Pro Staffer Paul Malov claim's Metung Classic
Recently signed Damiki Pro Staff angler, Paul Malov, together with Alex Franchuk put together a 10/10 9.96 Kg bag to take out the Vic Bream Classic Metung round.
Their maiden victory also secured joint 1st place for the Vic Bream Classic Team of the Year award.
The 5th and final qualifying round of the Victorian Bream Classics was just held over the weekend of 7-8th of August in Metung, Victoria.
Team Damiki/Pontoon 21's Paul Malov and Alex Franchuk had a fantastic start to the tournament, on day one bringing in a five fish limit that weighed 5.56kg. They had their limit by 8.30am and had upgraded twice by 9am. Their bag was anchored by a 1.46kg monster black bream, with another 2 fish around the 1.2kg mark which helped them finish in second place after day 1. With over 20 legal fish caught on the first day and 6 upgrades, the boys were confident going in to day two, hopeful that their spots would hold up for the last day of competition.
Day 2 started off really well with a 36cm bream landed on the 2th cast of the morning. Once again, they managed to quickly put together a bag, with 5 legal fish swimming in the livewell by 7.55am, including a 1.4kg black bream. Fishing rock walls with good current flow, the boys would cast their lightly weighted Monster Miki soft plastics up stream and hopping them down the rock walls, keeping a tight line to ensure they felt any takes as the plastics drifted down with the current.
After catching a 31cm bream, Paul looked in the livewell hoping to upgrade one of the smaller fish and saw that one of their 33cm bream was looking unwell due to all the fresh water that was in the river, the boys took a gamble and released him, knowing that they had just lost some weight and hoping this wouldn't drop them down a few places. The bite really slowed down for the boys for the rest of the day with a few smaller fish coming in to the boat, but no upgrades coming after 10am.
Arriving at the scales on day 2, the boys 5 fish bag weighed 4.40kg, giving them enough weight to overtake the leaders and snatch the win.
The lure that did the damage was the Damiki Monster Miki in Motor Oil Red, Light Cinnamon and Dark Olive Green colours and that was the only thing the boys used all weekend.
For their win, the boys received the full 100 points going towards the Team of the Year standings and as the weigh in concluded and the results were posted, it became clear that they had clawed back a 75 point deficit coming in to the tournament, to finish equal first in the Team of the Year race and share the honours with team Colac Tackle.
Tackle used:
Paul: Millerods Bream Buster XF matched with a Daiwa Airity 2000 reel, 6lb TD Sensor braid and 4lb leader. Jig heads: Round squidgy heads 1-2gm depending on current and depth
Alex: GLoomis GLX Dropshot paired with a Daiwa SOL 2000 reel, 4lb TD Sensor braid and 4lb leader. Jig heads: Round squidgy heads 1-2gm depending on current and depth
