FORT WORTH, Texas — With the experience of 18 previous Bassmaster Classics, 51-year-old Greg Hackney is “The Man” when it comes to putting this one in perspective. On the eve of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour at Lake Ray Roberts, Hackney put it this way: “This one’s a little bit different.”
Hackney, who hasn’t won a Classic, but has finished at high as 5th, added, “Out of all the places I’ve fished the Bassmaster Classic, this is one of the best places at the best time. Fishing is not good out there, and I’m not saying that. But this is a good place at a good time. The conditions? Maybe not so good.”
The three hottest pre-Classic topics this week have been the wind, the wind and the wind. It has thrown an X-factor into this tournament that makes it feel like anyone could win, including someone who stages a miraculous rally on the final day. The key is getting to that final day. Only the top 25 anglers after two days advance to fish on Sunday.
“You could have a guy leading the Classic for two days and zero on the last day,” Hackney said Thursday. “And somebody, realistically, come from anywhere, catch 35 pounds and win.
“It’s just different. This is a big-fish fishery. Yeah, we’ve had tremendous winds, but we’re also going to have warm weather. This is the last cold day for the next 15 in this part of the country. I looked at the extended forecast just to see.
“There will be something about this Classic that makes it something to remember. I don’t know what it is, whether it’s a 15-pounder or a 40-pound bag or whatever it may be. This lake is Jekyll and Hyde.”
Several Classic records could fall. The heaviest winning weight in the five-bass limit era is Kevin VanDam’s total of 69-11 at the Louisiana Delta in 2011. The heaviest single day five-fish limit is Paul Mueller’s 32-3 at Alabama’s Lake Guntersville in 2014. The heaviest bass caught in a Classic is Preston Clark’s 11-10 in 2006 at Florida’s Kissimmee Chain. Lee Livesay caught an unofficial 12-8 here this week during practice.
“You could catch four fish here and break that (32-3 single day record),” Hackney said. “They’ve had tournaments here where a guy catches four bass for 32 pounds. It’s a pretty tough fishery, but it has those giant fish in it.”
Hackney said he caught a 9-pounder in practice. Tyler Williams caught a 10-2 in practice, plus an 8- and a 7-pounder. He agreed with Hackney’s assessment, saying, “The winner might have only 13 fish (instead of the maximum 15 over three days), but still have 70 pounds. This lake’s got ‘em.”
But can anyone be consistent over Lake Ray Robert’s 29,000 wind-blown surface acres for three days?
“There will be a lot of guys tear up a lot of stuff,” said Will Davis Jr., noting the X-factor.
Yes, bass will be heading shallow to spawn over the next three days. However, many are still in the standing timber, much of which, depending on the wind direction, will be unfishable.
“To fish that efficiently, you can’t do that with five-footers,” Williams said. “It’s just impossible without tearing your motor off on a tree behind you or tearing your trolling off when you come down on one. It’s going to be a very interesting tournament, to say the least.”
