Dock Talk: St. Lawrence River

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Craig Lamb and Andy Crawford went to the boat ramp at French Creek Marina in downtown Clayton, N.Y., on a mission. That was to find out how practice went for the anglers competing in this week’s 2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River. We are calling the series “Dock Talk” to cover ourselves on some of the unexpected (and predicted) minor variances in the truth. Here is what the guys had to say on the eve of the competition.<BR><BR>All captions: Craig Lamb
Craig Lamb and Andy Crawford went to the boat ramp at French Creek Marina in downtown Clayton, N.Y., on a mission. That was to find out how practice went for the anglers competing in this week’s 2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River. We are calling the series “Dock Talk” to cover ourselves on some of the unexpected (and predicted) minor variances in the truth. Here is what the guys had to say on the eve of the competition.All captions: Craig Lamb
<h4>Bob Downey</h4> “It’s my first time being here, and I expected to catch a lot more fish, like the 30 or 40 a day that I’ve seen on Bassmaster LIVE and read about in the previous tournaments.”
Bob Downey
“It’s my first time being here, and I expected to catch a lot more fish, like the 30 or 40 a day that I’ve seen on Bassmaster LIVE and read about in the previous tournaments.”
“I found the right size fish, but they are slow to bite. But it is the St. Lawrence River.”
“I found the right size fish, but they are slow to bite. But it is the St. Lawrence River.”
“Because of that I’m going to continue working really hard to figure them out.”
“Because of that I’m going to continue working really hard to figure them out.”
<h4>Brandon Lester</h4>“It was random. Tricky. Difficult. After the first two days of practice it all left me scratching my head.”
Brandon Lester“It was random. Tricky. Difficult. After the first two days of practice it all left me scratching my head.”
“The first two days were tough, because we had a really ugly wind out on the lake. I think that was why my first two days were so difficult.”
“The first two days were tough, because we had a really ugly wind out on the lake. I think that was why my first two days were so difficult.”
“Honestly, today was my best day yet. I’ve got two different deals going on. One in the river and the other in the lake.”
“Honestly, today was my best day yet. I’ve got two different deals going on. One in the river and the other in the lake.”
“I just don’t know which way that I will go. It will all depend on the weather. I’ll just decide in the morning.”
“I just don’t know which way that I will go. It will all depend on the weather. I’ll just decide in the morning.”
<h4>Buddy Gross</h4> “This is my first time on the river, and I came up here thinking that I was going to catch all smallmouth. Well, I caught mostly largemouth.”
Buddy Gross
“This is my first time on the river, and I came up here thinking that I was going to catch all smallmouth. Well, I caught mostly largemouth.”
“I caught a few really good ones, but not enough to put together a pattern to keep me in the hunt. I’m going to just go fishing and hope that I get on the right drifts.”
“I caught a few really good ones, but not enough to put together a pattern to keep me in the hunt. I’m going to just go fishing and hope that I get on the right drifts.”
“Man, I can tell you that I looked like a tourist out there, taking pictures and videos to share with my wife and friends back home. It’s just a beautiful place.”
“Man, I can tell you that I looked like a tourist out there, taking pictures and videos to share with my wife and friends back home. It’s just a beautiful place.”
<h4>David Fritts</h4>“A couple of days were very good and a couple of days were just okay. It’s typical St. Lawrence River, and all about just getting the right ones.
David Fritts“A couple of days were very good and a couple of days were just okay. It’s typical St. Lawrence River, and all about just getting the right ones. “
It’s sort of scary because you’ve got to catch all good ones. You are going to have to catch 20 pounds a day to even be in the hunt, and probably more.
It’s sort of scary because you’ve got to catch all good ones. You are going to have to catch 20 pounds a day to even be in the hunt, and probably more. “
“You’ve got to have at least a 5-pound average.”
<h4>Jake Whitaker</h4>“Practice was tough for me. It wasn’t the usual St. Lawrence River that I have been used to over the past two years.”
Jake Whitaker“Practice was tough for me. It wasn’t the usual St. Lawrence River that I have been used to over the past two years.”
“Gosh, it seemed like the 4 pounders we’d been catching shrunk to half that size. The bigs are still out there and I caught some yesterday.”
“Gosh, it seemed like the 4 pounders we’d been catching shrunk to half that size. The bigs are still out there and I caught some yesterday.”
“I’m just going to go drift around, might stay in the lake, might go down the river. I really don’t yet know what I’m going to do.”
“I’m just going to go drift around, might stay in the lake, might go down the river. I really don’t yet know what I’m going to do.”
<h4>Jason Williamson</h4>“Practice has been tricky to say the least. The river definitely is fishing different. We are putting in here at Clayton, and that was a different part of the river that we’ve never fished.”
Jason Williamson“Practice has been tricky to say the least. The river definitely is fishing different. We are putting in here at Clayton, and that was a different part of the river that we’ve never fished.”
“I’ve never been to Lake Ontario, so I spent a lot of time learning the upper section of the river, and out a few miles into the lake. The first couple of days the wind blew hard, and it was difficult to get out on the lake.”
“Yesterday and today it was a lot easier to move around. I can’t consistently catch big ones like I want. I’ve got kind of mixed emotions about how it will play out.”
“Yesterday and today it was a lot easier to move around. I can’t consistently catch big ones like I want. I’ve got kind of mixed emotions about how it will play out.”
<h4>Ray Hanselman</h4>“Practice was kind of all over the place. I caught some good fish. It was tough to get on a solid pattern.”
Ray Hanselman“Practice was kind of all over the place. I caught some good fish. It was tough to get on a solid pattern.”
“One day I had 15 pounds and 20 the next, then 25 and 15 pounds.”
“One day I had 15 pounds and 20 the next, then 25 and 15 pounds.”
“I don’t think the fish are locked in on one specific thing yet. By that I mean not all offshore out on the lake. I think they are in a little post spawn funk.”
“I don’t think the fish are locked in on one specific thing yet. By that I mean not all offshore out on the lake. I think they are in a little post spawn funk.”
<h4>Stetson Blaylock</h4>“It definitely was not as good as it was in the past. I think the fish are still there and it could be the fishing pressure.”
Stetson Blaylock“It definitely was not as good as it was in the past. I think the fish are still there and it could be the fishing pressure.”
“They seem to be smarter, and it’s going to take longer to catch them. You have to really pay attention to get the quality bites.”
“They seem to be smarter, and it’s going to take longer to catch them. You have to really pay attention to get the quality bites.”
“It’s still the St. Lawrence River, but it’s not as easy as it should be.”
“It’s still the St. Lawrence River, but it’s not as easy as it should be.”
<h4>Steve Kennedy</h4>“My practice was fair. I don’t think the water got as high as it did in the past.”
Steve Kennedy“My practice was fair. I don’t think the water got as high as it did in the past.”
“I usually fish up there shallow, and I didn’t see near what I normally see. When I did get a bite, it was a good one.”
“I usually fish up there shallow, and I didn’t see near what I normally see. When I did get a bite, it was a good one.”
“I’m not excited but I know what I’m going to do.”
“I’m not excited but I know what I’m going to do.”
<h4>Taku Ito</h4>“Without wind I had a tough first two days of practice. Yesterday and today it was calm and I had a very good practice.”
Taku Ito“Without wind I had a tough first two days of practice. Yesterday and today it was calm and I had a very good practice.”
“Yesterday I caught 20 pounds. Today I only had two fish, but they weighed 5 pounds apiece.”
“Yesterday I caught 20 pounds. Today I only had two fish, but they weighed 5 pounds apiece.”
“I also went looking for more water, like where I caught them on the better days during practice.”
“I also went looking for more water, like where I caught them on the better days during practice.”
<h4>Todd Auten</h4>“Practice was very tough, a real grind every day. I never got on the motherlode. The fish are so scattered.”
Todd Auten“Practice was very tough, a real grind every day. I never got on the motherlode. The fish are so scattered.”
“It’s just crazy and I’ve never seen it like this before. I’m torn between the largemouth and smallmouth bites, and which to choose from.”
“It’s just crazy and I’ve never seen it like this before. I’m torn between the largemouth and smallmouth bites, and which to choose from.”
“I know it can’t be won on largemouth alone. The few good ones I did catch will be hard to replicate.”
“I know it can’t be won on largemouth alone. The few good ones I did catch will be hard to replicate.”