Georgia’s Micah Frazier Wins Bassmaster Elite Series Event

The great smallmouth battle of 2019, also known as the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River presented by Black Velvet, came down to a rookie Canadian pro who has spent his life plying the pristine waters of the storied fishery and a young Georgia pro who is experiencing a breakout season.

Chris Johnston, of Peterborough, Canada, was the favorite leading up to this event because of his history on the St. Lawrence. Micah Frazier, of Newnan, wasn’t on the radar of anglers who may finish in the top half of the field. As the scales settled in Waddington, N.Y., these two prolific pros held their breath alongside thousands of fans waiting to see which of these anglers would wear the crown.

And by just 14 ounces, Frazier toppled the overwhelming favorite. The Georgia pro’s massive 25-lb., 9-oz. limit on Day 4 vaulted him from 10th place to Elite Series champion, completing a four-day total of 87-4.

“I had no idea I had that much weight,” Frazier admitted. “I’m terrible at judging smallmouth. Still, I felt like I had an outside shot at winning as long as the leaders didn’t crush them.”

Frazier caught bass all day long. His culls were countless, and the big fish kept on biting his bait. That bait, the only one he used all four days of the event, was a prototype Yum Ned Dinger fished on 1/4- or 1/8-oz. mushroom jig heads.

“I don’t think the bait is out yet, but it mimics a goby better than anything I’ve seen. It has a hollow section in the tail that makes it stand up and it bubbles a little when you shake it,” Frazier said.

Frazier’s pattern was simple. The Georgia pro focused on areas 18 to 40 feet deep, keeping his line perfectly vertical under the boat while drifting with the current.

“I’d seen some light sand spots and there were a lot of mussels and shells there,” he said.

Frazier’s win puts an exclamation mark on a breakout season. The soft-spoken pro has been fishing the Elite Series since 2016, but this year has captured two third-place finishes (Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest on Lake Fork and the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell) along with his win on the St. Lawrence.

“This year has been so special. The atmosphere on the Elite Series now is just incredible. All the guys are positive, and I have never had so much fun fishing as I have had this year. B.A.S.S. and Bassmaster fans are just awesome,” he said.

Micah Frazier, of Newnan, has been featured several times in GON, including when he competed in GON’s Eliminator Series bass tournament. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.