For me, that is! As per usual, Hobie and ABT lived up to their excellent reputation and showcased another professional tournament that combined with the good naturedness of kayaking to provide a fun and informative weekend for all. Including those that didn't catch fish.
Saturday greeted us with 20-25 knot winds and a surf launch which proved a bit wet for some. I'd never fished here before and had a choice of north to the reefs or south (to more reefs). I chose south and dropped a good fish only 10 minutes into the comp. Little did I know it, but I could've packed up and gone home then. I made it all the way down to Redcliffe and back, battling wind and some pretty wild swell for absolutely zip! Nuthin', nadda, zilcho. In fact, I not only didn't land a bream, I didn't land anything. Not even a small flattie.
Ooh, I was so frustrated. Heading back north at about 10:45 am, a wave picks me up and as I look down I see a large rock with my name written all over it. "Hmmm, not good," I think. "But wait, I think I'll make it!" Well, I almost made it. Crunch!!! The only part to hit was my rudder but that was enough to sheer off the pin that holds it in place. Now my kayak is swirling around and it's out with the paddle. I look at it for a minute thinking "How do you use one of these?" before I get into gear and head into shore.
As the others head back in, it's apparent that whoever went north had a pretty good day. Lots of tales of unstoppable fish but no really big bags which is quite surprising. After the wash up, 
it's the ever consistent Greg Lewis that's on the top of the table with 1.72 kgs. He's a breamin' machine and could catch one in a rain puddle, I reckon. Another regular that always manages to get fish that are just undersize is Steve Fields from Hobie, but today he has flung the donut monkey off his back and also bagged out.
it's the ever consistent Greg Lewis that's on the top of the table with 1.72 kgs. He's a breamin' machine and could catch one in a rain puddle, I reckon. Another regular that always manages to get fish that are just undersize is Steve Fields from Hobie, but today he has flung the donut monkey off his back and also bagged out.Sunday is the opposite of saturday and we are greeted with almost glassy conditions. North I go with about half the fleet and start peppering the numerous reefs with HB's. I see a few yakkers hook up but no bream are coming over the sides.
I finally take up position next to a reef and decide SP's may be worth a shot and rig up a 100mm Squidgy Wriggler (Avocado) smeared with S-factor. Another angler pulls up about 30 meters away and we exchange hellos and general banter. I hear a reel sing and turn to see his rod bucking under the strain of a good fish. In comes a crackin' bream. 10 minutes later, he's on again and it's another beauty.
I'm thinking "I must be next," when he lets out a yeehah! Three fish in 25 minutes and he's off to weigh them in. I stay in the area but don't even get a touch. Please insert a dozen swear words here.
I'm starting to wonder if there are any fish at all around here when I finally, FINALLY hook
something. Not a bloody bream but a Moses Perch. That's a new species for me but I'd much prefer a bream. More casting and I get a flathead. Aaarggghhhh. Come on! It's bloody hot, the wind is starting to pick up and I still don't have a bream to my name.
I keep on casting and try numerous lures hoping to hit on a type and colour that will work. I try slow retrieves, fast retrieves, twitch retrieves, 'crank 'em down and bump the bottom' retrieves, surface lures with poppers and walk-the-dog style lures, floaters, sinkers, suspending and the whole kit and caboodle of SP's in my arsenal.
I do manage a small Rock Cod and another Moses Perch but these are all I can muster from the northern reefs. I head back towards the launch beach and decided to target the small reefs just out from it. The wind is pushing the waves and it's washing over the back of the rocks, so I settle in behind them figuring any fish will be searching for bits and pieces washed off into the white 
bream (not even a tiddler) did I land all weekend. Frustrating.
water. I rig up with a gulp 2" shrimp (peppered) and stay put. I stick it out for the next hour and get busted up by two HUGE fish that I didn't even see and drop what would've been a 30cm fork bream.
With my tail between my legs, I mope into shore, utterly defeated by Redcliffe. Not one
And then to top it all off, the guy, Nicholas Meredith, who caught the 3 bream next to me ended up winning with 1.92 kgs (well done Nicholas). And what did he catch them on? A 100mm Squidgy Wriggler in bloodworm. Obviously the bream don't like avocado, eh? Greg Lewis held onto 2nd place with 1.72 kgs and 3rd was taken by Will Lee with 1.46 kgs.
It was great to see some of the top guns of the sport, Tristan Taylor and Darren 'Dizzy' Borg, getting in a yak and refining their techniques to temp the bream and hopefully in future tournaments we'll see a lot more of these top anglers joining our ranks. I've already thrown the gauntlet down to Steve Morgan and he's promised that soon, he'll jump in one and give it a go, too.
This weekend I might give the bream a miss and chase bass instead...Bloody bream... Happy yakkin', everyone!
cheers,
Cid
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