# ABT Kayak Comp - Bemm River Vic 16-17 February 2013



## Jon (Sep 21, 2007)

Took the Friday off work which meant an early start from Canberra 4am start so I could get down to Marlo for a relaxing fish and determine roughly what lures the bream were chewing on. Arrived at 8:30am and hit the water straight away I was surprised to see at least 6 other kayakers and lots of boat traffic on the water being a Friday. Everyone must have had the same idea. I found a couple of legal bream that took a liking to the Pontoon 21 Greedyguts in the 66cm and 55cm and the New Damiki Shrimp soft plastics. This would be my starting lure of choice and game plan for comp day.

Day One: 
While setting up I received a couple of lures that I got pimped by Custom Lure Art - Craig450. They looked amazing and Craig450 did a great job. I just had to try them during the comp and tied on a Greedyguts 66 in the pimped secret colour. I had a bit of a game plan coming into the comp as I had fish the Bemm River for the Grand final and had found a lot of fish on a flat. Not too sure what the area was called but it felt like the furthest point from the launch spot next to the river that runs to the sea. The flat is made up on sand flats and broken weed bed and drop offs. As soon as we were allowed to go I made my way to the spot and started a slow drift with the sea anchor. I made long casts first throughout the day and when drifted off the flat I would peddle into the wind and start the drift again. I started out with the Greedyguts 66 in the pimped colour and first cast I landed my first legal bream that went 34cm. The flat was about 1.3m, the Greedyguts started to get caught on weed so I switched to the Damiki Shrimp Soft plastic in Ox Blood Red and Skin Blue and within the first cast got hammered by a 37cm Bream. A few more cast later while ripping through the weed I felt weight big headshakes and knew I was onto a good fish. The fish went on a few awesome runs with the love noise of the drag zzzzzzzzz and it weird feeling how much stretch you get fishing 3lb Sunline sniper straight through. The fish didn't want to swim out from underneath my kayak but after a good fight it was finally in the kayak and soon after into the live-well it well 38cm to the fork. It was a good feeling having a bag of fish before 8am and took a lot of pressure off my chest. By then I had drifted on to a sand bank and started casting the Greedyguts again and managed a couple of 30-33cm bream. I then got smoked and lost the Greedyguts which I hope wasn't to a big bream. I keep telling myself it was a flathead. I then tied on the Crackjack 48 deep in the same pimped colour. I cast a long winded cast the lure landed in the water and within 2 cranks the reel was screaming and line was pealing from the reel and I pulled in the sea anchor with one hand and had to chase the fish down. After an awesome tussle the fish gave up and swam into the net I was stoke to upgrade the 34cm to the tip with a 39cm to the fork bream. On the way back to the start line I found a drop off from around 2.2m to 1.3 and caught another 5 legal bream on the Damiki shrimp ranging from 30-35cm. It was good to see almost all competitors catching fish and majority with full bags. I excitedly weighed in my biggest bag to date breaking the 3keg mark and was stoked. Well done to Michele Carmody on a cracking bag of bream as well. 









Day two:
To say I had a good night sleep would be a lie. I was tossing and turning and took me a long time to finally settle down. Day two started and I was the last to leave number 70. I arrived at my spot to find a couple of people already there. It was really a mental game watching everyone leave first and not being able to get to your favourite spot first. It was tough going but managed bag of 3 bream to 30cm by 8:30am and it again took a lot of pressure off and I could just relax. All the bream were caught on the flats on the Crackjack 48 deep in the pimped colour I had changed the leader to 6lb as I didn't want to lose it and continually checked and changed the leader because of that. I then persisted on the flat for a couple of hours and upgraded all the bream to all 32cm bream. The wind died down and the fish stopped biting on the flats. I was starting to get a little stress with only having a smallish bag and I knew I needed to upgrade. I went searching for greener pastures I peddled over to around 2.2m of water and started bladed and managed a small bream. I then decided to move towards the start line were I found bream towards the end of day one and after a couple of hours blading with a Ecogear zx I was stoked to pull in a 34cm bream a few more cast and up graded again to a 37cm to the fork bream. I knew I just needed one more upgrade to stay in the lead. After a couple of small bream and about 40 casts later I got that upgrade I needed a 37cm to the tip bream with only 20 minutes to go. Got off the water and it was time to play the waiting game being asked to be the last to weigh in was nerve racking and watching all the nice bags being weighed in wasn't making it any easier. Getting to the stage last and having to get at least 2kg to beat Steve Fields and knock him off the top was nerve-racking my legs and arms felt like jelly. I had my toes crossed that it would reach the magic 2kg mark. When the bag hit the scales and 2.27kg went up I was stoked I couldn't get the smile off my face. Being able to hold onto top spot coming into day two and beating some of the top bream anglers is an awesome feeling that will definitely keep me buzzing for a long time to come. Well done to all the top finisher. 
Thanks to Elliot from ABT, Lure and Fly and Hobie for running a great well run event. Thanks to my sponsor Searing tackle suppliers of Damiki, Pontoon 21 and Fish Arrow. A big thanks goes to Craig450 that runs Custom Lure Art and pimping my Lures for me I owe you a couple of beers.









The lures that did the damage (crackjack was in a secret pimped colour not the one in the image)









cheers Jon


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## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

Congrats Jon. A good win in a tough line up.


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Yeeewww well done mate, thanks for sharing the experience with us.

Fiddy paints a mad lure.


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## DrJed (Sep 13, 2007)

Hey Jon - great report mate and cracker effort to take a day one lead through to the top of the podium. Loved the report and some great pics, thanks mate....now have to wait another 4 months till a QLD round of the ABT..
Cheers
Steve


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## Evoids (Jan 10, 2009)

Awesome read. Must feel good bagging out with plenty more time to fish. Well done on the win too!


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## brant78 (Jun 24, 2012)

Thanks for sharing Jon. Great read and top effort.


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## Jon (Sep 21, 2007)

thanks everyone



> Loved the report and some great pics, thanks mate


Thanks DrJed the guys at LureandFly.com take awesome photos.



> Awesome read. Must feel good bagging out with plenty more time to fish. Well done on the win too


thanks Evoids its really takes the edge off when your able to bag out early and give you time to concentrate of the finer points and gives you confindence that your making the right choices.


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## Thefishy1 (Aug 25, 2009)

Well done John in a comp with so meany good anglers u did outstanding. And about time someone else shows what lures they used and not some bullshit they never throw.


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## pescado (May 17, 2007)

Congrats on the win mate!


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Wow. What a buzz. Nerve wracking. And that was just for me!

Well done to keep your cool Jon and calmly work out how to get those upgrades. I would have been faffing about, changing lures and positions at 5 minute intervals.

I must get sum o' dem Fiddy shallas 2.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

Congrats Jon. Total respect to win in such a massive lineup.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

koich said:


> Congrats Jon. Total respect to win in such a massive *and very talented* lineup.


I'll echo Koichs sentiments with the addition of the bold text.


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

Very well done mate - awesome to see you up the top at last. 
Great stuff and I hope you do well for the rest of this season.
Best regards,
Greg


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