WADDINGTON, N.Y. — On a day dimmed by clouds and rain, lightning struck a second time for Canadian superstar Cory Johnston.
After claiming his first blue trophy at the season’s fourth event at the St. Johns River, the pro from Otonabee, Canada, tallied 102 pounds and claimed the $100,000 top prize at the Humminbird Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.
“It was a lot of hard work; I put a lot of time into this,” Johnston said. “I’ve said it 100 times, this is my favorite place to come, this is my favorite crowd with all my family and friends, all the Canadian support—and it’s a short drive home.”
After placing fourth on Day 1 with 25 pounds, Day 2 saw Johnston add 27-7 and tie rookie Robert Gee for second. On Semifinal Saturday, Johnston weighed 24-14 and slipped back to second, 13 ounces behind Gee.
With Championship Sunday delivering 24-11, Johnston surged to the top and edged Gee by 1-9. Enhancing his victory, Johnston earned his second entry into the Bassmaster Century Club, which recognizes an angler for catching 100 pounds or more with four days of five-bass limits.
Notably, Johnston was the first angler to earn a Bassmaster Century Club Belt with all smallmouth by weighing a tournament total of 100-5 during the 2022 Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River. He finished second to Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat, but Johnston weighed in before Przekurat and wrote his name in the record book.
All week, Johnston made a big run into Lake Ontario and did most of his work on an 80-yard stretch of bottom in 33 feet that was loaded with big smallmouth. The first two days brought calm conditions and fairly easy fishing, but Days 3 and 4 saw big winds roil the lake and severely challenge boat control and presentations.
Confident with what lives on that spot, Johnston said he was committed to his game plan.
“I screwed up here last year and spent too much time in the river the first day and blew my chances at winning,” said Johnston, who placed sixth in the 2023 Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River. “I said, ‘I’ll never make a cast in this river again. I don’t care if there are 12-footers in the lake.’
“There weren’t 12s, but there were 8s and 10s. I didn’t have a lot of fishing time—about three hours a day—but I made it worth it.”
Catching his fish on a drop-shot, Johnston used a 6th Sense Party Minnow and a prototype 6th Sense minnow. He rigged his drop shot with a 3/8-ounce weight in all conditions but adjusted his presentations accordingly.
“The first two days, I couldn’t move the drop shot; I’d have to cast it out and let it sit there and that was it,” Johnston said. “The last two days, I’d cast it past them and drag it through them.”
Coming into the season with a trio of second-place finishes, Johnston was yearning for an Elite win.
“It’s been five years, and I hadn’t won (an Elite event) until this year,” Johnston said. “I’ve been close a few times and I just had a feeling. I told (Bassmaster Emcee Dave Mercer), ‘Florida’s not going to be the only one.’”
Sweetening the experience, Johnston’s younger brother Chris (who finished fourth) won the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title with 758 points. The first Canadian to win a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament—the 2020 event at the St. Lawrence River—Johnston also owns the distinction of being the first Canadian to win the Bassmaster AOY title.
“It’s unbelievable,” Johnston said. “What more can you ask for? It’s been an incredible week, for sure.”
Gee, who makes his home in Knoxville, Tennnesse, spent most of Day 1 in Lake Ontario and caught a limit of 25-12. The next three days saw him lock onto what’s largely a St. Lawrence River community hole between Carleton Island and the main channel.
Focusing on a point with scattered boulders and breaks, Gee fished a jighead minnow rig with a 1/4-ounce head and a 5-inch bait. He turned in weights of 26-11, 25-11, and a final-round limit of 22-5. Gee’s 100-7 total earned the event’s other Century Club entry.
“I gave it all I had out there up against the two greatest smallmouth fishermen in the world (the Johnstons),” Gee said. “The fish just didn’t bite that well for me. The wind changed direction, so I didn’t get to present my bait directly with the current.
“It was kind of at an angle and I think that kind of threw them off because it wasn’t swimming true with the current.”
Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Illinois, finished third with 98-9. His daily weights were 23-10, 25-10, 24-2, and 25-3.
McKinney, who won the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year title, spent most of his time in the river and caught his fish on a jighead minnow rig with a Strike King Z-Too.
“Today I was out there working as hard as I could to try and catch ‘em,” McKinney said. “I feel absolutely blessed. I never thought I’d stand up here and catch another 25-pound bag.
“It’s an unbelievable fishery. I’d love to live closer.”
McKinney earned the $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for Day 4 with his 5-9.
Joey Cifuentes III won the $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament honors with his 6-15. He also won the $1,000 daily award on Day 1.
Reigning Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors champion Justin Hamner, who finished 61st, won the $10,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Year award for the 11-pound, 7-ounce, giant he caught at the 2024 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.
Chris Johnston won the $2,000 CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament award with his 29-5 Day 3 limit.
McKinney also took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while Drew Benton earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Gee earned an additional $4,000 while McKinney claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce hosted the tournament.
Leave a Reply