Power-Pole Round 5. Blackwood River, WA.

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Round 5 of the 2017 Australian Hobie Kayak Bream Series kicked off from the start location of Molloy Caravan park – Augusta, home to the mighty Blackwood River, where anglers were greeted with what could only be described as perfect conditions, with some calling the conditions to start the day as too perfect.

No wind, and nothing but blue skies had all 41 keen anglers raring to go come the start time for day one, and no sooner had the start been called when fog blanketed the whole river making it near on impossible to even see the kayaks fishing across the river from the start line.

Making all the right decisions and cracking onto the winning pattern was Sean Higgins weighing in six bream for 4.355kg and hold off a number of quality anglers nipping at his heels. When asked how the weekend had played out Sean replied “unreal, considering I have only fished here about five times in the past, I was really happy to crack onto a pattern and follow that through for both days”.

“On day one I headed down river to where I hooked my only keeper on the pre-fish day, it took me a while to get them to bite, but I eventually hooked my kicker fish about 10am which was pushing 40cm, so I was really happy to have that in the well. I picked him up on a shallow diving Nories Laydown Minnow in the gold colour, so I stuck with that lure for the whole day and started working the flats in the general area, I was under paddle power so I could push into the shallower areas of the bays that others probably could not get onto”.

“I picked up a few more keepers including a couple of nice upgrades along the way, so with the number of fish in the area I thought I would try a couple of different spots with the hope that my spot would hold up for day two”.

“Day two, well my preparation was changing two trebles and that was it, but first thing I headed straight to where I had success on day one, and by 7.15am I had my first keeper in the well and much like day one he was pushing 40cm so to have a cracker in the well so early certainly had the pressure off”.

“I just continued to work the general area targeting random rocks, snags, and weed patches, sometimes in ankle deep water as well, they were mighty aggressive and the best part was watching them cartwheel out of the water after smashing the lure. I think I had my bag by 8.30am and just continued with tiny upgrades over the day. I knew I would need a minimum of 2kg just to stay in the hunt, especially when the guys sitting behind you are Alex and Shano, two guys who I knew would have no problem getting three in the well.”

Sean used NS Typhoon and Silk Nano rods, these were matched to Shimano Biomaster reels in the 1000 and 2500 sizes. Each reel was loaded with Yamatoyo Braid in 6lb, whilst at the business end of the deal was the ever popular Harris Fighter Fluorocarbon in 8lb.

Sean thanked Hobie for bringing the series to W.A, JML Anglers Alliance for all the support they give him throughout the Boat and Kayak Classic events, and the organisers for putting on a great event, and last but not least all the other anglers that made the effort.

In second place and missing out by a mere 70 grams was top three regular Alex Greisdorf weighing in six bream for 4.280kg. When asked whether his weekend had gone to plan, Alex replied “Well I nearly managed to run down Sean, but in the end 2^nd place and qualifying for the Grand Final makes it all worthwhile. I missed out on a berth last year on a count back so I’m pretty happy to reverse that result”.

“This weekend like a lot of the field I headed right down the bottom of the river to focus on structure and tea trees to find my fish. I stuck with my favourite Zman grub in the bloodworm colour and I had that rigged on a Headlockz 1/20^th jig head biscally because there was no wind for most of the day, I hooked some good fish but just struggled to find a good kicker fish”.

“On day two the weather was a lot different with plenty of wind and overcast most of the day, so I had a feeling they would chew hard. I managed to pull my bag in the first 15 minutes all on hardbodies from Cranka Minnows and Cranks to Ecogear SX40s, I just kept ticking them over with small upgrades throughout the day. I ended up catching about 20 legals so it was a great day out. I’m pretty buggered from the 8-9km paddle each way each day so I will sleep well tonight.

“A big thanks to the WAFM guys and Hobie for a great event, as well as Getaway Outdoors for their support throughout the event especially with supplying a kayak for me to use, and then of course my sponsors in Lowrance and Tackle Tactics for all their support”.

Alex fished with his normal selection of Daiwa Battler and Duff rods and these were matched to a range of Daiwa reels.

In third place and no stranger to the top three was Shane Owens, weighing in six bream for 3.955kg to claim the last of the three berths allocated to this round for the 2017 Hobie Grand Final. When asked how the day weekend went, Shane replied “I fished in pretty much the same area as Alex for the whole weekend, it was also the same area that I had done well in the recent ABT event here a few weeks back. I caught a few fish each day on Squidgy Wrigglers in the bloodworm colour, and also my old favourite Rush Craw in the 727 Jelly Prawn colour”.

“Day two and once again I found myself in the same area after a nice 8-9km paddle, and pretty much found them on the chew straight away. I caught most of my keepers on the Gladiator Bingo hardbody in the Ayu colour, and just could not find that kicker fish to give my bag the boost it needed. But I am very happy to qualify for the Hobie GF which is going to be in W.A, which might even increase our chances of pulling off a good finish”.

When asked if he had anything to add, Shane replied “A big thanks to Hobie, the WAFM guys and Getaway for putting the event on, and a big thanks to my sponsors in Gladiator and Tackle HQ”.

Shane used Gladiator Cyborg rods, these were all matched to Daiwa Certate, Daiwa Freams reels, and each reel was loaded with Gosen Braid. At the business end was Nitlon leader in 4lb and 6lb breaking strains.

The overall Hobie Big Bream for the weekend was taken out by Graeme Kovacevich who no more than 100 metres from the start line pulled a cracker on his first cast for day one, his 38cm chunk hit the scales at 950 grams and was taken on a ZMan 2.5” grub in the Bloodworm colour.

Big Bream for Day two was taken out by Tim Stylianou who pinned his nice keeper on a shallow diver in 50mm in a Holographic Ayu colour that he cannot recall the name of.

The Masters division was taken out by Steve (unleaded) Owens who finished in 6^th place overall, we are all glad you eventually got home safely.

The Women’s division was taken out by Michelle Pardini, who presented three bream to the scales each day and knocked over a range of PBs in the process – Well Done!!

The Youth Division was taken out by Tom Harders who could have put the result beyond doubt and maybe even push in to the top 10 had he not dropped his 40cm kicker fish back into the drink when transferring it to the net for weigh in, mighty unlucky!

A big thanks goes to all of the sponsors that made the weekend possible: Hobie Australia and Getaway Outdoors.

See you all at HOBIE Round 11 to be held on the Swan River on the 26^th and 27^th of August.