Local angler Steven Pryke has taken out the opening round of the
Australian Bass Tournaments (ABT) bream series on the Gippsland Lakes last week.
Pryke seized the lead on day one and held his nerve across day two, with the top three anglers after the first day maintaining their positions. He claimed the Champion Boater trophy and $4200 with a 10-bream haul weighing 12.810 kilograms. Mark Healey (12.152 kg) and
Mario Vukic (11.404 kg) rounded out the top three.
In the non-boater division, Simon Krause secured back-to-back victories on the Gippsland Lakes, moving from fifth on day one to the top spot with six fish totaling 5.413 kg. He narrowly edged out overnight leader David Morris (5.318 kg) and Allan Morrison (5.187 kg).
While Pryke has enjoyed previous ABT victories, this was his first win on his home waters — a setting he says can be trickier than expected, with higher expectations and
added pressure.
His performance over the two days was both consistent and record-breaking. Pryke posted the largest five-fish day one total (7.096 kg) ever recorded in an ABT app event on the Gippsland Lakes. The calibre of his catch highlighted the current health of the fishery, with his heaviest bream measuring 41.5cm, supported by fish of 40cm, 38cm, and 36.5cm.
Pryke’s approach was deliberately simple but executed with precision. He focused on ultra-light presentations, fishing soft plastics on a 1/22-ounce round jighead paired with bloodworm-style plastics, on a six-pound leader connected to 12-pound braid. This allowed him to present baits delicately around docks, pylons, sticks, and shaded structure where larger bream were holding.
Calm, warm conditions meant visibility was a key factor. Pryke often spotted fish high in the water column, either visually or by subtle movements. His casting was measured: pitching past fish and letting lures drift naturally into view. When the fish committed, strikes were decisive.
On day two, with the competition closing in, Pryke filled his limit early but initially with smaller fish. The defining moment came late in the day at a wind-blown point he hadn’t previously favoured. The flats suddenly came alive. After boating a few smaller fish, Pryke switched to a hardbody lure and landed a
38cm bream, the key upgrade that secured his win.
“It was a classic Gippsland Lakes moment — one cast, one fish, and everything changed,” he said.
