By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor
Admittedly a smallmouth-fishing greenhorn.
Came into the tournament sitting in last place in the Angler of the Year points among Bassmaster Elite Series competitors who'd fished the entire season.
Posted 79th- and 80th-place finishes in the first two stops on the northern swing.
Bill Weidler, a 50-year-old, 3rd-year pro from Alabama, became the most unlikely tour-level event winner in recent memory when he stormed from 8th place to the top of the standings on the final day at Lake St. Clair. His day-best 22-13 bag, which contained a pair of 5 1/4-pound smallmouth, gave him a 4-day total of 86-07 – a half-pound more than runner-up Cory Johnston.
"It's unbelievable – I can't even tell you how I feel," said Weidler, whose best previous finish this year was 57th at Lake Eufaula. "I feel like the Lord Almighty guided me all week and I give Him all the credit.
"I'm a largemouth guy; I can't catch smallmouth at all. I don't know how I did this."
Johnston, a Top-10 finisher in all three northern derbies, weighed 19-14 on the final day for an 85-15 total. John Cox, the leader after the first 3 days, ended up 3rd after a 19-10 bag gave him an 85-12 aggregate.
New points leader Clark Wendlandt was 4th with 85-09 (20-09 on day 4). Jake Whitaker completed the Top 5 with 85-02 (22-11).
Chris Johnston (Cory's brother), the winner of the St. Lawrence River event last month, was 6th with 84-13 (20-13). He was followed by Shane LeHew with 84-11, Cody Hollen with 84-03 (18-02), Jay Yelas with 83-04 (19-04) and rookie Takumi Ito with 79-12 (18-03). Like Cory Johnston, Ito was a final-day qualifier in each of the last three tournaments.
Weidler fished in Anchor Bay in the northern portion of the lake, not far from the mouth of the St. Clair River. After identical 20 1/2-pound bags on the first 2 days, both of his weekend hauls were more than 2 pounds heavier.
He focused on grass lines and pitched a Strike King Baby Z Too on a dropshot rig.
Runner-up Cory Johnston was a Top-10 finisher in each of the three events on the northern swing.
"I didn't have any weight early in the day and those voices were talking to me in my head, but I decided to hunker down right there because I knew that area had the winning fish on it," he said. "I grew up on the Coosa River where my boat was hardly ever in more than 10 feet of water and a flipping stick with heavy braid is what I like today.
"I've always struggled with smallmouth because I never chose the right rods or there'd be something else that (allowed them) to throw the hooks. This time everything just worked out for me."
He spent most of the tournament with an earbud in one ear. It was transmitting the song Red Letters by the contemporary Christian band Crowder.
"It seemed like every time I'd play that song I'd find fish and when I hooked one, it helped keep me calm."
After lackluster finishes in the season's first two events, Cory Johnston has rocketed up to 13th on the points list via his superb run in smallmouth country.
"My goal was not to miss a Top 10 up north because that's kind of my wheelhouse," the Canadian said. "I did my job here – I did all I could and if I had it all to do over again I'd probably do the exact same thing.
"I had a lot of missed opportunities today, but that's part of it and it keeps you coming back. I'll go home and regroup and get ready for the next one. I love dropping on these smallmouth, but I'm excited to go to Guntersville and catch some green fish."
Cox was the third consecutive 3-day leader to be overtaken in the final round on the northern swing – it happened to Paul Mueller at the St. Lawrence (Chris Johnston won) and Jamie Hartman at Lake Champlain (Brandon Palaniuk). He'll now make the long drive around the bottom of Lake Michigan, then turn north and go through Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay on his way to Sturgeon Bay for this week's FLW TITLE Championship at Sturgeon Bay.
He caught only 6 keepers on day 4, which was easily his lowest number for the event. One of them was a 5 1/23-pounder, which was the biggest specimen to come to the scale in the final round.
"I just fished as hard as I could the last 2 days because I really didn't have anything going," he said. "I was thrilled to catch what I caught.
"I had some of the right ones – I caught the big one fairly early and I had a 4 1/2 and a 3-14. I just had two small ones that I couldn't get rid of."
Notable
> Day 4 stats – 10 anglers, 10 limits.
Day 4 (Final) Standings
1. Bill Weidler -- Helena, AL -- 20, 86-07 -- 100 -- $100,500
Day 1: 5, 20-08 -- Day 2: 5, 20-08 -- Day 3: 5, 22-10 -- Day 4: 5, 22-13
2. Cory Johnston -- Cavan, ON -- 20, 85-15 -- 99 -- $25,000
Day 1: 5, 21-11 -- Day 2: 5, 21-05 -- Day 3: 5, 23-01 -- Day 4: 5, 19-14
3. John Cox -- Debary, FL -- 20, 85-12 -- 98 -- $21,500
Day 1: 5, 24-12 -- Day 2: 5, 20-10 -- Day 3: 5, 20-12 -- Day 4: 5, 19-10
4. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, TX -- 20, 85-09 -- 97 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 20-00 -- Day 2: 5, 24-05 -- Day 3: 5, 20-13 -- Day 4: 5, 20-07
5. Jake Whitaker -- Fairview, NC -- 20, 85-02 -- 96 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 18-07 -- Day 2: 5, 21-10 -- Day 3: 5, 22-06 -- Day 4: 5, 22-11
6. Chris Johnston -- Peterborough, ON -- 20, 84-13 -- 95 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 21-11 -- Day 2: 5, 21-03 -- Day 3: 5, 21-02 -- Day 4: 5, 20-13
7. Shane LeHew -- Catawba, NC -- 20, 84-11 -- 94 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 21-13 -- Day 2: 5, 21-12 -- Day 3: 5, 21-00 -- Day 4: 5, 20-02
8. Cody Hollen -- Beaverton, OR -- 20, 84-03 -- 93 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 19-12 -- Day 2: 5, 22-15 -- Day 3: 5, 23-06 -- Day 4: 5, 18-02
9. Jay Yelas -- Lincoln City, OR -- 20, 83-04 -- 92 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 21-01 -- Day 2: 5, 22-14 -- Day 3: 5, 20-01 -- Day 4: 5, 19-04
10. Taku Ito -- Chiba, JAPAN -- 20, 79-12 -- 91 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 21-11 -- Day 2: 5, 20-11 -- Day 3: 5, 19-03 -- Day 4: 5, 18-03
