2016 FLW CUP: Interview with Chris Johnston FLW Rookie of the Year PART 2

The family connection.

By Luigi De Rose 

PART 2

Chris (L) and Cory Johnston & girlfriends.

We continue our chat with Chris Johnston, 2016 FLW Tour Rookie of the Year, as he journeys back to Canada from an 8^th place showing at the recent FLW CUP on Wheeler Lake.  We also get Lynn Johnston, the father, to discuss his sons’ exceptional year on tour.   

IBASSIN: Chirs, you said that your dad is in the truck? Lynn Johnston, do you have anything to say about how well Chris and Cory have done this season?

Lynn:  I’m thrilled at how well both did this season. Cory and Chris finished well all year and the Rookie of the Year title is well deserved.

IBASSIN: Are you surprised at how well they did? There are so many top anglers on FLW Tour that failed to make the CUP their first year.

Lynn: No, I am not shocked at all with the boys’ success. Cory has fished competitively with me and then Chris since he was 14years old.  The way these young guys are so intense and how well they use their gear especially their Garmin electronics is remarkable. The work ethic is incredible. They’ll find a rock in the middle of Lake Ontario and then go back and catch 2 fish off of it. In the old days, I was just trying to get back to shore safely on that big water. They’re totally confident in fishing.

IBASSIN: I guess you helped train them.

Lynn: I guess but they have always had great skill and a desire to fish. Cory has been fishing since he was 4 years old and Chris started tournament fishing when he was 10. These kids could out flip and pitch men when they were just 10 years old. I would take them for a full day of pre-fishing and they would keep fishing at the dock while I was putting all the gear away. I would have to plead to them to get into the truck so we could go home.  They both love fishing that much.

Chris: Luigi, my dad had a great tournament career of his own. He won many tournaments with us and other anglers so he showed us what it took and the techniques we needed to learn. We didn’t need 4 or 5 years of tournaments under our belts to start cashing cheques. So, my dad really helped in that respect.

Lynn: Chris had a great FLW CUP but Cory was on the fish until the tournament and then he had some back luck.

IBASSIN:  What do you mean? Can you explain it?

Chris: In practice I expected to do horribly. Cory was the one who found the schooling bass and was planning to fishing them.  He just got into a bad rotation and couldn’t fish where they were biting. The place Cory wanted to fish the first morning was already taken my Michael Neal. Cory just got beat by Neal who runs a Bullet (Bullet Bass Boats are one of the fastest bass boats on the market) so he couldn’t fish it. When Cory came back to fish it later on Day 1, Jeremy Lawyer was there and he didn’t move for the rest of the tournament. Cory just got into a bad rotation and he didn’t have anywhere else to fish. It’s too bad but that is how it goes.

Hey, we have to go. Were right at customs; take care and thanks for the interview!

Side note: Jeremy Lawyer fished schooling bass for 5th place and $30,000 payout at the FLW CUP. Tournament fishing is often about catching a break and getting some momentum. Don’t feel too bad for Cory Johnston. He is currently leading the Costa FLW Northern Angler of the Year race with 486 points with Canadian legend Bob Izumi in second with 482 and Chris Johnston third with 476. These Johnston boys are really on the way to becoming legends in their own right.