Otonabee’s Chris Johnston became the first Canadian to win the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) title before taking fourth place in the season-ending Humminbird Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River tournament on the weekend.
After falling from 16th place to 31st from day one to day two, Johnston rallied with 29 pounds, five ounces to clinch the title and $100,000 cash prize, with 758 points, in Waddington, New York on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The 35-year-old went on to catch a total of 96 pounds, two ounces to win $25,000 for fourth place in the tournament, which took place from August 15 to 18. Johnston was also the first Canadian to win an elite series tournament when he won the same event in 2020.
The trick he had up his sleeve was going to a couple of places near the mouth river where he’d had much success in the past, BASS stated.
“I got spun out the last couple of days,” Johnston stated. “I had too much going through my mind, thinking about where I needed to go to catch the 27 or 28 pounds that live out here. Today, I just said, ‘You know what? It’s too rough on the lake, and I know two spots in the river that have the potential to get the 25 or 30 pounds that I need.'”
Brother won tourney
Johnston’s older brother Cory won the St. Lawrence tournament and its $100,000 top prize with a total of 102 pounds. It was his second victory of the season after winning the fourth tournament at the St. Johns River.
“It was a lot of hard work; I put a lot of time into this,” stated Cory, who finished third for AOY with 733 points. “I’ve said it 100 times, this is my favourite place to come, this is my favourite crowd with all my family and friends, all the Canadian support — and it’s a short drive home.”
Fellow Canadians Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville and Jeff Gustafson of Keewatin — who was the first Canuck to win the Bassmaster Classic — finished 17th and 39th in the AOY rankings with 607 and 514 points, respectively. Trey McKinney of Illinois finished second in the standings with 734 points.
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