Johnston Brothers Victorious at the 2025 CISA Kingston Open!

Massive smallmouth showcase the 2025 CISA Kingston Open 

Photo: Facebook CISA-Canada Bass

By Luigi De Rose

Kingston- The eastern portion of Lake Ontario is infamous for 2 things: giant smallmouth and sporty weather. Now a third can be added; Cory and Chris Johnston are smallmouth kings. After 3 days of competition, August 29-31, the Johnstons dominated the inaugural Canadian International Sportfishing Association (CISA) Kingston Open with spectacular feats of fishing. Leading wire-to-wire, the pair brought in fifteen smallmouth bass for a 3-day total of 83-14 lbs, a 5.53 lb average. 

Official practice was met with high winds, rain and finicky smallmouth. Many of the 66 2-angler teams who were competing for $50 000 first place prize opted to focus on the St. Lawrence River with the mindset that tournament officials would limit anglers to the river only due to high winds. On Friday, the weather calmed allowing anglers to reach their magic spots as far west as Prince Edward County and down stream as Prescott on the St. Lawrence River. 

Day One didn’t disappoint as limits of giant smallmouth were weighted. No one was surprised when Peterborough brothers Cory and Chris Johnston caught 29.08 lbs to capture the Day 1 lead. Second place went to Brian Bickell and Josh Westerink who landed 29.04 lbs. Brian Green and Jonathan Fidaoui held third with 28.36 lbs. The fishing was so remarkable that a 5-bass limit of 20 lbs only granted 50th place. Big bass for the day was a monstrous 7.6 lbs smallmouth brought in by Cal Climpson and Eric Santoro. 

At the close of Day 2, Team Johnston continued to hold the lead with a two-day total for 10 bass of 56.39 lbs. A close second was Bickell and Westerink with 54.18 lbs and Ryan Fox and Matt Loudon secured third with 53.52 lbs. Matt Pazzetta and Mike Slocki slipped into 20th place with 46.79lbs advancing them into championship Sunday. Big bass on Day 2 was a brute scoring 7.47lbs landed by Jasper Yu Zhang and Jingyu Zhan. 

Cory and Chris Johnston who led the entire tournament wire-to-wire were declared victorious with a 3-day total of 83-14 lbs. They were just too dominant. Even with their 30.64 lb limit the final day, the team of Evan Kung and Jacob Kung couldn’t dethrone the Johnstons and claimed 2nd place with a 3-day total of 79.87 lbs. Third went to Danny McGarry and Spence Newel who netted 78.78 lbs. 

Trophies, prizes and the $50 000 winner’s purse aside, this event cements the total domination Cory and Chris Johnston have on these waters. This was their 4th top-tier bass tournament win in this region this year. Each brother has also won a BASS Elite event on the St. Lawrence.