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Johnston is trying to do so in what's been an uncharacteristic 2025 by his standards. He hasn't recorded a tournament win or a top-10 finish yet, after earning four top-10s last year.

"I wouldn't say it's been a stellar year by any means, just consistent," Johnston said. "Normally, I have a couple of top-10s, but I don't even have one this year, so hopefully I can do it in this one.

"All you can ever hope for is to have a chance in the last tournament."

Johnston stood tied for 55th Thursday weighing a five-fish limit of 13 pounds, one ounce. McKinny was 58th at 12 pounds, 15 ounces.

"I'm not making it easy for myself, that's for sure," Johnston said. "I kept fishing water I found in practice and it wasn't working.

"So (Friday) I'll probably have to switch it up and fish one or two spots I found (Thursday) but then go looking for new water."

Johnston, who in 2020 became the first ºÃÉ«tv to win an Elite Series event, came into this one having finished no worse than 15th in the last four tournaments, including consecutive 11th-place efforts. But McKinney, 20, has posted five top-10 efforts, including two third-place finishes and a win Aug. 10 on Lake St. Clair.

"I think I'm going to need a top-20 finish (to win the overall title)," Johnston said. "But you kind of have to put that aside and just fish it like a regular tournament and go for the win."

Kevin VanDam was the last competitor to defend the overall title, earning four straight (2008-11) and seven in total. Roland Martin won a record nine championships, including three times successfully (1971-73, 1978-79 and 1984-85), while Guido Hibdon (1990-91) claimed back-to-back crowns.

"If it happens, it happens," Johnston said. "Now, it would be nice to have two of those trophies, and only three people have done it back-to-back, and they're kind of legends in the sport.

"To have your name mentioned among them would be pretty cool."

This marks the third time Johnston, 36, has fished a tournament on the Mississippi River. He was 103rd at a Major League Fishing event there in 2017 but finished second in a 2022 Elite Series competition, just four ounces behind America Bryan Schmitt.

"Most of it will be fun fishing for me," Johnston said. "It's like a frog-type bite so you're throwing a frog over the top of mats and the fish come through and try to eat it.

"But it can be frustrating because when they're coming through a mat, they're not always on the bait and can miss it."

However, it's a style of fishing that Johnston is very comfortable with.

"This is kind of the stuff I grew up fishing, to be honest," he said. "Frogging and flipping shallow, largemouth fishing.

"That's what I grew up fishing around my house. It looks a lot like home."

The Mississippi River also supports smallmouth bass, and Johnston said he always had a couple of those in his livewell in '22. But the ones he hooked in practice were on the smaller side.

"They're weighing very light right now," he said. "They're pretty skinny."

This tournament will cap a busy '25 season that began in February on Florida's St. Johns River and consisted of nine stops across the U.S. Then there was the Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas, in March.

Last month, Johnston also won a Major League Fishing tournament in Massena, N.Y., with a three-day total of 76 pounds one ounce. At the same time, Johnston's brother, Cory — also an Elite Series competitor — and father, Lynn, captured the BaitFuel Fishing Tour's Thousand Island Open in Kingston, Ont.

"That was a dream weekend," Johnston said. "And it was pretty cool to do it with Dad.

"That was incredible, and this (second overall title) would be an awesome way to top it off."

But Johnston admits he's ready for the competitive fishing season to come to an end.

"I'm looking forward to getting home and spending time with the kids (Beckett, Beau) — and it's going to be hunting season," he said. "By the end of the year, I'm looking for a change of pace."

This report by ºÃÉ«tvwas first published Aug. 21, 2025.