Multiple variables at play for Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River

Waddington will host the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River July 20-22. Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

WADDINGTON — On one hand, Chris Johnston expects the usual routine during the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at St. Lawrence River. However, forces at play could shuffle the deck and alter outcomes.

Competition days will be July 20-22 with daily takeoffs from Whitaker Park at 6 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day back at the park at 2 p.m.

“It’s the same old St. Lawrence River,” Johnston said. “It’s going to be heavy current, clear water. The only thing that usually varies is the water temperature. We haven’t had a ton of hot weather, so it might not get all the fish out deep like they should be by the end of July.

“That’s going to scatter the fish, but it could change in the next two weeks. If we get a bunch of hot weather, it will group the fish up a little better. But if the water temperature stays cool, you’re going to have a bunch of scattered fish in anywhere from 3 to 40 feet of water.”

Noting that early summer has seen atypically cooler weather overtaking early spring heat, Johnston said he expects clarity — above and below the surface — to play a role in this event.

“Part of the (water temperature scenario) has been sunlight penetration,” he said. “We’ve had smoke (from wildfires in Quebec and northern Ontario) for the last month up here. I feel like the sun isn’t penetrating the water like it normally does and that might be slowing the progress of the (spawning season) and the water temperature a little bit.

“The water’s still crystal clear, but you can’t see that well because of the haze. You’re not getting that visibility you’d normally get. It’s kind of like fishing an overcast day.”

Tournament boundaries include the St. Lawrence and all publicly accessible tributaries from the Moses-Saunders Power Dam at Massena, N.Y., westward to Cape Vincent on the U.S. side and Kingston, Ontario, on the…