The Vic Bream Classics headed back to Marlo for the 2026 Megabass East Gippsland Bream Classic, and this one had a bit of everything — big bags, tight bite windows, huge schools of salmon, and a first-time win for Team Marlo Bait and Tackle.
In this episode, I catch up with the top three teams:
• Alex Franchuk and Paul Malov from Team Millerods – 3rd Place
• Dan Mackrell and Declan Betts from Team Samurai Rods – 2nd Place
• Harry Young and Brad Young from Team Marlo Bait and Tackle – 1st Place
The event was shaped by low water, limited flow, heavy boat traffic, and massive numbers of salmon sitting above the bream. For many teams, the challenge was not just finding the right fish, but getting through the salmon and slowing presentations down enough to tempt quality bream underneath.
Across the interviews we discuss:
• Fishing under massive schools of salmon
• Why the edge bite was tough
• Slow plastics in open water
• Bloodworm colours, grubs, prawns and paddle tails
• Using ActiveTarget and sonar to identify bream amongst mixed species
• Managing bite windows that only lasted a few minutes
• Why spot management was critical over two days
• Fishing heavy leaders and weedless-rigged plastics tight to structure
• Harry and Brad Young’s first Vic Bream Classic win
Team Marlo Bait and Tackle put together a dominant performance, weighing 5.490kg on day one and 5.365kg on day two for a total of 10.855kg. Their win came from backing their plan, fishing their water, managing their spots, and staying calm when Sunday morning started slowly.
If you fish Marlo, East Gippsland, or any system where fish sit under bait and salmon, there are some great lessons in this one.
Want More From The Lure Fishing Project?
Join The Vault for:
• Extended interviews
• Bonus content
• The Big Bream Series
• Early access releases
Or join The Collective for:
• Everything in The Vault
• Discord community access
• Live Zoom sessions
• Challenges and member-only discussions
Find out more at:
lurefishingproject.supercast.com
Thanks for listening to The Lure Fishing Project. We'll catch you in the next episode.
