WADDINGTON, N.Y., Aug. 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 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,
Tenn., 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, Ill., 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.
Contact:
Chad Gay
cgay@bassmaster.com
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