Johnston blends gratitude and ribbing in Night of Champions speech

Written by

David A. Brown

During most Bassmaster Elite Series weigh-ins, Chris Johnston’s perpetual smile and disarming cheer belie an absolute beast that poses a constant threat from the St. Johns to the St. Lawrence.

The kind of threat that wins a Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

During the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour Night of Champions, Johnston leveraged that same coy ruse to lull the audience into low expectations before unleashing some pretty solid standup.

His opening line: “Public speaking is not my strongest, but we’re gonna get through this together and we’ll see how it goes.”

Mm-hmm.

On a night that recognized the top achievers in 2024 Bassmaster competition — from reigning Bassmaster Classic champion Justin Hamner, to Bassmaster Junior National Champions William Collins and Kyler Jenkins — Johnston initially resembled a fifth grader reluctantly presenting a book report on a book he hadn’t actually read.

But this was not that.

Like a rollercoaster’s initial climb, Johnston gradually took us to the peak and then plunged us into a fast-paced laugh fest with a side-splitting series of twists and turns, during which family and friends were fair game. Johnston interspersed some heart-warming stuff to allow everyone time to catch their breath, before ripping out another hilarious story.

Wardrobe malfunction

Johnston started by lauding his angling heroes — Kevin VanDam, Rick Clunn, Davy Hite and Greg Hackney — before thanking his sponsors, in particular, Under Amour. His longest standing sponsor, the performance apparel brand formed the relationship over two decades ago — during Johnston’s leaner stage.

“Under Armour has been with me since I was 15 years old,” Johnston said. “Back then, I was more of an athlete, so thanks for sticking with me in my older years.

“When I put on my suit tonight, I blew off a button. That might be a sign that I’d better get back on the old treadmill.”

Giving credit

With a nod to the encouragement and motivation he’s found in two fellow Canadians, Johnston recognized 2022 Classic champion Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson who blazed the trail for aspiring bass pros hailing from the Great White North.

The first Canadian to win the AOY title, Johnston also lauded Bassmaster Emcee Dave Mercer: “He lives about 45 minutes from me and he’s a big reason I came to Bassmaster about six years ago. He told me I’d better get my head straight and get over to B.A.S.S.”

Nice, but Mercer wasn’t getting off that easy.

“Dave also influenced me early in my career,” Johnston said. “Back when I started tournament fishing when I was 11 or 12 years old, I knew if I entered a tournament and Dave Mercer was fishing, I wasn’t gonna finish last.

“Dave’s not a dumb guy. He realized early in his career that he’s pretty good on a microphone and maybe he’s smarter than all of us, because he’s the only bass angler that shows up to all nine Elite events and he’s guaranteed a paycheck.”

Sibling revelry

Although professional hockey dominated Johnston’s earliest aspirations, his father Lynn — a Canadian tournament pro — set him and his older brother Cory on a course to super-successful fishing careers.

“My brother and I grew up on a boat since we were 3 or 4 years old,” Johnston said. “We played competitive sports, but when it came to summer, there were no traveling teams, because we wanted to be fishing. We’d fight over the front 2 feet of the boat to stand beside our dad and fish.

“When he got older, he said, ‘Take the truck, take the boat, go have fun, but make sure you bring it back in one piece. He could’ve been fishing long after he retired, but he handed the reins to us, so thank you (dad) for that.”

Today’s Johnston brothers model teamwork and cooperation, but such was not always the case.

“I don’t know how my brother and I didn’t kill each other fishing, but somehow we made it work,” Johnston said. “I only went in the water once in a fight on the boat. To be honest, it wasn’t even much of a fight.

“He fake punched me and I stepped back because I thought he was going to hit me, and I went right in the drink.”

Cooper trooper

So, apparently, fellow Canadian Elite Cooper Gallant insisted that Johnston include him in his AOY speech. Careful what you wish for.

“Cooper also lives about 45 minutes from me and always visits on the weekend,” Johnston said. “I’m still trying to figure Coop out; he’s one of a kind.

“I love to have him over, but I’ll say, ‘Coop, do you want a bed to sleep on? He’ll say, ‘No, no, I’ll just sleep here.’ Every time, Coop sleeps beside my couch on the hard floor.”

Next gen forecast

With an eye to his family’s angling legacy, Johnston expressed high hopes for his young sons Beckett and Beau.

“To be honest, every year, missing out on their stuff makes it harder to leave and go fishing,” he said. “But I’m sure one day, they’ll want to be standing up here and I’ll be able to hand the reins over to them when they’re able to drive and I’ll get to watch them go fishing.

“I’m looking forward to it boys, and we’ll see what you can do. I’m sure you’ll be taking Cooper’s money in a few years.”

Ladies last

Johnston wrapped up by thanking his girlfriend Catherine for all the meals and support that got him through the 2024 season. Also helpful — taking care of Beckett and Beau while he’s away.

“Most importantly, my mom is the backbone of the family,” Johnston said. “She’s the hardest working person I’ve ever met, next to her father, who started with nothing and ended up growing a big farm operation.

“He was the only guy I knew that only took one holiday in his whole life. As soon as he went on holiday, he said, ‘I don’t like this. I gotta get back to the farm.’ That’s where my mom gets it from.”

Looking back to his early tournament years, Johnston’s memories include a mother’s constant care.

“If I told her where the boatyard was, she’d try to meet me in the morning to have sandwiches for me and make sure I packed my net,” he said. “Thank you mom, you’re one of a kind.”

Fishing’s an individual sport, but Johnston’s nod to his closest inspiration was straight-up classy.

Baker’s dozen

Prior to Johnston’s speech, B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson presented 13 Century Club belts from the 2024 season — the most in one year. The Bassmaster Century Club recognizes anglers who reach or exceed 100 pounds in a four-day event.

The lineup included: