Entry 269-5

Greg Hackney Squeaks into the Classic, Thanks to the Zero, the Finesse Worm and the Red Eye Shad

Part 5: The Classic Comes Home

Question: This year, the Bassmasters Classic will be in Shreveport, Louisiana, on the Red River, not far from your home. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of hometown fans there and family. You’ll be expected to be the favorite, since the Classic will be held on your home waters. What will having the Classic in your backyard mean to you?

Hackney: The pressure that I’ll have in that tournament is not going to be from my friends and family and spectators. Actually it will be the pressure I put on myself. I always put a lot of pressure on myself to do well in any tournament, regardless of where it’s being held. I always want to produce.

Now I do feel like my hometown crowd expects me to win. I’ve created that pressure by qualifying for the Classic. However, I don’t see having a hometown crowd cheering for me as a negative at all. I’m excited about it. Since the Red River is only a few hours from my house, it will be really handy for me to pre-fish. By the time the Classic comes around, I want to know that body of water like the back of my hand. I know it fairly well now, but really and truly the only time I get to go there is when we’re having a tournament on the Red River. So I plan to spend some extra time there this year, since the Classic’s coming, and I love to fish that river system.

We can’t be going to the Red River at a better time. The bass will be pre-spawn and as big as they’ll get all year long. I think to win the 2009 Bassmasters Classic, you’ll have to produce a good bag of bass every day. There will be a lot of big sacks of fish weighed-in, and I think a fisherman probably will have to catch 70 pounds to win it.

Question: Right now, not having practiced, what baits are you betting on to win the Classic?

Hackney: I think the Red Eye Shad will be a bait I depend on, because we’re going to be fishing a pre-spawn bite, which is when the lipless crankbait is at its best. The other bait that I’m going to depend on a lot will be a big ol’ Denny Brauer flipping jig. I think we’re going to have big bass because of the pre-spawn, so I’ll bet on big baits. My third choice will probably be a white-and-chartreuse Strike King spinner bait in the Premier Elite Series with two Colorado blades. This tournament will be fairly-simple fishing. It will be won by the contestant who gets on the most bass early in the tournament. There won’t be any new wheel created at this tournament. The bass will be caught on traditional tackle – big spinner baits, lipless crankbaits and jigs.

Question: Let’s switch horses for just a minute. Which one of the new Strike King lures are you most excited about for this coming year?

Hackney: I really like the Space Monkey. It’s got a unique action, and it’s going to be a flipping bait, so it fits my style of fishing. I can flip it, swim it or fish it on a Carolina rig. When we’re fishing in clear water, the Space Monkey looks like a live animal swimming.

Question: What do you think your chances of winning the Classic are, since you’ll be on your home waters this year?

Hackney: Better than average. *grin* I’m really looking forward to it, and I think my chances will be what I make of it. I’ll do my best to win it – just like all the other competitors.

Contents:

• Part 1: I Almost Missed the Train
• Part 2: Beefed-Up Finesse Fishing
• Part 3: The Finesse Worm Saves the Day at Lake Oneida and Lake Erie
• Part 4: Don’t Be Afraid of the Red Eye Shad
• Part 5: The Classic Comes Home