MASSENA, N.Y. – Day 1 of the second stop of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Northern Division is underway on the St. Lawrence River with a break in the heat after a sweltering practice and good fishing likely on tap. The event, which is presented by Suzuki Marine, features 140 pros and co-anglers, and should show off the great fishing the St. Lawrence is known for.
Piraino has high hopes for the river
Last fall, Dante Piraino set the New York State record with a 9-pound smallmouth he plucked from the crystal clear waters of the St. Lawrence. It rightfully set the fishing world abuzz and showed off the absolute high end of one of the few fisheries in the world where smallmouth over 7 pounds are a regular occurrence. Though fish of that caliber are not often caught in tournaments, and a little harder to come by in the heat of summer, almost any cast or drift could result in magic on the St. Lawrence.
This week, the young New York angler thinks we’ll see great things out of the river.
“They’re biting,” he said. “It’s fishing well right now. I think they’re finally starting to put their feedbag on, and that postspawn funk is on its way out.”
On the St. Lawrence, especially for events that take out of Massena, one of the big questions is how far anglers should run. Making the trek west to Clayton or beyond is popular, and it is often the way to win, but it’s not always how the event is won. Brent Anderson and Spike Stoker both won east of Clayton, and just a few weeks ago several anglers made the Top 20 fishing near Massena in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals event.
For his part, Piraino tends to favor the long run.
“I used to fish [mid-river] quite a bit until I started fishing down [around Clayton],” Piraino said. “It’s a 100% doable. To Top 10 there, I think you have to have a more perfect day down there, you cannot afford to drop any or not have a good rotation.
“There’s big fish in both areas,” he said. “I just believe there’s more big fish, obviously, with a larger population towards the Clayton end.”
While minnows have been all the rage the last few years, that hasn’t been exclusively the way to win on the river. According to Piraino, we’re likely to see bunch of smallmouth standards play in this one.
“I think there will be a fair amount of dragging,” he said. “I think the drop-shot’s making a comeback. But, you can get them to bite a lot of things. I feel like it’s just presenting it, presenting it to them, finding fresh fish or going there at the at the right time. I feel like you can catch them on just about every technique. And it’s just about how you play your cards and rotate everything is what it boils down to.”
Whoever rotates right is maybe in for a heck of a week – at least if Piraino is anywhere near the ballpark.
“It’s going to be 75 pounds,” he said. “I think the weights are going to be above what they were last year, even with all the fishing pressure. I think the winner might even have over 25 a day.”
Also, if there’s an under-the-radar name to watch in this one, keep an eye on Alex Korol. He’s been tearing up the lower levels in New York recently, and according to Piraino and others, he’s set to rock this event.
“Alex Korol is going to be in the top three,” Piraino said. “If you haven’t heard of Alex Korol yet, you will after this week.”
The points battle begins in earnest
The season-opener at Champlain was a great event, but a lot of the top finishers will not be in this one, which could make for a tumultuous Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race. In fourth and sixth, Brody Campbell and Kurt Mitchell lead the way into this event, and Texan Riley Harris and local Ethan Carr round out the Top 10. Lurking in 11th is last year’s Northern Division AOY, Kyle Cortiana – a good bet to do well this week – and considering his experience, perhaps the best bet of the group to do well later in the year at the Potomac.