2019 Bassmaster Elite Series at St. Johns River

what is a bass master does he catch a lot of fish to answer that question I think you've got to go bass fishing if you're serious about becoming a bass fisherman and you have a dream you'll get that strike and you'll know what it means to be a bass fisherman when you feel that tingle run up your Caston arm you just don't have fisherman luck it is experienced and something you build on there's no bigger stage in bass fishing or fishing and the bass masters tournament trail it's not anything that you win at a popularity contest you've got to earn your way there we are bass masters hello I'm Bob Cobb and this is the best master Elite Series all right let's go let's blow the whistle let's kick this thing off we've been waiting long enough glad you're here for the fast master Elite Series 2019 welcome to Toyota Bassmaster studios I'm Tommy Sanders welcome to mark zona and here with me for yet another season I can't wait to get this thing started we got nine events this year's each it is jam-packed and this first one is gonna get everyone's attention no doubt about it Tommy Sanders but this is definitely a different st. Johns River this time around and really to put it into other sports terms if you got to watch the Rams versus the Chiefs where it was Tommy I think it was like 45 to 50 here is the best way to put it you had better bring your a-game but like I said it's a different environment this time absolutely last time we were here 2016 has to rank as a treat for fishing fans everywhere the legend Rick Clunn put up a big number on day number three was able to hang on for that win exactly right in pretty much every time we've been at the st. John's it's one giant stringer and that's what we saw on day three and it really just pulled consistency around that Rick Clunn getting the title a couple years ago time around is being said you better have big bags every single day that was when number 15 for Rick Clunn of course we got some more faces to watch this time around especially two from Canada definitely got a look at Chris and Cory Johnston so much history in Canada known as small mouth expert but you look at their Florida history they have definitely done well in this state about drew bitten he was a rookie in 2016 and notched a top 5 finish he's made for this place exactly right drew Benton early on day 1 starting his season off the right way yes got your big butt that's what I'm talking about right there baby that's how you start the 2019 by semester elite series see no one had any doubt that the big ones are always living here on the st. John's and you just drew put it out there really girly well we always talk about every time we come to the state of Florida the collision when the weather warms when the nights get really warm giant waves of huge bass come shallow and that's exactly what was set up for day number one and that was again early on day number one Andrew Benton just part of that top 10 you look at the weights there look at the cut off twenty and a half pounds just to make it into the top ten that's pretty healthy on anybody scale exactly right and looking at those stringers on day number one you say wow man that's a that's a great way to start the season well I'm sure that the weights might taper off they actually got better we'll get into that but really the shot across the bow was John cruises giant bass on day number one but you kidding me are you kidding me that's the biggest fish I've ever caught in my whole life right here on the st. Johns River that's right cut to making people catch 11 big bass of the day goes to john cruz the big bag of the day Louisiana's Rob evila - so definitely found something that was working perfectly for him on the first day the big challenge make sure where they're coming for four straight days and this is pretty staggering as many times as we've come to the st. Johns River this time around really it was wintertime a whole week before this event three pound average sized bass and going into day two everybody knew you had to back up a giant stringer from day one well I'm fishing in my comfort zone I'm fishing how I like to fish big flippin stick in the hand and I'm committed to that it's it's a grind but the ones that I'm around are the right ones if you get one obviously I had a nine thirteen yesterday and one about six pounds so that makes up for a lot of 12 to 14 inches that you can catch so I think it's a worthwhile gamble when I see the right thing then I kind of get excited and I know where that bait needs to be and it's been pretty successful once you figure those two or three little things out I didn't expect that don't you jump in you big dog open house that to start your morning there's a good solid kicker giddy up Good Morning America Marc Menendez believe it or not nearing 250 Bassmaster tournaments that is the definition of a great respected veteran but he seems a little more excited this time around and I think he's got good reason to be so the doubt about it sitting on almost a five pound average going into the third day how about rookie li live a see guide from Lake Fork he's used to catching big ones second place after day 246 pounds and two ounces definitely have our eyes on leelavathi throughout this tournament we knew to have our highs on this guy Chris Johnston and on day number two he brings in the wake to take the top spot juggernut comes across the border to the Bassmaster Elite Series so that will take us today number three and it's gonna be Chris Johnston making the big lead out on the water how well he gets started well this is our first look at this very celebrated angler from Canada this is just a speed worm with a three OTT gammy I've done a lot of my damage on this bait and I got an eight ounce tungsten weight it's very light and it's a little tougher today to work in this win but normally I'd rather flipped like a three-eighths around this stuff and kind of pick my pockets but it's only about a foot deep of water so I think this eight down is really helping the presentation a little slower fall it doesn't spook them I pick up the heavier weight everyone smile again the thicker junk but definitely seem to get more bites on this little smaller worm it's a big one oh really hooked look at that take it fish number three I fished that clump every day now never got a fish out of it but look good finally came through got more like that are we doing something doing something to be sure carrying the momentum over from day number two is Canada's Chris Johnston so definitely living up to his pregame hype for sure but he's smart enough to know that he's not the only one out there on the water who is catching big ones on the st. Johns River we come back we will give you ample evidence to back up that claim don't go away yes yes yes sir there's you another five pounder the power pole Bassmaster Elite at st. Johns River is brought to you by Toyota Yamaha Skeeter boats and by power pole power pole bassmaster Olli to the st. Johns River very first event of the season for the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series just look at this place this is old Florida wild and natural Florida at its best and it's one of the greatest fishing resources in the country a real treat to start our season here and we are being treated certainly to a display by this first year angler on the Bassmaster Elite Series Chris Johnston of Canada took the lead after two days of fishing and mark zona it seems like as we get ready to watch him he has no intention of letting up a giant or didn't think he was that big when I said the hawk there we go oh I did not expect to be that big just felt a little tap tap that's what we're after that thing was pegged good how was it coming off brother better be catching them ah yes good one right there for Chris Johnston over around the corner his brother Corey Johnston having an unbelievable event really if you look at that aerial right there so much different this time around on the st. Johns hurricanes wiping out a lot of the grass and what grass that's left in here it's condensed the bass but above and beyond that Tommy Sanders it's condensed the anglers together and here's the amazing thing the giant bass in the st. John's keep funneling to these areas go show your brother who's boss today whoo I said you gonna show your brother who's boss today I'm trying buddy ha ha hate your camera guy changes underwear there that sucker it caught an edge and then all I thought about like goddamn will get run over by cohn I was like hey let me get out of here oh my gosh oh my god yeah yes mm that's what we're looking for baby just chopped it too oh there's a 6 pounder baby eat your heart out Chris guess the blood flowing OH at this point you wonder which Johnston you want to pick to win this thing because they're both so strong Cory Johnston the older of the two multiple FLW wins three Canadian Open Championships they have got the credentials as is this guy right here Lee liver see exactly right in the thing with Li live æsir ight here is um getting a bite Tommy Sanders not the issue it's really what happens after you get that bite problem come-over leave you gotta get it come only yes yes legal I use my own rod to get my line the hook fell out of her mouth yes over the dock back under the dock there we go yeah first coal today over the dock under the dock you gonna see that on bass that happened longest cast that could make two is it fair to say in the history of the Bassmaster television show that that was the most cooperative bass we better see he was remarkably well cast I'll say and if they ever make a bass fishing movie with the rock Dwayne Johnson they should use that stunt in there maybe right next to the Niagara Falls yeah well it's stated back around the corner Marc Menendez not catching a lot but the quality has been there [Music] yes yes yes sir it's gonna yes how about look at that right fell right out around yes there's you another five pounder yes helped after some excitement yes holy moly golly how do you get a five pounder over the log in the top of the tree under the tree around the tree and reach down with the fish not even hooked how does that happen that gun I cannot believe this yes baby we legit now look at that big dude look at that big look at that bacon that's a dang six pounder right there five and a six from the heavens yes look what I'm getting ready to get rid of now look at that is that not the fairest trade in the world pretty solid call right there for Marc Menendez and as we slide back down around Drayton Island very rare on the Bassmaster Elite Series do you see that major collision of giant vast flooding the shallows and interestingly enough Chris Johnston already with a solid day three it just keeps getting better Chris Johnston can do no wrong oh look at the size of that thing holy what a way to end the day exactly petty is the way to end start whatever part of the day you want to catch one like that and we were getting so spoiled I mean he's i popping giant largemouth bass the first tournament of the year let's take it back to the day three weigh-in chris johnson solidifies his lead it all seems to real like one other place can you go and catch a seven pounder everyday the tournament ornate and you look at the guys behind me i think every bags got a one over six pounds it's just an unbelievable fishery i'm i'm honored to be here on this stage and just have a chance going into championship Sunday I'd win in this title and I can't ask for any more and I have to say I showed it to this crowd assembly it was my first Elite Series event and you guys make it all worthwhile thank you Chris Johnston hanging on to that lead with a more than five pound advantage a rookie in between him and Marc Menendez but as Rick Clunn said last year after a big lead on day number three I'm not stupid I know what lives here at the Geico Bassmaster Classic coming up but we have got an instant classic in the making here in Florida on the st. Johns River after three days just a cavalcade cavalcade of giant bass we've absolutely hit this place at the perfect time of year we got the right group of guys in there who can catch them let's take a look at what we saw yesterday cliff perch the Arizona angler seventh year on Elite Series man and 34 pounds 9 ounces there's more here's someone no one would have predicted mark zona actually the century mark we're right on the number to reach that exactly right we're on the number to surpass any of the biggest weights we've ever had on the st. Johns River and think about this you have a five-pound leave going into the final day and so much more work to be done I've never seen weights like that in a tournament personally there was three bags over 30 pounds and I had almost 29 I thought don't coming away and I'm gonna I'm gonna extend my lead a bit have a nice little cushion and when I saw everyone's fish I thought mine look kind of small after that so I think there's potential out there again today for another 30 pound bag and like I said I got to put five giants in my live wolf I won't have a chance of winning this one more days work to be done the good news for these anglers they're only ten of them left on the final day and we started the take off in Palatka Florida for our Yamaha unlock the lake exactly right if you look at that Island right there is actually on the north end of Lake George here's really what's transpired throughout this event so many events that we've been here in the past the entire Lake George is always a player with all the vegetation but with all the Hurricanes not a lot of vegetation Doc's hard cover and small patches of reeds have been the major player this time around number one there we go took a while it's what I'm going to see number one it's a good one number one thank you getting a little worried takes a little stress off well that's the start he wanted I'll be it a little bit later than what he was expecting in fact they'll start with a guy who took a lead into the final day last time and won the tournament today he starts in eighth place and nine pounds back yeah but here's one thing if you look at the stats for this man right here Rick Clunn you really don't want to go up against Rick Clunn going into the final day of any tournament in the history of bass fishing but clen made a comment about this tournament he said this is a dangerous tournament I'm not I'm not able to duplicate what I'm doing all over the st. John's with that being said Kalon made the comment I am definitely around the right ones though I know Frank may have served me well on my career but I can't there's no I think I've enjoy a spinnerbait by it more than a top water I know they're not going in slow motion but when they come up and get it it looks like they are and it's just it's like a top water you get to see the strike that one's four and three-quarter maybe five that that just looks so much looks so much fun to do that man and when Rick Clunn says I'm around the right ones I'm around the big ones you might want to beware here's the other side of it though let's go down to Clifford perch who wavin the biggest stringer on day number three and here is the scary thing looking at what he's caught he said he has lost the biggest ones that have bit pretty nice conditions this more in the water clarity is a lot cleaner than yesterday a little different wind angle and just trying to figure out what phase they're in what's going on with it oh yes they're in tough water phase Thank You Marv we may have figured out what phase in there I know what phase my heart's in there's a there's got to be a medical term for it but that's pretty exciting Thank You Lars the bacon [Music] I've got nothing after that last trade places with the man doing that right there Clifford perched he said yesterday was maybe a once-in-a-career day he may be off to the same sort of day today the power pole Bassmaster Elite at st. Johns River is brought to you by hummingbird [Music] Minn Kota [Music] Talon and by mercury final day first stop of the year for the Bassmaster Elite Series st. Johns River historic st. John's in Florida historic for big bass and that's exactly what this tournament has been all about we haven't seen a big bass beat down like this big largemouth and a good while but this is something special in Rick Clunn started in eighth place he's already up to fourth at the boat I was hoping handy right that's over six well a special treat as promised Rick Clunn in the studio with us right here and Rick even the fellows who finished right behind you said when you won in 2016 they said oh boy I hope everybody got a great look at this because you will not see this happen ever again this will never happen again I might win one you know way up in the few but it'll never be at the elite level and you turn around and do it and according to our research top level tour full-field no one has ever done that before repeated on the same body of water I don't have those numbers but I totally believe that and because all too often you know you go back and you try to duplicate how you won two years ago or three years ago in this case and and that it becomes your the death of you because very rarely is it gonna be the same that's when you go back to grass areas and then that grass is gone and this one was good looks really quite different in 2016 and I kept an open mind which I'm trying to incorporate more and more one of the most amazing things was before this event I called you and said finish this sentence you will win this tournament yes well if I don't have a lot of boats in the water because I was afraid at that time that the water may not be able to hold up for four days and I knew one of the keys would come to be how many other boats were in there I knew the big fish were there I didn't realize how many were coming but they were there judging by what we've seen caught today that bass right there was born probably 10 minutes prior to recut particular back into Lake George with John Cruz and really John Cruz already holding the biggest bass wade in so far in this event having a huge final day really all of the anglers that we've covered on this final day a mixture of vegetation dollar pads Reed's that's where the Giants have come from this week on the st. John's digging right there boys and girls yes no no no no no no no no no no no you don't know you don't know you don't ugly-ass fish catch mystery enjoying it dude nailed it giant May it's like I set the hook into a tarpon I just I cracked back and almost lost the handle on the whole rod because the other way I just almost lost it but I kept it together it broke it broke free from the reeds came out and I had to I had to force that thing to keep it away from the from the dock here I don't know what my heart rate is but it's about a thousand beats a minute whoo think about John Kruse in this tournament day one and 11 two days two and three he wasn't a slouch either but still was the tenth man to get into this ten man feel that's how competitive it has been here that's what a big bass deal this has been story of this rookie right here actually Patrick Walters only 24 years old a bang-up day number 332 pounds and 15 ounces and look at that that's got him atop our Dick's Sporting Goods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year leaderboard he sure loves to fish shallow Z exactly right growing up on Santee Cooper st. John sets up just like home and really of all of our rookies that are fishing the Elite Series Patrick Walters some of the best history coming out of the Bassmaster opens rookie Patrick Walters a man a few words on that fish catch yes letting his fish catches do the talking for him that's we've seen that MO before so we are far from finished right here on the st. John's and we'll be back you final day of this Power Poll Bassmaster Elite on the incredible st. Johns River here in Florida has always given us incredible fish catching great competition in the years past but this one is going to surpass them all final day ten anglers left out here we're going down to second place right now Patrick Walters of South Carolina only 24 years old but he has hit some of those important goals a college national champion championship work on the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster opens proving that he's got it his elite debut has been pretty auspicious and he is making a charge today [Applause] coming back that one's from America our goes three more like that I'm gonna make it interesting I'm sorry Tommy Sanders that is one of the finest fish catches in years on the elite series if you want to look at somebody that we will cover a lot the next few years Oh Patrick Walters you've done it cuz a portrait of intensity I tell you what the spirit of intensity and just having a big time that's what Mark Menendez's Week has all been about son that is a hammer that is a hammer hammer right there get your head up get your head up hello yes yes sir life's go baby you got high funk with the monkey Marc Menendez as we mentioned coming up on 250 Bassmaster tournaments and he's got three victories that's the way it stands though that's a way to laying out right there and Menendez started this day in third place and he's been able to maintain his position take it over the guy who the first guy we actually saw working near these boat docks that was back on day number one a giant day for Robbie Lechuza exactly right a little bit slower here he's kind of bounced around between soft plastics and a spinnerbait release been right around the corner from Rick Clunn the entire event from there hey Tommy I'm gonna say it right now it's my guy hey Scott Canterbury look out for this guy very accomplished angler this his first year on the Bassmaster Elite Series Alabama angler and he's taken a little bit different approach working those pads we've seen a couple of anglers do exactly right fishing an area the same job in the south end of Lake George kind of left all alone almost the entire vent from there Chris Johnson's brother Cory Johnston from Canada stellar days one through three little bit slower sitting currently in eighth place Cory Johnson had to catch about 20 hey pan hooks on day number three to serve notice that he was going to fish this final ten on this day and now he's just got to take advantage of it how about this guy right here Lee livers see the angler from Texas graduated from Louisiana Monroe and headed right to Lake Fork started guiding exactly right went to Lake Fork start a guide and got a little bit of case of bed head but get it done here final day is st. Johns River yeah he's gonna be one of the big guns in this tournament that is for sure has been and talk about a big gun making a big move up the leaderboard Rick Clunn flawless all day long with a spinnerbait year Rick Clunn not getting many bites that's the one thing that he said look back this right there literally almost bit the head of his trolling motor and really if you watch Clunn throughout this entire tournament it's not been a numbers game he's not catching 20 bass a day but when he gets bit it is the right one I had been getting many bites from this day but every one I'm in five or better like I said second biggest bass I called it I caught in the floor they ever caught the Bassmaster Classic only second to Preston Clark's 11 something on the same day matter of fact I caught a 1012 on the same bait toho we throw the superlatives around a lot but this time they're totally warranted an epic performance and an epic tournament to start the season for the Bassmaster Elite Series 2019 Rick Klein operating out there and now it's time for our Skeeter boats taste the bait I know you've been waiting for this market I definitely have a Lucky Strike trickster spinner bait 3/4 ounce this is the exact bait you've used in a rig it seems almost every time we see all the way back what you're talking about in the classic years ago why does that produce bigger bites than a standard spinner bait 90% spinner baits out there sold our willow Leafs and their and because they're user-friendly they don't roll the head of the spinner bait and all that and then that's why you don't see many guys tooling Colorado's or Indiana's but historically the Colorado's in Indiana's the blades they displace a lot of water catch the bigger fish and the long drop blade is a cross between the will leaf and in Indiana the water displacement really does make a huge difference when it is to attracting those quality fish the early part of the week when the Sun was out the gator tail worm for this majority of fish but every day I would catch one or two on the spinner bait but there would be big ones they'd be over all over five and the final day you would got the wind and the rain and I said I got a 11 pound deficit I'm going to stow this and try to catch the big ones in it and it works even every fish I weighed the final day was that bait was responsible for it even the one that shows me catching the one on worm missed that spinner bait the cast before well that's a told 9 to 10 but when they get that big I lose track to watch that all day long all day long watch that the pitfalls he talks about about catching big bass those are the kind of pitfalls you want to be around all the time and Rick Clunn is definitely a guy who is around them so the rest of these guys how's it gonna shake out in the final reckoning come back that's a Megalodon right there the power poles Bassmaster Elite at st. Johns River is brought to you by nitro boats Abu Garcia [Music] Berkeley and by Triton vote can always say we don't want these to end we don't want today to end we have seen so much so many i popping fish catches today but it is the final moments in mark Menendez started in third now in fourth place oh my gosh that's a Megalodon right there yes oh my god that's close to a 10 pounder I pitched over and it was running off like a Dern little old buck bass and I said we got trouble for now kids we got trouble for hold boy you write that one down as a ten pounder if it don't it won't miss it by much Oh God somebody take me to the emergency room please oh man it never stops sear mark Menendez moving into the lead that is a big move right there can Chris Johnston answer oh yeah that's who's looking for there we go I've been looking a long time for that one yes it's a good one right there it's the old blood flowing again boy it has not been easy for Chris Johnston from Canada here on championship Sunday but finds himself in the lead currently back over to Rick Clunn trying to catch one more giant [Music] [Music] holy crap I'm gonna go I have no frickin idea I mean he thought famous I don't wonder he you think he's bigger he fertility recarey yeah no they're about the same but they then there could be two kinds of part I can't tell I said that he's at least of nine local mold I think we're over and Hannah I love oh you'd be bigger and even people like me don't catch them that big often that's no okey dokey for me over 30 I think thank you mister trickster boy as good as this place is if someone had mentioned the century mark two weeks before we began this tournament I don't know if anyone would have taken him seriously take it seriously today they will get very very close time to take it to the weigh-in in Palatka we're gonna find out who wins this hey living legend or somebody who I honestly believe is a future legend he needs 23 pounds 2 ounces 19 pounds [Applause] sexy when this exact same thing happened in 2016 girl people in the audience weeping because it was only problem people thought well how did this happen how could this possibly happen and on that one Rick Clunn you had a four or five pound lead to begin with you had a nine pound deficit to begin they should have been weeping twice as much because it's have much more incredible what went down on this day and and and was it a similar experience up on the stage to finally take hold of the trophy I was it was similar the final day was completely different this year because I really was just looking forward to fishing that day I was on such big fish and I said golly I get one more day at home and I really wasn't thinking that much about winning and be honest with you which sounds strange the 2016 know that final day I had to lead and that's a different ballgame you're trying to you know you don't want to blow it that's always what an athlete doesn't want to do then I'm gonna blow that final lead and you should never be surprised when you know cuz that's all that's all you that's all for all of your energies going is to win and so I'm surprised when I don't well it's great to know yet even more fun winning this time around than you did back in 2016 that gives us all everyone had fun watching that route take my word for it and as a bonus now we look at Toyota Bassmaster Angler beer points of course Rick Clunn at the top of that lists there the other players that we had so much fun watching it this is cinema Chris Johnson mark Menendez they're all up there Lee Libous see gave us some great most all these guys a top 10 of course that will change as we head to our next stop Lake Lanier will let you get some thoughts in on that one there'd be a much different situation at Lake Lanier at the Clearwater deepwater some the best spotted bass fishing in the country but to expect to get another slugfest well I can tell you this the people of st. Johns River probably know where when 17 18 and 19 are coming from it's coming from the state challenge River but congratulations on 16th win with the Bassmasters Rick Klein your champion and the st. Johns River that's it for the Bassmaster Elite Series will see you at Lake Lanier you [Music]

Channel: Bassmaster

Views: 346,514

Rating: 4.8089886 out of 5

Keywords: BASS, B.A.S.S., Fishing, bass fishing, Bassmaster

Id: 74euyKxXl3U

Length: 45min 17sec (2717 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 10 2019