WADDINGTON, N.Y.—The Bassmaster Elite Series visits some of the top smallmouth fisheries in the nation. What makes the St. Lawrence River different than elsewhere is natural current.
This week the current is swifter than normal, and not due to natural causes. There will be more on that to come. Overall, the St. Lawrence is clearer and swifter, which are conditions most favorable for smallmouth in their natural environment. The more current, the better, and there is plenty of it this week.
Nothing comes closer to the native habitat of a smallmouth than swift, cool and clear water. All three conditions are found in abundance this week on the St. Lawrence River.
Based on all of the above, it comes as no surprise that Kevin VanDam leads the Huk Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence presented by Go RVing. His Day 1 total stands at 24 pounds, 5 ounces.
B.A.S.S. has stopped at the St. Lawrence River often since the first time in 1979. This year is more different than ever. Spring came late with unseasonably cooler temperatures and above average rainfall. The Great Lakes filled beyond capacity and sent the overflow into the St. Lawrence River.
The stronger current is playing in the favor of KVD. He fished his first event, a 1991 Bassmaster Invitational, upriver in Clayton, N.Y. Even a quarter century later, the Michigan pro learns something new with each trip. This time, current is a core of the lesson.
“The high water has changed how the smallmouth relate to the current,” he said. “There used to be places where I fished closer to the bank and the current would be ripping.”
This time the opposite is true. The water is faster in the previously slower areas. Many of the fish inhabit deeper water. The smallmouth are harder to pin down. Consistency is a challenge. Time will tell whether or not VanDam dials into a pattern of consistency. He has three more days to figure it all out.
Boat positioning is more critical than ever. So is making precise lure presentations. VanDam, a master of both, has another factor to deal with.
“The wind is a big part of it, especially when the current is already swifter than normal from the water releases,” he observed. “Today when the wind picked up it blew in the same direction as the current flow.”
The result was a 2 mph faster current. Another factor into the equation are those water releases.
“The fish are deeper in some places than others and that’s in the fishable water that we have,” he added.
The tilted effect causes VanDam, and everyone else, to adjust accordingly. To the west, much of the shoreline cover remains inundated. Boat docks are partially submerged. On the opposite side much of the habitat is now above the waterline.
All of the above sets up perfectly for the instant adjustment mind of a seasoned angler like VanDam. To see how he fairs for the remainder of the week will be a real treat for everyone, VanDam included, who is seeking his 24thh win on one of his best fisheries.