By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Ending the 2024 season at the nation’s top-ranked fishery fosters plenty of well-established optimism, and the 101 anglers competing in the Bassmaster Elite Series event at the St. Lawrence River will do their best to unlock this legendary region’s bounty.

Competition days will be today through Sunday with daily takeoffs from Whitaker Park at 7 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.

Topping Bassmaster Magazine’s 2024 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings, the St. Lawrence River’s Thousand Islands region boasts the nation’s premier smallmouth bass fishing. The Elites have seen this renowned region in various weather complexions, and it never fails to deliver the goods.

“I expect it to be almost a repeat of last year; it’ll be about looking for the better pods of fish,” said third-year Elite Series pro Jay Przekurat. “The water is starting to get up to the peak summer temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s in the river, and in the lake you can get into the 70s.

“The water never really gets dirty there, but you want to look for water that isn’t stagnant. So, if you’re finding water temps in the upper 70s on the Great Lakes, chances are you’re in an area that doesn’t have any current. I try and look for areas that have water flowing through them, so you have the conditions you need for smallmouth.”

Suffice to say, the St. Lawrence holds a special place in Przekurat’s heart, as the Wisconsin pro secured his Rookie of the Year title by conquering this storied fishery in the 2022 Elite Series season finale. Notably, at 23 years and 26 days old, Przekurat became the youngest angler ever to win an Elite title at the time.

Two years later, he’s eager to see what the St. Lawrence fishery will offer. Biggest difference — the past two years saw Elites launching from Clayton, N.Y., about 10 miles from Lake Ontario, but this year, the event will run out of Waddington, N.Y., some 70-plus miles from the easternmost Great Lake.

“Obviously, this year is going to be a lot different,” Przekurat said of the long run and requisite fuel stop en route to Lake Ontario’s much-favored waters. “There will be many more factors in getting to the fish, and you’ll only have 3 to 4 hours to fish for them.

“If the conditions are so nasty that a guy cannot get out to the lake, or he gets out there, but he does not have a lot of fishing time, a guy could win in the river. Generally speaking, everyone knows you can catch 5-pounders more consistently in the lake than the river.”

Moreover, Przekurat notes how a wind opposing the river’s northeast flow can disrupt the current drifts anglers typically use to fish shoals, bars and island points. Lake Ontario’s not always cooperative, but targeting particular spots with far less current presents a more forgiving scenario.

Statistics validate these points, but about the only absolute this sport offers is that fish exit the water wet. Case in point: the last time the Elites fished out of Waddington (2021), Taku Ito won the event by fishing in the lake, while veteran Elite Series pro Bernie Schultz stayed in the river and notched a Top-10 finish.

Another one: 2020 saw Canadian Chris Johnston win his first Elite title by battling a rough Lake Ontario, while Brock Mosley spent four days in the Clayton area targeting mostly largemouth to ultimately place 3rd. The green-fish angle is another story for another time, but a point worth noting should big winds enflame Ontario’s mean streak.

While Przekurat expects the usual smallmouth mix of dropshots, Ned rigs and hair jigs to handle much of the duty, he said bait selection plays second fiddle to the front-end effort.

“The biggest key is finding the fish and figuring out the right presentation,” he said. “Then you have to get to your fish (every day).”

No doubt, a rough Lake Ontario will send many back to weigh-ins with light bags and long faces. However, moderate-to-nice weather will guarantee a bronzeback beatdown with plenty of 5- to 6-pound studs crossing the stage.

Przekurat said he expects 20 to 21 pounds a day to make the Top 50 cut. The winner, he said, will probably weigh in about 97 pounds.

The next logical question: Will someone turn in a Century Club performance? This designation honors anglers who reach 100 pounds with four days of five-bass limits. Largemouth events have obviously dominated this prestigious league, but the past two St. Lawrence Elites thrust smallmouth bass into the conversation.

Two years ago, Przekurat earned his blue trophy with an all-smallmouth total of 102 pounds, 9 ounces. Technically, Chris Johnston’s older brother Cory Johnston was the first to enter the Century Club solely with brown ones, as he weighed his final limit of 28-8 (the event’s heaviest bag) before Przekurat and ultimately took second place with 100-5.

Last year, the St. Lawrence Elite saw four anglers hit the 100-pound mark. South Carolina’s Patrick Walters won with 105 pounds — setting a new weight record for a 20-fish total of all smallmouth. Chris Johnston finished 2nd with 103-12, Kyoya Fujita took 3rd with 102-5, and Ito was 4th with 101-7.

Will 2024 continue the trend? Not impossible, but as Przekurat points out, time constraints will make the 100-pound mark a tall hill to climb.

“I think if we have perfect conditions, someone could have 100 pounds, but it’s hard to (maintain that consistency),” he said. “A guy will have a 26-pound day, then he’ll back it up with a 23-pound day, then do that again and again.

“The key will be, can you get to your fish day after day. It’s hard to be that consistent running 70 to 80 miles. Everything has to go perfectly.”