Episode 140: ABT, 2025 Daiwa BREAM Series, Forster 2, June 7-8

🎧 ABT Foster Round 2 Recap – Crabs, Grubs & Gutsy Calls: AOY Battle Heats Up | The Bream Fishing Project

Back-to-back Foster comps! In this episode of The Bream Fishing Project, we return to the stage of last week’s action for Round 2 of the 2025 Daiwa BREAM Series. The fish had seen it all. Pressure was up, the weather was finally calm, and the Angler of the Year race was down to two names: Mark Crompton and Mark Healey.

Six top anglers break down their tournament—how they adapted, adjusted, and pushed through fatigue and traffic on the water to land the right fish at the right time. From prawn bites and dirty water grinds to dramatic last-minute upgrades and technical rack extractions, this episode is full of insights from both new faces and seasoned veterans.

🎙 Interviews in this episode:

🟡 Drew Reid (3rd, Non-Boater) – In just his first ABT events, Drew takes us through six days on Foster including adapting to four completely different boaters. He reflects on how each taught him something new—from grub fishing with Scott Wilson to prawn presentations with John Glover. His comp ended with a calm, clutch finish using Daiwa prawns and a rolling crank in tight water.

🟡 Lance Marsh (2nd, Non-Boater) – Lance shares his evolution from a double donut in his first ABT four years ago to now bagging out early and calmly upgrading his way to second place. His consistent approach—casting Z-Man prawns at every pole he could see—paid off, as did smart decisions to fish hard while the tide was still high.

🟡 Mark Street (1st, Non-Boater) – An emotional win. Mark reflects on slow starts, exacting lure changes, and a deep-diving chubby upgrade right before weigh-in that helped him edge the win by just 20 grams. His honest recap includes the challenges of casting accuracy, changing hook weights, and the power of staying composed under pressure.

🟡 Paul Langley (3rd, Boater) – Paul returns for his second third-place finish in a week on the same waterway. He opens up on how he used clean water, wall structure, and subtle adjustments in presentation to deliver results. His use of active target and careful spot management helped both himself and his non-boaters finish high.

🟡 Chris Smith (2nd, Boater) – Chris reveals how a new rock wall he’d never fished before produced fish every day of both Foster rounds. He details how fish were striking crankbaits at the rod tip and explains how simplicity and confidence helped him commit to the same lures all week—earning a strong runner-up finish.

🟡 Mark Crompton (1st, Boater) – The win that sets up the AOY decider. Mark talks about risky choices that paid off, pushing into racks others wouldn’t touch, and the importance of speed rigging and line angles. The Daiwa Bait Junkie Grub once again played a starring role, and Mark shares why it remains one of the most underrated—but deadly—lures in comp fishing.

🌊 Tides & Bite Periods:

• Saturday: 55 activity rating. Major bite: 7:10–9:40 AM. High tide 5:34 AM (1.24 m), Low at 11:41 AM (0.41 m)

• Sunday: 65 activity rating. Major bite: 7:52–10:22 AM. High tide 6:19 AM (1.22 m), Low at 12:16 PM (0.40 m) (Note: Tides inside Foster lagged up to 2 hours.)

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💥 Thanks to our sponsors: Hobie Fishing, fishin.com.au, Podium Marine Wraps, and lure brands featured in this episode including Daiwa, Z-Man, Cranka, Karisma, and Bait Junkie.

🎥 Mentioned: Drew Reid’s YouTube channel – Moment of Stoke. Just search “Moment of Stoke Bream” on YouTube.

🎧 Hosted by 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion, Andrew Death.