Blaylock seeks to unlock St. Lawrence

Stetson Blaylock is having a bang-up season on the Elite Series tour. He posted a first-place finish at Winyah Bay and a second-place finish at Lake Hartwell. He’s ranked sixth in Toyota Angler of the Year points entering this tournament.

The Benton, Arkansas, pro loves the St. Lawrence River. But he’s yet to solve the puzzle here in his previous two trips, when he finished 77th in 2017 and 59th last year.

“Like everybody else, I absolutely love this place,” Blaylock said Wednesday. “I think it’s the best fishery I’ve ever been to, as far as catching quality fish every day. But I can’t figure this place out in a tournament. I’ve had decent practices every time. It’s like those big ones refuse to bite for me.

“There are so many 15- to 18-pound bags in the river that you’ve got to get over that, and I can’t do it. Last year I had 18 pounds the first day and 19 pounds the second and still got sent home.”

Fifty-two bags topping 20 pounds were weighed on Day 1 last year at the St. Lawrence River. That set a previously unthinkable standard for a smallmouth bass fishery. The river might not be so generous this year. But even if that’s the case, it’s going to take a 20-pounds-plus average per day to win this four-day event.

“I’m due some 20-pound stringers from this river, as good as it is,” Blaylock said.