2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River presented by SEVIIN Day 2: Goutremout Leads!

Canadians: Cory Johnston 4th, Erik Luzak 7th, Evan Kung 18th,  Adam Howell 21st & Matt Kelly 130th

By David A Brown

BASS Press Release

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Zach Goutremout knew he needed a bigger quality bite and following that hunch yielded just what he needed to claim a whisper-thin lead on Day 2 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River presented by SEVIIN.

After placing sixth on Day 1 with 24 pounds, 10 ounces, the pro from Chaumont, N.Y., added a second-round limit of 25 pounds for a two-day total of 49-10.

Goutremout heads into Championship Saturday with a 2-ounce lead over Day 1 leader Ryan Lachniet.

“I had four of the five I weighed in by 11 o’clock and then I caught my last kicker about 12:30,” Goutremout said. “I have one area where I feel confident in that 22- to 23-pound range and then I have another area where there’s a lot less fish, but when you get bit, it’s a good one.

“The last two days, I started in that first area and then I went to that big-fish area just to get a couple of kickers.”

2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River presented by SEVIIN Day 1: Lachniet Sack 7-Pound Smallmouth and Lead!

Canadians: Cory Johnston 7th, Evan Kung 8th, Luzak 36th & Matt Kelly 52th

By David A Brown

BASS Press Release

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Ryan Lachniet might have added a few grey hairs to his otherwise dark brown beard, but after enduring the stress storm that a 7-pound, 5-ounce smallmouth unleashed, the Gum Spring, Va., pro leads Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River presented by SEVIIN.

Sacking up an opening limit of 26-5, Lachniet leads South Carolina’s Kyle Austin by a pound and 2 ounces.

“When I got that (big fish) next to the boat, after fighting him for a couple of minutes, I tried to scoop him and he slipped out of my hand,” Lachniet recalled. “I was like, ‘No, no, no, no, come back. 

“He swam down and fought for another 30 seconds and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, please don’t get off.’ When I grabbed him, I was like, ‘Wow, this thing is huge!’ It was a great day.”