Chris Johnston claims emphatic Elite Series victory at Santee Cooper Lakes

CLENDON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA — There’s nothing like an emphatic victory to cure what ails Canadian Chris Johnston.

The Peterborough, Ont., angler won the Elite Series event on Santee Cooper Lakes on Sunday, finishing more than 19 pounds ahead of American Brandon Palaniuk. Johnston brought in a final five-fish limit weighing 30 pounds 15 ounces — his second 30-pound bag of the tournament — to finish with 113 pounds 15 ounces.

Palaniuk was second with 94 pounds.

“I don’t even have words to describe how this week went,” Johnston said. “One of the best weeks of fishing of my life.

“I had everything happen this week. I blew a sandal, I fell into the lake, I lost fish, I had them wrapped up in docks (and) I had to crash my boat into docks to get fish out of the dock … but when it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.

“I haven’t had a top-10 in about a year-and-a-half and it’s even better doing it right here and to win in this fashion. I’ve never done it like this before, it’s always been a nail-biter when I’m up here. It’s so much nicer, way less stress.”

Six times Johnston has finished second in Elite Series events. But he cracked the 100-pound plateau for just the second time.

The victory was Johnston’s second on the Elite Series but first since 2020 when he became the first Canadian to claim a tournament title on pro bass fishing’s top circuit. Johnston also moves into a tie with his brother, Cory — who finished fourth Sunday — for most all-time Elite Series victories by a Canuck.

But the dominant victory comes during what’s been a challenging season for Chris Johnston. The two-time overall Elite Series champion’s best finish before this tournament was 20th at the Arkansas River roughly two weeks ago.

And Johnston was coming off a 75th-place finish at the Elite Series tournament in Lake Murray last weekend. But after opening with 21 pounds three ounces on Thursday to stand 16th, Johnston had a 32-pound, eight-ounce bag on Friday to move into second.

He took the lead Saturday with 29 pounds two ounces, carrying an advantage of three pounds two ounces over Palaniuk entering Sunday’s action. Earlier in the day, Johnston also took an unexpected swim after falling from his boat.

Johnston’s winning presentation was the Hideup Coike Fullcast creature bait, a full-size urchin-style soft plastic designed with a centre ball that firmly holds the angler’s hook of choice. It weighs nearly a half ounce for solid castability and features multiple appendages that can quiver when twitched.

Johnston rigged it with Gamakatsu treble hook and inserted an 1/8-ounce weight into the bottom to make the bait sink in claiming the US$100,000 winner’s share.

“I obviously got on to that deal in practice and it was like a bait they’ve never seen before,” Johnston said. “When they see it, those big ones, they won’t eat anything else right now.

“You twitch that in front of their face and it’s game on. Getting them hooked up is one thing, getting them into the boat is a whole other thing.”

Cory Johnston, of Cavan, Ont., brought in five fish weighing 21 pounds 12 ounces Sunday to finish fourth with 92 pounds three ounces overall. More importantly, Johnston solidified his spot atop the overall standings with just three tournaments remaining.

The next Elite Series competition is June 11-14 on the Pasquotank River in North Carolina.

Evan Kung of Pickering, Ont., finished 17th (55 pounds 10 ounces), while Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Ont., was 53rd (31 pounds 12 ounces). Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville, Ont., was 96th (19 pounds 12 ounces).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2026.