Episode 137: 2025 Daiwa BREAM Series, Blackwood River 17-18 May

 

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Daiwa BREAM Series – Blackwood River WA | May 17–18, 2025 – Full Event Recap

In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we’re heading back to the picturesque but punishing Blackwood River in Western Australia to break down the Daiwa BREAM Series round held over the weekend of May 17–18, 2025.

With conditions proving difficult across both days—flat conditions, fog delays, speed restrictions, and finicky fish—the event became a real test of patience, presentation, and local knowledge. Despite the challenges, Rob Dawson came out on top in the boating division with a unique stat: matching weights of 1.93 kg on both days of competition. In a field full of experienced competitors, consistency was key.

Joining the show are all six podium finishers—boaters and non-boaters—who walk us through their pre-fish strategies, lure choices, on-the-day decisions, and what they’d do differently next time. You’ll hear from:

• Boating Division: Rob Dawson (1st), Greg Cooper (2nd), and Mark Crompton (3rd)

• Non-Boating Division: Ben Oakes (1st), Ruan Vanderberg (2nd), and Michael Saot (3rd)

From jerkbaits and sprats to mussel vibes, baby vibes, and finesse presentations, the stories highlight how subtle adjustments and sheer persistence made all the difference. Whether it was long casts with stick minnows, twitching Noris laydown minnows across wind-blown flats, or dragging Z-Man craws along the bottom, each angler found a different way to unlock fish.

There are also some great personal reflections—Ruan revisits his early days on the show, Rob discusses guiding on the Blackwood, and Mark shares how one turned belly-up fish possibly cost him the win. It’s a great reminder of how small margins often define tournament results.

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