Johnston wins back-to-back titles
Photograph: Seigo Saito/BASS
Chris Johnston is Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the 12 months (AOY) once more.
The Otonabee professional angler completed 19th within the season-ending Professional-Information Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River on Saturday, Aug. 23, giving him a complete of 776 factors throughout the nine-tournament season and the $100,000 prime prize.
As in 2024, Johnson edged Trey McKinney of Illinois, who had 768 factors.
“That is such a aid,” he instructed BASS. “I really feel like somebody lifted a bus off my chest. It’s unbelievable the quantity of stress that comes with that trophy. The nearer you get to successful it, the extra stress there may be.”
Unreal win
Johnston, the primary Canadian to win the title, is the fourth angler ever to win the Angler of the 12 months title in consecutive years, becoming a member of Kevin VanDam, Roland Martin, and the late Guido Hibdon.
“To be talked about amongst these anglers is unreal,” Johnston acknowledged. “I by no means even thought it might be attainable for a child from Canada to come back down right here, compete, and make a dwelling fishing. Kevin VanDam is somebody I’ve all the time regarded as much as and to even come near certainly one of his data is unbelievable.”
Johnson gained the title with out making the ultimate day reduce, not like the 2024 season when he notched 4 prime 10s. He opened the season by inserting fifteenth on the St. Johns River earlier than ending thirty third at Lake Okeechobee, twenty first on the Pasquotank River, thirty first at Lake Hartwell, fifteenth at Lake Fork, thirteenth at Sabine River, and back-to-back eleventh place finishes at Lake Tenkiller and Lake St. Clair.
Johnston’s brother Cory completed 11th within the AOY standings with 630 factors, whereas fellow Canadians Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville, Evan Kung of Pickering, and Jeff Gustafson of Keewatin completed 15th, 48th, and 84th within the AOY rankings with 603, 488, and 354 factors, respectively. The highest 40 qualify for the 2026 Bass Professional Retailers Bassmaster Basic on the Tennessee River in Knoxville from March 13 to fifteen, 2026.
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