Bassmasters, MLF, hold events on New York fisheries

Plattsburgh, N.Y. — Western New Yorker Bailey Eigbrett, of Cheektowaga, won the Bassmaster Kayak Series event at Lake Champlain, and thus has qualified for the 2026 Bassmaster Kayak National Championship, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Eigbrett claimed the victory in his home state, landing a limit of smallmouth bass measuring 100.25 inches. His total included three smallies measuring 20 inches, a 20.5-incher, and a 19.75-incher, enough to edge out Pennsylvania’s Nick Audi, who finished second with 100 inches.

“To win one of these is absolutely awesome. Knocking this one down in the home state is very special to me,” Eigbrett said.

Scheduled as a two-day event, anglers launched on Saturday, July 26, expecting Day 2 on Lake Champlain to go on as planned. Forecasts called for strong winds on Sunday and guidance from the National Weather Service indicated an increasing risk for strong thunderstorms, forcing tournament officials to cancel the final day. Anglers were notified through TourneyX around midday that Saturday would be the one and only day of the tournament.

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While an excellent largemouth fishery, Eigbrett knew smallmouth were going to be the key to winning at Champlain. He focused most of his attention on a 300-yard stretch where smallmouth had a choice to either feed on schools of 6- to 7-inch alewives near the surface, or perch hanging out near the bottom of the lake in 50 to 60 feet of water.

A Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow (affiliate link) produced all his bites.

“A lot of the time they were traveling very high up in the water column or they would be on bottom eating bait and start rising toward the surface,” Eigbrett said. “I would time the cast so that when they were rising, my bait fell to them.”

Before heading out to his primary area, Eigbrett started on a hard break on the end of an island and landed his initial limit in short order. That initial limit, however, included one of his 20-inchers, something he was not expecting that spot to produce.

“It was just a limit spot full of 17-and 18-inchers,” he said. “My first cast was a 20-incher, a nice bonus fish. Really started the good vibes for the day.”

Once he had recorded his limit, he headed out to his primary area and by 8 a.m., he had landed two more 20-inch smallmouth.

“When I caught my fourth 20-incher I knew I had a chance to do something special,” he said. “I had never been able to catch 100 inches in a tournament, so it was pretty dang cool to do it in this event.”

Johnston brothers, Shaw tackle the St. Lawrence

Cory Johnston tallied a three-day total of 74 pounds, 15 ounces to win the St. Croix Bassmaster Open held July 31 – Aug. 2 on the St. Lawrence River, out of Waddington. For his efforts, Johnston collected the top prize of $32,276 and earned a berth in the 2026 Bassmaster Classic, to be held March 13-15 on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn.

“It’s just knowing the river and knowing what they get on,” Johnston said. “I just hit as many spots as I could until I ran into them.”

A week earlier, his younger brother and fellow Bassmaster Elite Series angler Chris Johnston won the Major League Fishing Tackle Invitational, also on the St. Lawrence River. The tournament was held out of Massena July 25-27. The younger Johnston boated 76 pounds, 1 ounce.

Also at the MLF event, Tennessee angler Banks Shaw locked up the invitational series Angler of the Year, which qualifies him for the Bass Pro Tour as well as the Invitationals championship.