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Colac Tackle too strong at Nelson
  |  First Published: July 2012



The 28-29 April saw 55 teams head to picturesque Nelson on the Glenelg River for the 2012 Alsta Angling Hobie Bream Classic. It was the third round of the 2012 Humminbird Bream Classic Series teams and all competitors were eager to finish well to secure enough points to confirm them a place in the Grand Final at Metung in November.

For Team Colac Tackle’s Steve Parker and Declan Betts, being Glenelg River specialists, took full advantage of their home ground advantage.

Despite the forecast predicting atrocious conditions, the weather proved them wrong with no rain and only light winds to kick things off on day one. Team Colac Tackle’s plan of attack was to head up to Taylors Strait and work the edges with hardbodies in the hope of some better than average bream to make up a strong bag.

“Once we got to Taylors Strait we used a combination of G.Loomis and Samurai rods matched to Daiwa Steez and Daiwa Certate reels spooled with Crystal Fireline and Varivas braid. We used 4lb and 5lb Varivas Ganoa Absolute Flurocarbon with a combination of lures including Smith Camion Dredges, Jackall Chubbies and Smith DD Panishes,” said Steve.

The technique that proved dynamite for the boys was to position the boat to ensure they could cast the hardbodies as close to the bank or structure as possible. Once in the spot, the lure was then ripped down to the correct depth and paused. Most of the fish smashed the lure as it sat in front of them.

This approach landed the boys their bag by 8.30am and gave them the luxury to search for upgrades for the remainder of the day, of which they managed a further five. Those upgrades proved vital in beefing up their bag securing them second position after day one with a 5/5 bag of bream weighing in at 4.09kg.

The big talk was the day one leaders Team Whiteheads Timber Sales Dean Truman and Matthew Bell who found quality fish all day to weigh in a cracking Nelson bag of 5/5 bream for 4.18kg. The beauty about this bag was not only did it hand them the lead on day one, but also handed them the Eco-Gear Big Bream Prize with a cracking 1.29kg bream and had them in the lead for the Maria Lures Best Bag Prize.

If the boys from Whitehead Timbers Sales could hang on for day two they would have totally scooped the pool of all the possible prizes, but Team Colac Tackle had other ideas.

Day two started in much similar fashion to day one but with a much larger quantity of boats heading toward the mouth. Team Colac Tackle had to ensure that they repeated the efforts of day one if they would have any chance of chasing down the current leaders.

“On day two we decided to head straight back to Taylors Strait as it had produced for us on day one and we were confident there was still plenty of quality fish to be found there,” said Steve. The boys weren’t wrong, using the same techniques and lures as they did the previous day, Team Colac Tackle had a full bag by 8.30am and had their eyes fixed on getting those upgrades to ensure them victory.

“It was just so important that we got the lures as close to the structure as possible. If we were a metre away we didn’t get a single hit but once we got the lure hard up tight to the structure, then ripped it down and paused it, the bream come out and smashed it,” said Steve.

Another five upgrades for day two in the live well, the boys were feeling confident they may have the winning bag so they made the nervous trip back to the weigh in.

The top two teams were neck and neck after day one so the scene was set for a nail biting weigh in.

Team Colac Tackle weighed in first with a day two 5/5 bream bag weighing 3.48kg, which wasn’t as big as their day one bag but enough to give them 10/10 bream for 7.57kg. As Team Whitehead Timber Sales approached the scales all eyes were on the screen to see if they could get the 3.40kg needed to take victory. They had five bream, a perfect start, and then as they sat their bag on the scales the screen shot past 2kg then slowed and came to a sudden stop on 2.70kg. It wouldn’t be enough.

Team Colac Tackle had snatched it and were crowned the 2012 Alsta Angling Hobie Bream Classic champions. For Team Whitehead Timber Sales it was still a very productive weekend taking second place, winning the Eco-Gear Big Bream Prize with their 1.29kg bream and taking out the Maria Lures Best Bag prize for their cracking 4.18kg bag from day one.

For all the results, pictures from the event and information on the remaining rounds of the 2012 Humminbird Bream Classic Series log onto www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

PlaceTeamAnglersFishWeight(kg)

1Colac TackleSteve Parker, Declan Betts107.57
2Whitehead Timber SalesDean Truman, Matthew Bell106.88
3Gamakatsu/AtomicPaul Malov, Alex Franchuk106.73
4Minn-KotaCameron Whittam, Warren Carter106.73
5Club Marine FishingGregory Crellin, Michael Bressan106.72
6We Flick - DUOJoel Turton-Lane, Anthony Villani106.39
7The Old BoysBrian Pelle, James Blazewski106.35
8South East & West Fishing MagazineBrett Stokes, Michael Peachey106.30
9PlonkersBen Shuey, Mick Kaksa106.26
10Cranka SmithDan Mackrell, Mark Hayes106.15
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