Brisbane local, 28 year old Nicholas Meredith, broke through for his first ABT event win after catching the biggest bag on the toughest day of fishing in the Redcliffe round of the Hobie BREAM Kayak series. His three bream for 1.96kg included the day’s Boss Hog of 0.84kg and added an extra $100 to his $700 cash winnings.

After battling through a windy day one with only one fish, Meredith took advantage of the glassy conditions on the second day to quickly secure his three fish and return before the sea breeze kicked in and again made conditions unfishable in his paddle-yak.

“I couldn’t get to my spot on day 1 – it was just too windy for my boat, but it was perfect for me today,” Meredith said, “and I caught the fish easily and got back in before the wind kicked up.”

Meredith’s spot was the popular North Reef, only two kilometres paddle from the start line, where he fished water a little deeper than many of the other competitors.

He used a Squidgy Wriggler in bloodworm colour, rigged on a 1/12oz jig head and fished on a 6lb Yamatoyo Harris Fighter leader. It was delivered on a Shimano T-Curve rod and Twinpower 1000 reel.

“I’ve found recently that the Squidgies smeared in S-Factor are catching me bigger fish and that by using a heavier jighead than I’d normally throw I get more of a reaction bite on those big fish.

Well travelled Greg Lewis held the lead at the end of Saturday’s session with a 1.72kg, three fish bag, but couldn’t improve on that limit on the Sunday.

“These Redcliffe bream really do go hard,” Lewis commented after returning from the session minus a dozen hardbodied bream lures, “I had to up the leader to 10lb to even stand a chance!”

Greg’s lure of choice was an Atomic Hardz Deep Crank 38 in Ghost Gill Brown colouration. He fished it on a Millerod Long Cast Bream Buster, Shimano Stella 1000 reel, Daiwa Tournament 4lb braid and FC rock 10lb leader.

Lewis, who usually catches black bream, found that a slow rolling approach paid better dividends that a jerky retrieve. He also fished North Reef.

The Boss Hog Big Bream on that Saturday went to another local angler, Will Lee. The 800 gram fish ate a custom painted PML Chubby, which didn’t survive the subsequent cast.

Focus now turns to Noosa, where the next round of the Hobie BREAM Kayak series will be run on the 9-10 January. This is the first of the season’s State Titles. Don’t be intimidated by the name – it’s just a 2-day kayak event that adds your Saturday and Sunday limits together. Entry is open to anyone who has a yak, a livewell and wants to give it a go!

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