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.”
Goutremout made a long run to the tournament’s western boundary and started his morning on the U.S. side of Wolfe Island. When he felt it was time to transition to his big-fish strategy, he moved to the island’s Canadian (northern) side.
The latter area, Goutremout said, has benefitted from this year’s weather patterns.
“I’m targeting main spawning areas,” he said. “We had a late spawn this year, so I’m just picking off those fish that are still up there roaming around. We had a really cold spring; it really didn’t warm up until sometime about mid-June. It just stayed cold this spring and kept those fish back.
“Normally, they’re a lot farther along and there are more fish schooled up out deep. They’re kind of scattered this time around. I’d rather be fishing them out deep, but you gotta do what you gotta do to catch those big ones.”
Goutremout’s starting spot actually plays more to his preference. He’s spending the first few hours of his day in a deep spot with depths of 40 to 45 feet.
“I’m catching those deep fish mostly on a drop shot and then going to those shallow flats around 11 to 11:30,” Goutremout said. “I’ve caught a couple of those shallow fish on a drop shot, but most of them have been on a jig.”
Goutremout has been throwing a 1/2-ounce finesse football jig. Rather than using a craw or creature bait trailer, he fits his jig with a 2 3/4-inch Berkley MaxScent Lil General.
“I think it has a lot to do with how much pressure these fish get,” he said. “I’ve tried mixing it up, but I think you get a lot more bites with something simple.
“With the drop shot, I learned pretty quickly that you can’t move it. I’m dropping on these fish and if I move it at all, they run away from it. I’m pretty much just slack lining it and holding it there until I feel a tick.”
Eyeing the potential for his first Bassmaster victory, Goutremout said he’s eager for one more shot at the St. Lawrence.
“I’ve been looking forward to this event for a while now,” he said. “Hopefully, I can get five more bites tomorrow and pull this thing off.”
Hailing from Gum Spring, Va., Lachniet set the early mark with a limit of 26-5. Adding a second-day’s limit of 23-3, he slipped to second with 49-8.
Lachniet said he actually caught more fish on Day 2, but he was missing the two kickers that buoyed his first-round effort.
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