Peterborough Brothers Take Home Titles At Humminbird Bassmaster Elite Championship

Peterborough’s Chris and Cory Johnston went hook, line and sinker to win some prestigious titles at the 2024 Humminbird Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River in Waddington, N.Y. on Sunday.

Cory (left) becomes the third Canadian to have three Bassmaster Championships. Chris (right) is the first Canadian to win a Bassmaster Elite Series Event. Photo courtesy of Andy Crawford, Seigo Saito and Bassmaster.

Chris won the 2024 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title while brother Cory claimed first place in the 2024 Humminbird Bassmaster Elite tournament.

Chris placed 31st place after day one of the tournament on Friday. While the placement was disappointing, it was still a win in the bigger picture that clinched the Angler of the Year title.

“I might have one trick up my sleeve still,” said Chris. “I haven’t practiced it. I’m just going to wing it. I have nothing to lose now. I can fish with no pressure. I know there’s big ones that live there. I hope the wind makes them bite a little better.”

His ‘strategy’ paid off as he weighed his lot of 29 lbs., 5 ozs – the biggest five-bass limit of the tournament so far – that clinched the title.

“You have no idea how much stress I was under the last couple of days,” said Chris. “Everything that could have gone wrong did. A couple of nights, I didn’t get to sleep until like one in the morning.

Cory was the first Canadian to win the 2024 Humminbird Bassmaster Elite with his haul of fish totaling 102 lbs., beating out Robert Gee, who had 100 lbs. and 7 oz.

“It was a lot of hard work; I put a lot of time into this,” said Cory. “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.”

Cory cycled throughout the standings during the four-day event. He placed fourth on Day One with 25 pounds, and on Day Two, he added 27 lbs. 7 oz. to tie Gee for second. On Semifinal Saturday, Johnston weighed 24 lbs. 14 oz. and slipped back to second, 13 ounces behind Gee.

On Championship Sunday, Johnson came through, delivering 24 lbs. 11 oz. for the win. The victory earned Cory his second entry into the Bassmaster Century Club, recognizing an angler for catching 100 pounds or more with four days of five-bass limits.

“I screwed up here last year and spent too much time in the river the first day and blew my chances at winning,” said Cory. “I said, ‘I’ll never make a cast in this river again. I don’t care if there are 12-footers in the lake.’”

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