LUKE Rogan from Brisbane has won Round 12 of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series presented by Daiwa in Mooloolaba, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast last weekend.
Unusually wet conditions tested the anglers on day one but around 50 per cent of the competitors returned home with full bags of four bream including upgrades.
Day two conditions were an improvement over the trying weather of Saturday with patchy light showers and some dark clouds surrounding the arena providing cover as the anglers crossed the Power-Pole starting line. By 10:30am, however, the sky was a brilliant blue with glassy conditions on the water in the canals, around the marinas and the trawler wharfs.
Rogan from Brisbane had been close to taking out Hobie Kayak Fishing Series rounds in the past but it was round 12 and his ability to adapt to the changing conditions that saw him take his first win. He likes to fish Raby Bay Canal (a canal system in Moreton Bay) and he believes that his experience with the similar man made structure like pontoons and canals helped him to win at Mooloolaba.
“On the first day of the event it rained all day, it dirtied the water up a little bit, but it turned them on, the bite was happening and I probably caught 50 fish, all legal. But I could only get a couple that were big enough to keep all day so I just kept upgrading and upgrading the others”.
Rogan’s original plan of attack on day one was to fish the Newport Canals, find the current and stay in that current away from the dirtiest water. He used a Zip Bait Khamsin Tiny in Mist Wakasagi in the dirty water caused by the rain.
“I’m pretty good at casting but these lures just make me better, I can get them where I want under the pontoons,” he says.
Rogan was coming second at the end of day one with a 4 from 4 bag weighing in at 2.11kg trailing the leader Michael Halliday by 110 grams.
“Today I just went and found the clean water. As soon as I found that clean water it was the complete opposite, I’d gone from finding the dirty water yesterday to the clean water and that’s what did the trick today”. Said Rogan.
He finished the day with a 2.39kg bag giving him a two day overall bag weight of 4.500kg with 8 from 8 fish just 5 grams ahead of second place getter Tyson Hayes.
Luke qualified for the grand final last year and missed it due to the trip he goes on with his mates to Weipa each year. With the pre-planned trip to Weipa, clashing with the grand finals for the second year in a row, Luke now has some serious talking to do with his mates!
As well as winning the tournament Luke Rogan also bagged the Hog’s Breath Café Boss Hog Big Bream cheque for the second time in as many rounds by landing a nice .720kg bream on day one.
More info on the Hobie Kayak Bream Seeries available at: www.hobiefishing.com.au
