Life is good right now for Matt and Jordan Lee. They’ve both notched Top 12 finishes thus far in 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments, and they both recently proposed marriage to their long-time girlfriends. Jordan asked for Kristen’s hand after a fishing trip to Lake Lanier, and Matt presented his diamond to Abby on the shores of Lake Ontario.
This week they return to the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York to the scene of the Bassmaster Elite Series event where they both made the Top 50 cut during their rookie season in 2015.
They graciously took time to share their memories and expectations along this gorgeous seaway that connects the Great Lake to the Atlantic Ocean.
What do you remember most about the 2015 event here?
Matt: Fishing right next to Kevin VanDam. I was fishing a drop shot, and he was cranking away with like a Strike King Series 4, which made me second-guess myself a little bit.
Jordan: I remember struggling. I only caught 5 keepers the first day of competition, and 6 keepers on Day 2.
Your Quantum teammate Greg Hackney challenged for the win here in 2015 by focusing on largemouth, and Kevin VanDam said yesterday that largemouth should play an even bigger role this year. Can this tournament be won with largemouth on such a strong smallmouth fishery?
Matt: No. There’s just way too many big, weighty smallmouth swimming here.
Jordan: No. There’s no way.
Name four lures we’ll see used most here this week.
Matt: Drop Shot, Tube, Soft stick bait like a Strike King Ocho, and a topwater.
Jordan: Drop Shot, Hair Jig, Tube, and a jerkbait.
What do you love most about Waddington, N.Y., and the St. Lawrence River?
Matt: The weather — the lack of humidity. And how big it is, which gives us plenty of room to fish around one another.
Jordan: The weather, smallmouth and the scenery with all the islands.
It took 17 pounds a day to make the Top 12 cut here in 2015 – how much weight do you think you’ll need this year each day to the make the final cut?
Matt: I think it will still take around 17 a day.
Jordan: Yep, I’ll agree with 17 a day.