Introduction:

The second round of the Hobie / ABT Kayak Tournament series was recently
held under a blanket of tumultuous weather and resounding endorsement. The
Sunshine Coast of Mooloolabah tempted many entrants to continue their
efforts from round one and also brought a new flock of participants far and
wide into the Tournament fold.

Checking in at my hotel on Saturday afternoon I sat on the balcony and
scoped the area from a higher vantage point, I was pleasantly surprised to
see over 12 kayak angler’s fishing the tournament vicinity. The success of
the previous Sydney round made the path so much easier for many, given that
this time the event was being held on a Sunday also allowed many to travel
and pre fish the area, passing on juicy titbits of information to others.
The ABT ‘Who shares wins’ policy was broadcast in full effect with
techniques, tackle and sweet spots disclosed openly.

From all reports the fishing was hard going and the torrential rain of weeks
gone by had taken its toll, many if not all the surrounding rivers in the
area were turned to a coffee cup brown. Still the bream were there and
responding well to various presentations, the tournament day would be
competitive to say the least. An evening gathering heralded the dawning of
the first Queensland event at the local Hogs Breath Café. Steve from Hobie
was more than generous (True to form), picking up the tab for all and
helping sign off an early night for some well deserved shuteye.

Early Sunday morning saw light rain and variant fouling wind easing off
perfectly before our shotgun start, 39 entrants lined the start with
ammunition and information at hand. The field split amicably almost
immediately (A sight worth noting) with two plain courses obviously decided
beforehand. Thoughtful game plans became evident with marinas, boats and
moored boats harbouring (Pun intended) just over half the field while sand
flats, rising tide and mangroves beckoned the remains.

My game plan was to head straight for the tidal flats just under two
kilometres away, under and beyond the path of the Sunshine Motorway Bridge.
It was a bold move that I hoped would pay off early, passing positive
pontoon structure to fish surface lures amongst the edges of the mangrove
lined banks. To help calm the nerves I prefer to fish the early hours of
these tournaments with confidence gained from my local surrounds, overcast
conditions indicated the top water was right but with so many foreign
species available could I manage to entice the Bream to come out and play?

Watching Prawns scatter for their life the confidence mentioned above was
tied and tried on early, a Storm Hopper Popper has proven deadly on large
Bream down south and immediately brought some sort of result. I provoked a
few boils and some short striking, it was a frustrating affair with my
chosen location erupting like wildfire for a minute and then switching off
for ten or so. Glancing around to share the news I realised I was mostly
alone with others being distracted early by the bridges many pylons and back
eddies.

Spending the next hour or so switching between the Hopper Popper and the
popular Ecogear PX45 (Hops vs. walk the dog retrieves) brought little
result, as did the application of any waxy scenting to the buoyancy of the
top water tackle. By creating a slightly subsurface presentation with the
PX45 I finally perplexed my first fish for the tournament, unfortunately
netting a new species / personal best that failed to gain any positive
acknowledgement from my camera (32cm Spotted Grunter Bream).

My structured venture was falling apart at the seems, spying a small band of
competitors approaching I ventured back to try the bridge precent, leaving
an equally frustrated Ken Raley and Josh Holmes to take my previous drift
over the flats. Something rather large was terrifying schools of baitfish
under the bridges girth, as I highly doubted any schools or lonely Bream
would remain around such danger I unravelled the plan some more.

A few small lanes of avenue existed back in mangrove country, one in
particular forming a cul-de-sac teaming with fish. In an enclosed arena such
as this I had to choose wisely, not wanting to suspend presentation a few
natural coloured Ecogear SX40’s were cranked slowly over obstacles. It was
at this stage I met (Apart from swarms of Mosquito midge) what I can only
assume was another new species, the mighty Mangrove Jack. A mistaken tell
tale Bream bump goaded striking early, hooking what I can only describe as
one hell of an unstoppable fish.

The bruising happened in sequential casts, both which resulted in lost lures
and some puzzling yet joyous head scratching. I had been reliably informed
the chances of tangling with both Jack’s and Golden Trevally were quite
high, whilst not the target species my expensive lost offerings and still
born education brought a wry smile to my weather worn lips… My mind wandered
off for a few moments but returned eventually, who would have thought
getting bricked would be so much fun!

The novelty quickly wore off when I finally realised the lure cost and
tournament time remaining, the tide along with the ever increasing wind
began to reverse any slack line which made surface presentations difficult.
With nill result fishing my favourable technique I made the decision to
regroup with the moorings and fish various plastics under the bearded drums
and vertical shaping’s. The balance of the perfect jig head weight was
refined down to 1/32oz, variously rigged on 3″ Gulp Shrimp and 4″ Gulp
Turtleback Worm (.Banana and Pumpkinseed respectively).

Using an Outback enabled me to control my drift a little better and get
right in close; however pitching offerings amongst this structure became a
hazardous affair. After many leader changes and lost jigs I finally hooked
up solid, unfortunately to another Grunter Bream. Whilst floating my way
down towards the ABT arena I bumped into Wayne Robinson who had still not
secured a legal fish. This lead me to believe the tournaments fish count
would be low enough to still be in with a good chance.

The viewing locals joined us on their jetties, pointing out pipes and holes
they knew held bream. For deeper activities I switched to blades, hopping
them around closer to the bottom and up and through the water column. At one
stage I was connected to an unknown fish that took the lure on the drop, not
sure what species it was (I was hoping Bream). Dropping fish was really
starting to hurt but unlike the first half of the morning I found the action
started to pick up a couple of hours after the high tide mark.

With 15 minutes to go I found myself dead in the water, held together only
by the enjoyment of the tournament, the social aspects and the end of a
tough days fishing. Beaching the Outback I emptied the live well of its
invisible holdings and placed my key tag on the board. The vast majority
struggled in the conditions; a few Bream were caught here or there with some
entrants even managing their two fish limit. The weigh in was still as
lively as ever and considering the weather gods were against us the first of
the Queensland ABT / Hobie Tournaments was a resounding success.

Conclusion:

Tournament results were weighed down to only seventh place out of a possible
39, with 32 anglers failing to weigh in fish (Some even incurring dreaded
late penalty points). Richard Creighton’s 0.26kg weight rounded out the
points with a hard earned seventh place. Wayne Robinson scored a single
Bream weight of 0.42kg, taking out sixth and keeping him in the hunt for the
AOY title. Kevin Crawford’s fifth place secured the first of the cash pool
payouts, $90 and a Berkley Diablo rod.

The last of the singular submissions was also the biggest for the
tournament; Chris Martin’s 0.61kg fourth place earned him not only a $100
Big Bream bonus but also $90 and a Berkley Diablo rod. Greg Lewis had
travelled a long way to fish this competition; his 0.655kg two fish third
place sent him directly into the Forster grand final, $130 and a Berkley
Diablo Rod richer plus a little closer to his home on the NSW South Coast.

I was excited to see Steve Fields from Hobiecat fishing the event, showing
that with true determination the ‘Who shares wins’ policy of the ABT can
shine through, even on the bleakest of days. Steve’s tournament tackle
involved the use of 4lb Nitlon fluorocarbon fished straight through on a
Daiwa Advantage 3 rod and reel combo. A combined two fish weight of 0.78kg
was easily enough for second place; Steve pocketed $220 for his troubles and
a fair slice of the ‘Bragging rights’ pie.

First place went to Josh Carpenter, no stranger to ABT events and an
obviously gifted angler. Josh joked about borrowing his mothers Hobie for
the event, putting it to good use in the marina surrounding the Tuna Boats
and the cleaner canals. The stealthy approach of a kayak and the audible
Bream feeding frenzy helped him secure a two fish 0.98kg limit early,
building enough confidence to head to the weigh in early and wait for the
$350 to be paid out… A smart move that ultimately won him the event!

It was a long journey back to Canberra via Brisbane but one made a little
easier courtesy of the Sunstate Hobie BBQ and drinks (Free for all entrants,
thanks Mal). The next instalment of the hugely successful Hobie / ABT series
travels to the Nerang River at Buds Beach, Queensland’s Gold Coast on March
15th. For more details on remaining Hobie Kayak Tournaments for 2009 or any
future and past ABT events please visit the following links:

http://www.bream.com.au

,

Winners were:

7th Place – Richard Creighton 0.26kg – One Bream

6th Place Wayne Robinson 0.42kg – One Bream

5th Place – Kevin Crawford 0.555kg – One Bream

4th Place – Chris Martin 0.61kg – One Bream

3rd Place – Greg Lewis 0.655kg – Two Bream

2nd Place – Steve Fields 0.78kg – Two Bream

1st Place – Josh Carpenter 0.98kg – Two Bream

Bring on Round 3…….

Report #1 (more to follow)

39 Kayak enthusiasts attended the second round of the 2009 Hobie BREAM Kayak Series at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. A massive arena with everything from trawlers and moored boats, to docks, pontoons, mangrove edges and flats. However, recent rain had made the water quite discoloured and the fishing tough. In total, 10 fish were weighed in between 7 smiling anglers.

Event winner, Josh Carpenter, a 32 year old from Brisbane borrowed his mum’s kayak to compete.  An avid BASS Electric competitor, Josh made the switch for the weekend scoring 2/2, 0.98kg.  

His arsenal comprised of a Tica Duffman long cast rod matched to a Daiwa Certate 2000 reel spooled with 4lb Fireline and 6lb Hard Rock fluorocarbon.  The winning bait for Josh was the Berkley 2″ Shrimp in new penny colour rigged on a 1/28 TT jighead.  
After trying his luck at the trawlers early, Josh moved to the backend of a canal system where the water looked cleaner. Hearing bream slurping and crunching a nearby pontoon he flicked his Berkley shrimp under a t-section of the floating pontoon letting the current drift the bait further under and pulled up tight on his first keeper.  Paddling around the canal systems, he again heard the familiar sounds of bream feeding and soon scored his limit.  

Second place went to a popular Steve Fields, Managing Director of Hobie Cat Australasia.   Proving he can mix it with the best, Steve armed himself with a new Daiwa Advantage 3 rod and reel combo spooled with 4lb Nitlon fluorocarbon straight through.  His winning bait proved to be the Berkley 2″ Banana Prawn rigged on a 1/40 TT jighead.  
Steve felt it was important not to chase the pack and stick to the basics fishing points in the canal systems.  Scoring plenty of fish including moses perch and a mangrove jack, Steve was plagued by undersize bream before scoring a keeper.  
With the tide change, his bite pattern shut down and Steve moved to a pilon that had wind pushing up against it and some amount of stirred up water.  With only an hour to go in the tournament his second cast landed him his limit and enough for second place.  
“I really encourage people to come and try these events, have a great time and learn some tips from the sharing of information,” said Steve.  

The event’s big bream went to Chris Martin with a 610 gram specimen caught on a Berkley 2″ Shrimp in banana prawn colour.  Rigged on a 1/16 jighead he found anchoring up and drifting his bait under pontoons was a successful technique.  
The next qualifying event is on the Gold Coast, March 15, at Budds Beach. 

RULES and FORMAT

One-day events

• On-day sign-on and entry.
• $50 entry
• 6am start – 12noon finish.
• Live-weigh-in (must have approved
• live well fitted in Kayak)
• 2 x Bream only.
• State legal length to fork.
• Late penalties for late tags.
• Casting only (no trolling)
• Competitors must be ABT members.
• Artificial lures only.
• all events are individual format
• Events, no teams.

GRAND FINAL

• There are 25 slots available for the 2009 Hobie BREAM Kayak Grand Final.
• In each of the three Qualifying events, the top four placed anglers will qualify as well as
• a fifth qualifier drawn from places 5 through the rest of the field. Declined places will be
• offered to the next down the list from that event.
• Five places will be offered to anglers from the Forster Kayak event preceding the Grand Final.
• There are 5 wildcard spots that will be filled at the discretion of the Naming Sponsor.
• All grand finalists will fish from supplied, identical Hobie kayaks with livewells,
• Ensuring a level playing field.
• Anglers provide their own tackle/safety gear for the Grand Final event.

DATES

• 17 January 2009 Sydney Kayak Tournament (Bayview Park, Parramatta River)
• 22 February 2009 Sunshine Coast Kayak Tournament (Mooloolah River)
• 15 March 2009 Gold Coast Kayak Tournament (Budds Beach, Nerang River)
• 21-22 March 2009 Forster Kayak Tournament (Forster, NSW)
• 24-25 March 2009 Hobie Kayak Grand Final (Forster, NSW)

Latest Update (Jan, 2009)

• A $100 big bream prize will be awarded in each event
• A $500 prize for the biggest bream in the Grand Final.
• A $100 big bream prize will be awarded in the womens class (min 5 women)

Live Well Info

Hobie and ABT suggest that a 25 litre well is the minimum suggested size for 2 bream.

Insulated livewells are usually better for the fish, although fully plumbed ones are usually just as good.

Should you require further info, please email admin@hobiefishing.com.au

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORMS

• CLICK HERE FOR RULES

PAYOUT SCHEDULE (subject to number of entrees)

1st Cash payout – PLUS they will qualify for the ABT / Hobie Grand Final
2nd Cash payout – Amount will be announced on the day
3rd Cash payout – Amount will be announced on the day
4th Cash payout – Amount will be announced on the day
5th Cash payout – Amount will be announced on the day
6th – Prizes
7th – Prizes
8th – Prizes
9th – Prizes
10th – Prizes

Big Bream $100.00 (per event)
Chicks Big Bream $100.00 (per event) (min 5 to make up the class)

Plus one lucky Fisho (from the competitor’s pool) will be drawn to also qualify for the ABT / Hobie Grand Final at Forster!

STOP PRESS: The winner of the first event (Bayview Park) will also receive free accommodation during the inaugural Hobie / ABT BREAM Kayak Grand Final at Forster!

STOP PRESS: Each competitor goes in a draw to win one of the Grand Final event kayaks! The more Hobie / ABT events you enter, the better the chance. Kayak winner to be announced during the Grand Final along with the $500 GF BIG BREAM AWARD

The Hobie BREAM Kayak Grand Final was held over two days in conjunction with the Forster Fishing Carnival on March 24-25.  It was the culmination of qualifying anglers from the east coast events held in Sydney, Mooloolaba, Gold Coast and Forster.  With 26 ready to fish Hobie Kayaks supplied, all the anglers had to do was bring their rods, reels and tackle and battle it out to be the first recorded Grand Final winner.

At the end of two days in the fish rich waters of Forster and the Wallis Lakes system, the champion angler was Victorian Hobie rep Scott Lovig, with a 4/4, 2.19kg limit over the two sessions.  Scott used a Nitro 6 piece travel rod matched to a Daiwa Certate 2500 spooled with 4lb braid and 6lb Sunline V Hard fluorocarbon.

Lovig used a Berkley 2″ shrimp in pepper prawn colour rigged on a size 4, 1/50th Nitro jighead to lure all his fish.  Working the floating racks, Lovig positioned his Hobie kayak carefully with the wind and tide before making a precision casts.

“I would cast tight to the racks and let the lure sink for 5 seconds before retrieving and casting again,” explained the champ.

Looking for the actively feeding bream close to the surface when Lovig hooked up he would drop the rod tip in the water and wind with a tight drag to extract the bream from the racks.

A supporter of the newly introduced 2009 Hobie BREAM Kayak Series, Lovig attended all 4 qualifying rounds and deservedly has his name written in the records books as the 2009 champ.

Runner up and day one leader was Michael Maas from Queensland with a 4/4, 2.15kg limit.  He used a G.Loomis Dropshot rod and Daiwa SOL 1500 spooled 4lb Berkley Fireline and 3lb Sunline Rock FC.

Working the Lucky Craft Sammy 65 and NW Pencil top water lures in yellow colours, Maas used wind assisted long casts into the shallows.  With a walk the dog retrieve for 3-4 metres he would then pause the lure hoping for a hungry bream boil. 

“If I could see a swirl following the lure I would tweak it to entice a strike,” he explain.

With no top water action on day two, Maas switched to throwing a Jackall Chubby in the racks.  Casting close to the shaded side, he would keep the rod tip high and installed a jerky retrieve with pauses to capture the attention of the bream lurking in the racks. 

Not having paddled in a Hobie kayak before the event, Maas was not only able to master the manoeuvring of the craft but this was also his first time fishing the Forster system.

Big Bream for the event had a $500 cheque attached to the prize and after the mark was set by Josh Holmes on day one at 780 grams, it was the Sydney victor Wayne Robinson that walked away with the oversized cheque for his 820 gram specimen.

Fishing 2ft of water near the boat shed, Robinson flicked his Berkley 2″ banana shrimp into the shade where he was clunked straight away.  Once secured in his livewell the enthusiastic angler knew he was paddling around with a $500 bream onboard.

A successful inaugural series, Steve Fields and Steve Morgan thanked the gathered crowd and promised bigger and better things in 2010.

For further information visit www.bream.com.au or ph ABT on 07 3387 0888.

Overall Results

GRAND FINAL

There are 25 slots available for the 2009 Hobie BREAM Kayak Grand Final.

• In each of the three Qualifying events, the top four placed anglers will qualify as well as
• a fifth qualifier drawn from places 5 through the rest of the field. Declined places will be
• offered to the next down the list from that event.
• Five places will be offered to anglers from the Forster Kayak event preceding the Grand Final.
• There are 5 wildcard spots that will be filled at the discretion of the Naming Sponsor.
• All grand finalists will fish from supplied, identical Hobie kayaks with livewells,
• Ensuring a level playing field.
• Anglers provide their own tackle/safety gear for the Grand Final event.
•  $500 prize for the biggest bream in the Grand Final.

Tournament victor Greg Lewis executed his game plan to perfection, in the process securing the events sole two fish limit for 680 grams. "Mr. Consistency", courtesy of his performances this season, identified and targeted areas away from the main starting area in order to secure the tough bites on offer. Even with a false start, courtesy of a misplaced net, Lewis accounted for the estimated 12 kilometre round trip with little trouble. Testament to his fitness level, Lewis showed no signs of fatigue and eagerly looked forward to competing in the final round of the Hobie Series and season ending Grand Final.

 Using a Squidgy Lobby in Dusk colour rigged alternatively on a 1/50th HW Tackle Tactics jighead and a Squidgy Resin Head jighead, Lewis targeted shaded areas beneath tree lined rockwalls and eddies in water up to 3 meters in depth.. Fishing areas around the Tallebudgera Creek area, Lewis secured his limit early before trying to upgrade for the rest of the session. With undersize fish plaguing most competitors, Lewis’ two keepers eclipsed his nearest competitor by 130 grams.

Using his Hobie Revolution 09 Kayak, Lewis would use the trademark foot pedal system to hold against the current. Once positioned Lewis targeted areas using a slow retrieve, punctuated with small hops. Keeping his lure in the strike zone for the maximum time available proved the key to securing the bites on offer. With the current rapidly increasing in strength, pinpoint casting and persistence were imperative in finding and overcoming the tough bite.

Lewis used a Ian Miller Custom Breambuster 7" rod teamed with a Shimano Stella 1000 reel spooled with Daiwa 6lb Tournament Braid in green and 4lb Sunline FC Rock leader. With only 12 months kayak fishing experience and the Hobie Series being his first foray into tournament fishing, Lewis has clearly displayed his credentials and is one to watch for the remaining events. "Planning and research was the key to establishing my tournament game plan. Getting out there and executing it proved to be the difference today ", explained Lewis. When queried on what he believed to be the key to his tournament consistency a modest Lewis replied, "Thinking outside the square and having the belief to stick to a gameplan have been the keys for me. Enjoying the fishing helps tie it all together".

Brian Rutledge took out second place, in the process securing the events Big Bream with a quality 490 gram specimen. Fishing a section of pontoons, moorings and timber opposite the starting position, Rutledge targeted shaded areas and secured a keeper early before being plagued by undersize bream for the remainder of the session.

Using a slow retrieve with pauses, Rutledge presented an Ecogear SX40 in colour 339 to secure his bites. Rutledge used a Shimano 5"10′ Raider rod teamed with an Okuma Avenger 30A reel spooled with 4lb Berkley Fireline in yellow and 6lb Sunline Basic FC leader. "Plugging away, sorting through the undersize fish and eventually keying into the areas that mattered", typified the direct approach that has paid dividends this season for the consistent Rutledge.

Anglers now look forward to the next round of the Hobie BREAM Kayak Series at Forster, N.S.W Mar 21-22. With Grand Final positions up for grabs we are sure to see a massive turnout for season’s last qualifying round. Famed for its oyster racks, flats and XL bream anglers are in for a treat as the season culminates at one of Australia’s iconic bream locations, Forster on the N.S.W Central Coast. It’s not too late to become involved in the inaugural Hobie BREAM Kayak Series, so for details please check out bream.com.au or contact ABT on (07) 3387 0888 (B/H).  

Photo’s (more to follow)

Report from ACT Hobie Member Derek Steele

With the famed events entering their third round, Queensland received another southern boost from states below for the Gold Coast round of the ABT / Hobie tournament series. Stakes were gaining altitude rapidly with only 10 spots available (Five available here) before the penultimate event at Forster and the Grand Final in late March.

39 competitors gathered from far and wide to endure a frantic waterway left desolate before 8am, many had chances to pre fish the previous days prior with mixed results but from all reports gathered the viewing was a strong, good indication that the event would fire at will. The forecast was brilliant but overcast conditions were non existent which meant finding shade, cover and structure all in the one location the utmost priority.

Game plans were openly shared and options discussed, the waterway loomed large but with enough avenues available it immediately split the field from first light. Many ventured towards the seaway while others stuck to the main Gold Coast strip and the Nerang river structure. The choice for many seemed difficult at first but with the ABT ‘Who shares wins’ policy in full effect, the highly visible Bream feeding so close to the launch site and the spoils of victory so close the scene was set for a tremendous round.

Simon Goldsmith from ABT briefed the competitors before sending them forward to sculpt some winnings and earn a place in Tournament history. Sharing accommodation with Hobie Team Member Carl Dubois I was intrigued with his previous competitive Tournament experience and opted to tag along for the first hour, get some pointers and watch how the 2006 NSW Bream Open champion fashions his fish.

Carl opted to work the shade early, leaving me generous spacing and the opportunity to pull fish from previously undisturbed locations. The waterway was still quiet and that brought misguided satisfaction, what was to come proved that while areas can be hammered by powered craft of all sizes, Bream could still be found using paddling stealth and the highly functional Hobie Mirage Drive.

Hitting the shady moorings proved productive early; with near perfect tides a drift could be maintained whilst viewing upside Bream feeding. Cid landed an undersize Bream early on a plastic before moving off away from the ever increasing presence of competition, seeking shade no doubt. Certain plastics drew aggressive responses while others were ignored, Squidgy Wrigglers in Bloodworm colour, Powerbait T Tail Minnows and cut down Pumpkinseed Gulp Turtleback worms worked a treat.

Another option I chose to follow was the pink Grubbing technique used by many AFC pros alike and as pioneered in Australia by ABT’s Steve Morgan. Worm hooks on 4lb braid and a striking style caught me additional undersize Bream, regardless of leader material, pauses or sink rates. While the fish weren’t big the result was exciting, sub surface grubs retrieved beneath cavernous shoreline concrete precluded a few big bust offs and some great tussles (Still painfully short of the legal minimal 23cm fork mark).

There were times I felt whisked away, fishing these Gold Coast systems sure is off the beaten track I tread heavily. One thing I have learned with the ABT / Hobie series is that mindset is extremely important. Sometimes game plans go askew and forward thinking and strong goals will get you there. Speaking to fellow competitors during the morning I found many were catching fish but the designated species lacked. The same tackle and lures used positively for these anglers pre fishing the venue were failing on the day,

Picking up undesirable fish of decent size would normally be considered trophy achievements and televised to all; these captures were kept off our chest and out of our minds. The focus of Bream kept many going strong, shallow weed beds, far fetched creek scenarios, rocky reefs and sandy beaches wore away the time with some success. Occasionally a bigger fish would be sighted but due to the abundant noise and lack of cloud cover they were spooked easily, if you could see them they could see you.

Eventually time was up and entrants returned with some stories to tell, lost rods, nets and a hard days fishing all round. Tales of woe aside, some legal fish were caught and on varying techniques (Including surface, sub surface, plastics and popular hard bodied presentations). A total of nine fish were presented for weighing between eight anglers with one lucky, well travelled character bagging not only the two fish limit, the tournament win but also the coveted ABT / Hobie Angler of year (AOY) title.

Rounding out the top five, Hobie’s Steve Fields secured $90 and a Daiwa / Berkley prize pack for .350gms. Fourth place went to Barry Trap, $90 and a Ecogear prize pack / Team Daiwa Advantage 3 rod for his 0.370gm effort. Hobie State Team Member Carl Dubois took out third place, $130 and a Ecogear prize pack / Team Daiwa Advantage reel. Brian Rutledge took out the big Bream $100 award with his .490gm beast; $220 for second place, a Berkley / Ecogear Prize pack and a Team Daiwa Advantage 3 rod.

The winner was the now ABT / Hobie Tournament favourite Greg Lewis from Burrill Lake on the New South Wales South Coast. Greg’s two fish .680gm limit was well deserved and earned himself $350, Hobie Sunglasses and some Berkley Fireline. Due to Greg already qualifying for the Grand Final (Along with Steve Fields), both sixth place Dave Hedge and seventh place Micheal Maas  were both bumped into the top five to qualify and find themselves in contention to take out the final series (A fitting result).

I spoke to Carl Dubois from the Hobie State Team after the tournament to gauge his reaction to fishing in the second QLD series, his techniques and the Grand Final:

“Firstly I have to say how tough I thought the fishing was. I’d heard good reports from other anglers that had pre-fished but I guess the hot, still conditions (as well as the thousands of boats motoring around) weren’t conducive to a good bite. The day started okay with two just undersize fish and an absolute roasting from something big within the first half hour but after that I couldn’t even get a take”.

“It was two hours before I hooked my first decent fish from under a pontoon near Paradise Island and he fell to a Berkley Gulp 2" shrimp in banana colour that was rigged on a 1/16th oz jighead. When I had him out in the open I could see he was barely lip-hooked so I backed the drag right off as I inched him closer to the kayak. As I slid him towards the net, he gave one last wriggle and voila, he was gone! That really hurt losing that guy as the bites were so few and far between”.

“I tried everything in my arsenal; hard bodies over the flats and along rock walls, blades down deep near bridges and soft plastics on long leaders under overhanging trees and every jetty and pontoon that I came across. Finally, at 10:45 am, I hooked a nice bream that I guessed would go about 28 cms to the fork. Those next 2 minutes were pretty nerve racking as I took my time and eased him into the net. Not taking any chances, I even went ashore before putting him in the livewell to minimise any risk of him wriggling out of my hands and back into the drink”.

“It was such a relief to get that ‘donut monkey’ off my back and I’ll admit that I’d probably started to fish a little too fast as I’d anxiously watched the minutes tick by. I calmed right down and was getting my casts back into the zone and only ten minutes later I was busted up again by something too big for the 4 lb leader. That was it and I had to floor it to get back by 12pm”.

“I was sure that one fish wouldn’t be enough to get me onto the podium but while waiting to weigh-in, the banter amongst the other competitors was one of hard luck stories and a lot of Krispy Kremes. Luckily, that one fish was enough to see me take third spot and get an invite to the Grand Final at Forster. To say I was over the moon would be an understatement and I can’t wait to spend two days fishing in another new arena. Looks like I’ll be pouring over a few new maps”.

The next instalment of the hugely successful Hobie / ABT series travels to Wallis Lake at Forster, New South Wales for the Forster Fishing Carnival on March 21st and 22nd. For more details on remaining Hobie Kayak Tournaments for 2009 or any future and past ABT events (Including the Grand Final) please visit the following links: http://www.bream.com.au, http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/news_and_reports/1.html

#8 – Rob Cooke 0.29kg

#7 – Micheal Mass 0.31kg

#6 – Dave Hedge 0.34

#5 – Steve Fields 0.35kg

#4 – Barry Trap 0.37kg

#3 – Carl Dubois 0.45kg

#2 – Brian Rutledge 0.49kg

#1 – Greg Lewis (AOY) 0.68kg

This event is part of Forster Fishing Carnival

Unoffical Results (excuse the spelling) – Pending info from the event web site.

1st Stewart Dunn Fish Fish LOA after two days – 2000
2nd Russel Babekuhl 1830
3rd David Hedge 1810
4th Steve Fields 1645
5th Jonathan Chen 1360
6th Peter Woods 1290
7th Ray Worley 1240
7th Greg Lewis 1240
9th Paul O’leary 1170
10th Andrew Hillyard 1160

WALLIS LAKE HOBIE KAYAK CLASSIC [R]
In 2009 there will be a new format for the Kayak event. The event will be run jointly with the ABT. Dates will be Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd. All entrants will be participants in the Forster Fishing Carnival, covered by the one entry fee.

The winner will get a new 2009 Hobie Outback Kayak valued at $2400!
Second Place – Lowrance DX50 Sounder with kayak install kit – value $320.00
Third Place – Lowrance DX50 Souder with kayak install kit – value $320.00
Fourth Place – “Ram” kayak rod holders x 2 – value $190.00
Fifth Place – Hobie Roller Duffle Bag – value $160.00

Introduction :
The first inaugural Hobie / ABT Kayak Fishing series was held with great success at Bayview Park, Sydney on Saturday the 17th of January 2008. With less than ideal weather predicted I was more than pleasantly surprised to find the event car park quite full around an hour before competition began. The smiles on competitor’s faces faded off threats of contempt from the wind gods above; attendees knew the time had come to secure Kayak Fishing Tournaments in Australia a bright future… Rain, hail or shine!

Many people had become obsessive with the idea of etching themselves in tournament history, the range of skills shown from yak anglers pre fishing the competition showed that the Bream were there, but finding them may prove difficult. Whispers of spread out destinations that held fish threw a few off there game plan early (Including yours truly) but that was nothing compared to what the 30 knot gale precluded. The main objective was to obviously find the fish but avoiding the weather soon became our number one priority.

The various competitors were drawn from far and wide, seasoned societies with backgrounds in Kayak Fishing all the way down to individuals new to the sport. As a proud member of the Hobie State Fishing Team I was keen to do my bit, talking to people before the start and gauging opinions on what constituted a good tournament. I know at first concerns were raised over entry fees and live well capabilities but these seem to disappear once on the shore, anticipation was sky high with the stage well and truly set.

ABT run a great event, organising plethoras of individual tournaments every year. The rules and regulations were carefully explained to all participants with Steve from Hobie outlining his future plan to one and all. It was stated by Steve Morgan that to access wether a tournament was viable they required a minimum of 20 anglers to set a field. With over forty Kayak Fishing enthusiasts lined up for a shot gun start they indicated they were more than impressed, certainly many intense thoughts for years ahead.

Photo: Steve Morgan – ABT (left) & Steve Fields – Hobie Australasia

The Sailing Scene – ABT / Event Support / Hobie Dealer Support

The Tournament :

Friendly bantering began among handshakes and a head nod, the one thing a Kayak Fishing community does well is cohesion. Live wells were checked; safety devices noted and with friendships set to flourish the event began in earnest at bang on 6am. An excited crew manned the plastic fleet and literally took off under sail, destinations were shared freely and groups became acquainted with the situation. The Parramatta River is a heavily used waterway however the early signs were only an indication of the traffic to come.

With gaggles of entrants powering into the shallower basin the field became split, my destination was based on others predicted hot spots and my own agenda. The Cabarita Marina was my first port of call, working it solidly with soft plastics and bladed lures. Competitors shared elbow room and flogged it quickly before moving on, concentrating on its edges and structure. Watching another State member jostle perfectly for place was intriguing, Carl Dubois (Cid) has previous quality experience and so has his Hobie Sport.

The wind was deciding my future, pushing me across the bay in discomforting ways. Spotting a rowing club in the distance an outline of moored boats appeared including one or two ‘Scrubbers’. My Hobie Quest appeared to be the only one of its type to be paddled in the field’s entourage, with a weight capacity pushed to its limits I felt comfortable knowing it has been tested many times before and came out glowing. Holding position close to pylons and boats became easier as I relinquished the winds strengthening grip.

The area was holding plenty of anglers with one or two securing fish by peppering offerings under the wharfs. I joined QLD Hobie State member Paul O’leary throwing Gulp Sandworms and Shrimps in an area that pre fished well for him and others. As the students of the private mooring began their weekend routine I hooked up, signs immediately pointed to a species of the wrong dimension and sure enough the first of many undersized Flathead graced my deck for the day.

Depth was something my presentation wanted to avoid; a slower sink rate on 1/32 ounce jig heads were required and in hindsight, perhaps even a hidden weight system. Quickly switching lead I spied the eventual tournament winner hitting the moored boats close to my new destination. Without saying a word I tried to replicate his ideas a few boats beyond but became distracted and left the area when Scott Lovig (Victorian Hobie dealer and competitor) sounded in the distance around his previously successful arena.

Traffic became slowly evident when the first of the big cat ferry’s trundled towards a terminal. Avoiding serious wake whilst following Paul towards Scott we hit said terminal and I pulled in my first Bream for the day. Measurement showed an undersized Bream was due to be released ( By only .5cm mind you ), I started cursing the fact I neglected to purchase an official ABT ruler considering I always had doubts in my yellow Juro rule. With a few more taps drew lost rigs, swaying confidence (And then Scott moved in!).

Whilst mentioning previously dialed scripts at this exact location he was promptly smoked by what could only be described as a ‘Money fish’. It didn’t take him long to get over a significant loss with a quick fish placed in the well. He shared thoughts and offered company across the river towards the d’Angelo Marina and on to another ferry terminal. Being the eager kind I moseyed on behind keeping an eye on the boat traffic, my body told me to return to closer, calmer waters but my head craved action.

The d’Angelo Marina looked promising but was still well and truly in the wind, only the larger moorings provided significant coverage to get a cast or two in. By this stage the waterway was in full swing, schoolyard scullery, pleasure craft, yachts and the ABT Skeeter boat with the tournament directors on board. Caught up with the two Steve’s who were checking on bragging rights, taking images and checking distances of entrants from the safety of the ramp (A professional touch, adding additional security to the event).

After chatting with the event sponsors I fished the terminal alone, last cast into a retreat saw some exploitation after the Ferry left the terminal. Two Bream in successive casts promised a bag limit but after once again measuring and coming up short, they were released unharmed. It was nearing the final two hours so figured I should paddle back towards the ramp and fish the flats behind the Tea Factory (Along with everyone else). Long, swirling paddles aren’t my cup of tea (Excuse the pun) and for once I dearly wished I owned an additional pedal craft, as others flew around me in relative ease.

The Cabarita Marina appeared as a haven compared to my initial touch of the place earlier this morning. Hugging in tight I allowed myself to cover the deck walks, pylons and drift into the nearby boats. In the middle of a flat I hooked my fourth Bream and smallest yet, dead sticking a Gulp 2” Shrimp into the gob of a 20cm beast. This was getting frustrated and clearly not my day, was I finally ruing the fact I didn’t stick to my researched game plan… An overcast day spells surface action but all fellow reports mentioned no luck.

Some people gave me a wide berth until I mentioned my tally for the day, then they were more than encouraging to help out. One such case I would like to mention is Stuart Dunn who kindly offered his top water drift location which immediately paid off. Whilst I only secured two small, undersized Bream on a Storm Hopper Popper I missed a cracker and was eventually moved on by the odour of the Tea Factroy, wafting across the small Bay. Feeling worse for wear and slightly crestfallen it was time to face my demons and beach.

By the time I returned nearly all competitors were back from the six hour outing, some suffering battle scars (Topping’s, broken Mirage drives from excess pressure etc) some pacing nervously and some whispering about some prime evil sized Bream. Sooner or later all keys were placed on the board and the weigh in could begin. This is the time as a participant I enjoyed the most, as apart from the comradery shown to each other it was a great time to put faces to names and an even better time to spy some outstanding fish.

Conclusion :

With the first fleet returned safe and sound, along with 27 successfully targeted species, the weigh in commenced in front of a stream of entrants, adoring supporters and inquisitive onlookers. The ABT wash and weigh tubs were stationed just up the slope from the beached yaks with the podium style hill used to project placement. Many moaned in the past of wasted money. It was a magnificent setting, honored with some great bags that easily eclipsed many weights from the previous days Bing Lee Australian Open final…

That was a five fish limit and this mind you was only two, judging from the final Tournament results fish were weighed down to 18th place with the top 10 placements securing some quality prizes. AKFF member and moderator Ken Raley rounded off the top 10, followed closely by the first of many two fish limits, NSW Hobie State Team member and 9th place getter Carl Dubois. Keiran Smith took out 8th with a respectable 1.1kg two fish bag, making way for Chris Byrne to receive 7th place and Greg Lewis 6th (Both receiving Okuma X Factor travel rods).

The top five were separated by as little as a few grams, David Tinsdale (SBD to his mates) looked delighted with a 1.21 limit, $100 and Berkley Diablo rod. Hobie dealer Scott Lovig’s efforts paid off with fourth place, a grand final berth, $100 cash prize and another Berkley Diablo rod giveaway. Stewart Dunn upped the ante by pocketing $150 and the last available Berkley Diablo, entering the top 3 places. Gary Cooke missed out on the ‘Big Bream’ award by minuet amounts, he knew second place was a brilliant result considering the depth and experience in the field and gladly accepted $250 for his effort.

Scott Lovig – Loading the bag for "bragging rights"

The "winner" with his "kicker fish"

The man many had watched pepper boat hulls for hours swept the field easily, winning ‘Big Bream’ and the Hobie / ABT Bream Kayak Event Sydney round with a huge 2.12kg bag of bulging Bream. Wayne Robinson’s prize included a grand final berth, free accommodation for the final event, $400 cash prize, $100 1.32kg ‘Big Bream’ cash prize and the joy of penning the opening paragraph of Australian Kayak Fishing Tournament history. Wayne explained to the crowd the years he had spent fishing the area out of his Perception Minnow, before recently upgrading to a new Hobie Sport / Live well combo.

The lucky random prize draws rounded off an epic day, alongside Sailing Scenes BBQ bash and the Hobie free drinks. Praise was once again handed down from Hobie’s Steve Fields who was very impressed at the dedicated turnout. The next instalment of the hugely successful Hobie / ABT series travels to the Mooloolah River, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on February 22nd. For more details on remaining Hobie Kayak Tournaments for 2009 or any future and past ABT events please visit the following links:

The ABT / Hobie Prize Pool was over $4000, and the winners are :

#10 – Ken Raley – (left) One Bream- 0.64kg Prize – Hobie Fish Grip & Berkley soft plastic 6 pack

#9 – Carl Dubois- 2 Bream 0.79kg – NSW Hobie State Fishing Team Prize – Hobie Fish Grip & Berkley soft plastic 6 pack

#8 Kieran Smith – 2 Bream 1.1kg – Prize – Hobie Fish Grip & Berkley soft plastic 6 pack

#7 Chris Byrne – 2 Bream 1.13kg – Prize Okuma "X" Factor Rod

#6 Greg Lewis – 2 Bream 1.15kg – Prize Okuma "X" Factor Rod

#5 Dave Tindale – 2 Bream 1.21kg – Prize $100 + $100 + Berkley Diablo Dropshot Rod

#4 Scott Lovig – 2 Bream 1.27kg – Bragging Rights and Prize $100 + Berkley Diablo Dropshot Rod

#3 Stuart Dunn – 2 Bream 1.34kg Prize $150 + Berkley Diablo Dropshot Rod

#2 Gary Cooke- 2 Bream 1.87kg Prize $250

#1 Wayne Robinson – 2 Bream 2.12kg (1.32 kicker) Prize $400 + $100 Big Bream

Report by:

Derek ‘Paffoh’ Steele –
ACT Hobie State Fishing Team Member