Brilliant conditions greeted competitors at the start of the second qualifying round of the 2006 BASS Pro series in the Stessco Lake Glenbawn event.

The dropping water levels meant the fishing was always going to be tough and local knowledge paid big dividends for Michael Pascoe a 21 year old Origin Energy worker from Scone showing he had the local knowledge to take out the event with a 6/6, 6.10kg bag.

Pascoe, who led the tournament at the completion of session two, was afraid he would again fail as he did in 2005 when he was in the same position. However he stuck to his game plan and came home victorious taking out the title along with the Daiwa Big Bass prize.

With confidence in his technique, Pascoe fished fly all weekend and finished with a 2/2 1.92kg bag in the final session to take the win.

“I broke my favourite rod in the first session, and had to go to an old Daiwa rod that had a broken reel seat,” said Pascoe.

Engine troubles also hindered Pascoe as he had to remove the cowling of his motor every time he needed to start it. These troubles didn’t hinder his performance though, as he waved the long wand in the timber.

“I fished rocky banks with trees emerging from the water around 20m from the bank” said Pascoe when asked about his technique. Catching eight fish in the first session and upgrading twice he was confident the fish would be in the same spots in the following session. He proved that theory correct in the second session. Landing the biggest bass of the tournament, a 1.65kg fish on the third cast of the session.

Fishing with the Diawa 6-wt after breaking his Innovator 6/7-wt on Saturday, Pascoe again returned to the same spot on Sunday and boated two fish within ten minutes.

“I caught lots of fish and upgraded ten times,” said Pascoe.

“When the wind began to blow I couldn’t fish the spot I wanted to and didn’t really cast a fly again,” said Pascoe.

Second place went to Stephen Almond who showed he is a consistent angler with three similar bag limits to give him a total 6/6 5.57kg limit. Almond fished deep on day one pulling fish from 55 to 60 feet of water on the flats.

“The fish were schooled on the bottom,” said Almond.

“I presented a Ecogear Grass Minnow in colour 117 rigged on a 3/8oz Nitro jighead which I slow rolled through the school,” said Almond.

Almond’s tackle included Daiwa Procaster rods rigged with 1500 and 2500 TD Advantage reels spooled with 4lb Fireline and 8-10lb Berkley Vanish leader.

The second session was a repeat of the first and put Almond into second place going into the final session.

However when he returned to the flats on day two, there was no fish present and Almond wasted two hours trying to get fish. A change of position and techniques helped him finish in the money, with Big House Bay the choice spot. Targeting fish that were hiding in submerged timber in around 60 foot of water, Almond would drop the lure to the bottom and then slowly roll it back through the trees got the results.

Gavin Dunne, a 33 year old Ecogear Rep from Queensland, took out the non-boater first place compiling the only 6/6 limit in the division with a 4.89kg bag. Dunne was very grateful to his boaters Brad Smith and Steve Almond.

Dunne presented a 3” Ecogear Power Shad in Rainbow Trout on a 3/8oz Ecogear 3D jighead. Fishing submerged trees in around 60 foot of water, letting the lure drop to the bottom then slow rolling it back through the trees.

“I wasn’t getting hits unless the lure was touching the timber,” said Dunne.

The three session were all the same for Dunne who used a Norries 6ft Baitcaster paired with a Diawa ITO baitcaster reel spooled with 10lb Yamatoyo PE Braid with a 10lb Yamatoyo Fluorocarbon leader. June 24-25.

For entry forms and details visit www.australianbass.com.au or call ABT on (07) 3268 3992. - David Poulton

Boater Results

Non-Boater Results