Round 2 of the Hobie Kayak Bass Series presented by Daiwa was run on the picturesque water catchment known as Blue Rock Dam.

The dam was built to provide cooling water for the thermal power stations of the Latrobe Valley and to augment domestic water supplies. However due to a long term stocking program undertaken by Victorian fisheries the dam is also home to a large population of Australian bass.

Angers have travelled from as far away as Queensland and NSW for a chance to fish a new waterway and to qualify for the Grand final later on this year.

New South Wales angler Dave Mann has taken out the top spot on the podium, dominating the Victorian anglers in their own back yard. Using a custom Skinner Spinner rigged to a Jackall TN60 ghost yellow black stripes.

After a fruitful pre-fish on Saturday, Mann travelled up past the sunken timber area and fished a soft bank with smaller submerged timber. Going straight to a slow retrieve as soon as the lure hit the water, Mann landed his first fish by 7.30am and completed his 3 fish bag by around 8.30am. Mann fishes with a Daiwa Steez reel on a Dobyns Champion Extreme Rod, SAS 20lb braid and 10lb Yamatoyo leader.

Victorian bream guru Matt Petrie has defended his state’s honour by placing second, and only 2cm behind first place.

Using his knowledge of the lake, Petrie fished the edges near submerged timber with a Custom Atomic 38 Double Deep crank bait. Petrie found that while slow rolling the Double Deep lure the fish were hitting it hard by about the third wind.

Like the winner, Petrie also ran a Daiwa Steez reel but on a Duff Hystix rod, Sunline Super PE 6lb Braid and Unitika 6lb Leader.

New South Wales angler Glen Hayter rounded out the podium with 96 points. Hayter and first placed Mann both used the same lure configuration to unlock the mouths of some quality Australian bass.

Round 3 of the Hobie Kayak Bass Series – presented by Daiwa will be taking the competitors to Moogerah Dam in Queensland. This event in August is set to have some of the biggest bass we have seen in this series so far.

PositionAngler NameTotal(cm)Prize