MASSENA, N.Y. – It’s summer, and for northern anglers, that means tournament fishing season is in full swing. July 11 will mark the second event of the year for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Northeast Division when anglers head to the St. Lawrence River. The famed fishery is full of giant smallmouth, and brown fish should dominate the catches and check line for this event, which is presented by Suzuki Marine.
What to expect
Dante Piraino has secured Top 10 finishes each of the past two summers in Toyota Series events on the St. Lawrence, and although he hasn’t fished it yet this season, he expects more of the same fishing that the river is known for.
“It’s going to take some big weight that it always takes to win up there, but with this event launching out of Massena, it takes some strategy,” he said. “You’ll have to make the right call and pick the right areas with better fish, but the boys will be burning some gas that weekend. I think it’s doable to win closer to the ramp, but if I had to guess, it will be won from someone running halfway down the lake or further from the ramp.”
The long runs make picking the right area even more critical with limited fishing time.
“It’s all about making adjustments on the fly and getting off to a fast start,” he said. “You can catch fish up and down the river from 5 feet deep all the way to 60 feet deep, which is the cool part of the river. But it’s going to come down to the area you spend your time in. You have to land on the right quality of fish right away and catch them as fast as you can.”
The bass on the river are not too far removed from the spawn, but Piraino said they should be in a biting mood.
“Sometimes it can be a little tough with the ‘postspawn funk,’ but based on previous years’ experience, the fish should be starting to feed up heavily right now,” he added.
Baits to bring
There are no huge secrets when it comes to summertime smallmouth anywhere on the Great Lakes, and Piraino said to bring the regulars.
“I really don’t think you have to do anything too complex with the population of fish in the river, and the drop-shot and Ned rig are our staples,” he said. “I also think a spybait might play. Jerkbaits could also be a factor, but that will be weather dependent if you can get them on moving baits.”
What will it take?
The St. Lawrence is a world-class smallmouth factory, and the weights are typically stout at the top in summer events on the river. Piraino says that will likely be the case once again during this BFL.
“I think a few guys will definitely catch over 25 and think it will take 26 pounds to win,” he said. “The top five will probably range from 24 to 26 pounds, but there will be a pile of anglers with weights around 20 to 22 pounds.”