Entry 282-5

Greg Hackney Sets New Trophy Bass Record

Part 5 - Hackney Holds First On the Final Day

Question: Greg, what happened at the weigh-in?

Hackney: The 2nd-place contestant was only 5 pounds behind me, and rumor had it that he had 5 bass weighing 40 pounds. I thought I only had 33 pounds of bass. So, I thought the 2nd-place person would make up my 5-pound lead. Mark Rose, another Strike King pro, was standing beside me, while I took my bass out of the sack at the weigh-in. Mark said, “Greg, you’ve won the tournament.” I told Mark, “I don’t think so.” The announcer at the stands made a really-big deal about my competitor’s bag of fish. He had two 9-pounders that he held up for the cameras, and everyone thought he’d won, including me. He weighed in 38 pounds. The announcer said, “Greg Hackney must have 33-pounds and 13-ounces to win the tournament.” No one, including me, thought I had that much weight in that bag. But Mark Rose had gone over to the competitor’s friends and said, “I don’t know why you guys are celebrating, Greg Hackney’s won the tournament.” Mark came back to me and said, “I saw the other competitor’s fish and you’ve won this tournament.”

When they dumped the water out of my bag, put the fish in the tank and then put them back to be carried to the weigh-in station, I realized I had a very-heavy bag of bass. My bag weighed 37-pounds 11-ounces on the last day. I only needed 33-pounds and 13-ounces to win. My final total weight for 3 days of fishing with a 5-fish limit was 109-pounds and 6-ounces – the heaviest 3-day weigh in any FLW tournament. I only lacked 3 ounces for having the heaviest weight in an FLW 4-day tournament. I tied the one-day record for the heaviest weight with 39-pounds 12-ounces caught on the second day. I won the $25,000 check and qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup.

Question: Greg, what did you learn in this tournament?

Hackney: This was my first tour-level event to win with offshore fishing. I won this tournament with a technique that’s not been my strong point. I’m a power fisherman who fishes visible cover down the bank and not really an offshore fisherman. I’ve made a living in shallow water, but I won this tournament offshore in deep water. I also learned that the Anaconda will produce monster-sized bass and so will the Hack Attack jig. This win is a statement to Strike King’s products and how Strike King is remaining on top of all the new innovations in the fishing tackle industry. Strike King consistently produces tournament-winning lures. Strike King’s always been on top of the crankbait and spinner-bait markets, but they’ve proven that they also lead in soft-plastic baits as well. The best flipping bait, the Space Monkey, is made by Strike King, and the Anaconda is the best soft-plastic worm. Many of Strike King’s new soft plastics are at the top of the bass-fishing industry’s selection.

Too, I learned that the Hack Attack jig isn’t just a thick-cover jig for fishing visible structure. I learned this jig will catch bass in deep cover in any state on any waters. Besides misjudging my bag of fish, I also misjudged the type of year I’d have. I seldom take stock of my progress throughout the year, but at the end of 2008, I added-up my progress and found that I’d had one of my best years in tournament fishing since I’ve qualified for the Bassmaster Classic and the FLW Forrest Wood cup. Michael Iaconelli and I are the only people who’ve qualified for both championships this year. I’m feeling good about what I thought was a bad year. Moreover, I’m proud of what this tells the public about Strike King’s lures. Strike King has again come to the forefront of the fishing tackle industry producing lures that catch big bass and win professional tournaments.

Contents:

• Part 1: Twenty-five Bites in 2 Hours and Two 8-Pounders
• Part 2: Thirty-Two Pounds for 4th Place on Day One
• Part 3: The Day to Get Ahead
• Part 4: The Last Tournament Day
• Part 5: Hackney Holds First On the Final Day