Peter Phelps | Muswellbrook, NSW

Favourite Technique / Species / Fishing Style

Topwater or shallow water reaction bait fishing, and Australian bass. Anytime I have a baitcaster in my hand, targeting fish in water less than 12ft deep I'm happy.

Angling Inspiration

Following the American bass fishing tournament scenes. Mainly the BASS Elite Series. I love the fact our own Australian bass scene is growing similar to the states. The fields are getting bigger, the tournaments are now in the rivers and they run the Open events and the social media side of things.

My Local (Favourite Fishing Spot)

Lake St Clair, NSW. The bass stay shallow all year round. They eat a wide variety of lures from finesse to reaction baits.

Why I Fish

I love the ever-changing challenges of fishing. I love trying to work out patterns and areas fish may be in varying weather and season. I am not a fan of catching 100s of fish. I get more enjoyment of catching fish when it's really tough.

Tournaments

Here's a rundown of my tournament career so far:

2006      

1st NSW Pro Bass round at Lake St Clair, One top ten finish in three ABT rounds, multiple top ten finishes in NSW Pro Bass rounds, 1st NSW Pro Bass Grand Final at Lake Glenbawn

2007      

14th Borumba, 11th Monduran, 12th Somerset ABT, 11th ABT Glenbawn, 15th in ABT GF, and 5 Top 15 finishes in 5 ABT Events, 1st place team in the inaugural NSW Bassin Round at Lake St Clair.

2011      

3rd place team NSW Bassin event at Lake St Clair, 1st place team NSW Bassin event at Lake St Clair, 1st place team NSW Bassin event at Lake Glenbawn, Team of the Year NSW Bassin, 1st place team NSW Bassin Grand Final at Lake St Clair.

2012    

1st Glenbawn ABT round, 5th ABT Grand Final at Lake St Clair.

2013      

1st Glenbawn ABT round including another three top ten finishes in four ABT events and 2nd in Angler of the Year.

2014     

3rd Glenbawn ABT round, two top ten finishes in three events with B.A.S.S Nation Australia, 1st NSW Family Bassin Grand Final Champion Team at Lake St Clair.

2015    

Two top ten finishes in ABT and B.A.S.S Nation Australia, 1st NSW Family Bassin Round Champion Team at Lake St Clair, 1st ABT Megabucks Champion Team at Lake St Clair. Winning each session and personally taking out the Big Bass Prize for each session, 1st ABT Grand Final at Lake Glenbawn, 1st NSW Family Bassin Grand Final Champion Team at Lake St Clair.

2016    

2nd Glenbawn ABT, 4^th Richmond River Bass Nation, 4^th St Clair Bass Nation, 1^st NSW Family Bassin Glenbawn, 3^rd Glenbawn Bass Nation.

2017      

8^th Bass nation Glenbawn, 9^th Hawkesbury, 2^th Cania, 3^rd Boondooma, 12^th St Clair, 12^th Glenbawn, 11^th Clarence River, 4^th ABT Grand Final Richmond River.

2018

1^st Aus Open Glenbawn.

2019

1^st Family Bassin Team Lake Glenbawn, 18^th ABT Lake Glenbawn, 10^th ABT Lake St Clair, 7^th ABT Richmond River.

Favourite Fishing Moment

Winning the ABT BASS Grand Final on my last cast on the Sunday at Lake Glenbawn 2015. The whole build-up to the tournament was massive, having an ace up my sleeve of a fairly unknown technique to Australian bass fishing, the skirted jig. I felt super confident even when the tournament date was announced 12 months prior.

The prize was a trip to the USA to fish alongside BASS Elite Angler and fellow Australian Carl Jocumsen, I'd also won a previous tournament in 2006 with the Prize of USA trip but the sponsor fell through and I never got my trip. Making this tournament massive for me.  Heading out on Sunday morning sitting in 2^nd place I knew I was in with a shot. The morning session was tough for me and it literally came down to my last cast before making it back to check-in. The emotion after winning was crazy, to finally get my trip.