fisher or someone looking to expand their lure fishing knowledge, there's plenty to take away from this episode.

3rd Place – William "Will" Langford | 5.155 kg

In his first ABT BASS Grand Final, young Will Langford delivered an impressive third-place finish.

Will explains how he used dark-coloured chatterbaits along riverbed drop-offs, fishing them close to the bottom with slow retrieves and controlled pauses.

He also shares how mechanical problems with his day-two boater unexpectedly led them to fish less pressured water, helping him climb the leaderboard.

A great result and plenty of useful information from an emerging young tournament angler.

2nd Place – Matthew Grainger | 5.250 kg

Matthew's tournament nearly unravelled on the opening day, with no fish in the livewell until the final hour.

A late flurry of bites turned things around, and he backed it up with a productive second day using Bassman Mumbler chatterbaits.

Matthew explains how adding stinger hooks significantly improved his hookup rate and why keeping his lure close to the bottom proved effective.

He also discusses the benefits of fishing as a non-boater and learning from different boaters throughout the season.

1st Place – Jason Paterson | 5.625 kg

Jason claimed his first ABT tournament victory with two remarkably consistent bags of 2.810 kg and 2.815 kg.

Fishing with experienced boaters Graham Ford and David Williamson, Jason discovered the importance of patience when fishing surface cicadas and learnt how to effectively work chatterbaits around weed edges.

His success with dark-coloured Bassman ChatterBaits provides a great example of how learning from experienced anglers can quickly improve your fishing.

Jason also shares the special experience of competing alongside his son Cameron.

3rd Place – Michael "Mick" Horn | 14.040 kg

Mick combined traditional edge fishing with open-water strolling techniques to finish third.

He explains how he targeted individual roaming bass using forward-facing sonar and small Rapala Crush City soft plastics, particularly the 2.75-inch The Jerk.

There's some fascinating information about lure cadence, fish behaviour, targeting submerged trees and locating bass along main creek channels.

Mick also shares how two late upgrades on an Evergreen JackHammer helped secure his podium finish.

2nd Place – Harry Hardman | 14.355 kg

Fishing Lake Glenbawn for the first time, Harry produced an outstanding result, finishing just 1.245 kg behind the winner.

Harry discusses how he used Lowrance ActiveTarget 2 XL to locate bass holding deep in submerged trees and target them with Jackall Chara Blades.

He explains the importance of accurately positioning casts, watching fish react to lures, selecting assist hooks and working the lure through heavy timber.

An excellent insight into modern tournament bass fishing and the advantages of understanding forward-facing sonar.

1st Place – Ben Hay | 15.600 kg

Ben used his extensive knowledge of Lake Glenbawn to put together a remarkably consistent tournament, before producing a 6.965 kg five-fish bag on the final day to secure victory.

He explains how he used Jackall Char Blades, weedguard-equipped chatterbaits and skirted jigs to target bass around weed edges, rocky banks, timber and deeper structure.

Ben also shares some excellent insights into using wind, identifying productive banks, adjusting lure weights and keeping things simple rather than continually changing techniques.

Across the six interviews, several interesting patterns emerged:

Chatterbaits: One of the most successful lure categories across both divisions, with dark colours particularly effective.

Surface fishing: Cicadas and other topwater presentations produced some important fish, especially under favourable conditions.

Lure presentation: Keeping chatterbaits close to the bottom, working them along drop-offs and varying retrieves helped trigger bites.

Stinger and assist hooks: Several anglers explained how different hook arrangements improved their fishing.

Forward-facing sonar: Targeting suspended fish in submerged trees and individual roaming bass played a significant role.

Adapting to conditions: Wind direction, water clarity, fishing pressure and changing weather all influenced the successful approaches.

Confidence and simplicity: Sometimes sticking with a proven technique is more effective than constantly changing lures.

One particularly interesting aspect of this event was the variety of successful approaches. While some anglers concentrated on shallow edges and weed, others targeted fish suspended in timber or roaming through open water.

There's plenty here to think about before your next bass fishing trip.

If you enjoy learning how successful anglers approach their fishing, come and join us at The Lure Fishing Project Collective.

Members get access to:

Exclusive podcast episodes and fishing content

Tournament breakdowns identifying successful patterns, techniques and contrasting approaches

Regular live Zoom discussions with other passionate lure anglers

Fishing challenges designed to help you learn new techniques

Our private Discord community

Access to additional content in The Lure Fishing Project Vault

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Leave us a rating or review, share the episode with a fishing mate, and let us know what you learnt from these interviews.

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A big thank you to Steve Morgan, Nicole and the team at Australian Bass Tournaments for their work in running these events, and to all six anglers for generously sharing their knowledge and experiences.

The Lure Fishing Project – helping you catch more fish and have more fun on the water.

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It's time for another monthly report on The Lure Fishing Project, and Andrew Death is joined by Brett Geddes for a look back at October's fishing and what's happening around Australia as we head into November.

Andrew shares his adventures from Woolooware Bay, where Josh Carpenter landed an impressive 89cm flathead, and Mallacoota, where a young angler made a memorable start to the Hobie tournament.

There's also plenty of discussion about weedless fishing, including Clone Prawns, worm hooks and new ways of getting soft plastics into heavy structure.

Meanwhile, Brett has been battling floods, dirty water and difficult weather across Gippsland, but that hasn't stopped him finding some outstanding bream to 47.5cm, plenty of flathead and a few new estuary perch locations.

And yes, Brett explains his unusual but highly effective technique of fishing blades directly underneath his kayak — affectionately known as teabagging!

An 89cm flathead from Woolooware Bay

The Hobie Mallacoota tournament and Adam Layla's victory

Weedless Clone Prawns and improving hookup rates

Fishing bream in flooded Gippsland waters

Brett's under-kayak blade fishing technique

Port Albert flathead and estuary perch discoveries

Big bream and flathead returning to the Gippsland Lakes shallows

Bass fishing, surface lures and tournament tactics

November's bream grand finals around Australia

Scotto James making the move from Tasmania to Gippsland

Brett's incredible annual tally of more than 2,200 estuary perch

Plus, Andrew and Brett discuss why changing your jighead weight can sometimes be more important than changing your lure, and how a little experimentation can unlock more fish.

Want to take your fishing to the next level?

The Collective is our private fishing community, bringing together passionate lure anglers to share information, learn new techniques and improve their fishing.

Members get access to:

Exclusive tournament breakdowns and bonus podcast episodes

Live Zoom discussions with fellow anglers

Monthly fishing challenges

Our private Discord community

Insights, techniques and information shared by experienced tournament anglers

Join The Collective here:

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Jump over to The Lure Fishing Project on YouTube, subscribe to the channel and leave a comment telling us where you're from.

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Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project, and we'll catch you on the water!

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The final round of the 2026 NSW Tournament Series before the Grand Final took anglers to Sydney Harbour for the Shimano Round on 25 October.

With strong northerly winds, a falling tide and some challenging fishing conditions, the podium was decided by just 140 grams, with some crucial late-session upgrades making all the difference.

In this episode of The Lure Fishing Project, we catch up with the top three teams to break down their strategies, lure choices, locations and the decisions that shaped their results.

🏆 1st Place – Team McBarron Constructions | 3.41 kg

Brenton and Jarryd explain how they approached Sydney Harbour using their preferred edge-fishing techniques, prawn imitation soft plastics and varying jighead weights. A single productive drift delivered three important upgrades, helping them secure the round victory and the 2026 Angler of the Year title.

🥈 2nd Place – Team Breamski | 3.29 kg

Longtime fishing mates Steve and Zac revisit some familiar Sydney Harbour ground, including Hen and Chicken Bay. They explain how a late-session 39 cm fork-length bream, caught on a bloodworm grub, transformed their bag and secured second place along with the biggest bream of the tournament.

🥉 3rd Place – Team Cronulla Slipways and Shipwrights | 3.27 kg

Fishing solo, Tim Vickers describes abandoning his original plan in the eastern harbour and moving west to the marinas around Rozelle. Finding a concentrated school of bream turned a difficult morning into an outstanding afternoon session.

Key topics covered:

Fishing Sydney Harbour's flats, edges, moored boats and marinas

Adapting to strong winds and changing tidal conditions

The importance of jighead weight and presentation

Using forward-facing sonar to locate schooling bream

Productive soft plastics, crabs and hardbody presentations

Why changing locations or revisiting old spots can make the difference

The close battle for the 2026 Angler of the Year title

Congratulations to all three podium teams and a big thank you to Grant and everyone involved in the NSW Tournament Series.

If you enjoy these tournament breakdowns, subscribe to The Lure Fishing Project on your favourite podcast platform and YouTube.

For more detailed fishing discussions, exclusive breakdowns and our fishing community, check out The Lure Fishing Project Collective.

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!

🥇 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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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.

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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.

🥉 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.

🥉 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.

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.

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:

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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/

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.

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Using our promotional codes may earn The Lure Fishing Project a commission, helping support the production of more fishing content.

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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

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.

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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

Final podium:

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.

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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

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Thanks for listening to our first Australian bass episode.

Andrew

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:

It’s another wide-ranging Monthly Report packed with fishing stories, techniques, observations and plenty of laughs.

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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.

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