HACKNEY
THRIVES WHILE OTHERS SURVIVE ON THE CALIFORNIA
DELTA
Greg
Hackney leads a veteran filled Top 12 field at the
California Delta
Story
by Brent Conway
Posted
- March 13th, 8:20pm CST
Stockton, CA – At least by California standards, the skimpy weights of the first day of the 2010 edition of the Duel In the Delta seemed to solidify the initial storyline of the week – it was indeed going to be a grind in order to walk away with the $100,000 top prize this week.
Much cooler-than-normal air and water temperatures, along with an undesirable tide schedule kept the big bite, for the most part, at bay. In fact, only 21 anglers managed to boat a five fish limit for the first two days of competition, and weights were down across the board.
Though the bite improved substantially Friday, Delta standouts such as Aaron Martens, Fred
Roumbanis, Ish Monroe, and Jared Lintner saw dawn break Saturday behind the windshield of their tow vehicle as opposed to that of their bass boat as a result of missing Friday’s cut.
Photos
by Mark Jeffreys & Matt Pangrac
If you were among the 47 anglers fortunate enough to survive the first cut, chances were good that the grind was gone, exchanged for a Hail Mary attempt to secure a berth in Sunday’s finale. The water-warming sun was out in full force through the day, but so too was the wind.
Whether it was the wind or the sun, or a combination of both, Stephen Browning wasn’t able to maintain the California mojo that had kept him in the top spot for the first two days. Instead, he managed just one 13-ounce swimmer on the day, dropping him to fifth place with a combined weight of 46-1.
Greg “The Hack Attack” Hackney, a venerable Gonzalez, LA river rat, bagged 25 pounds, 7 ounces on the day to storm into the lead with 57-5 overall. In second place was Mike Iaconelli, who weighed 14-14, with 54-10 after three days of work.
California kid Skeet Reese – the only Delta aficionado to survive Saturday’s cut – came to the scales with an impressive 18-12, bumping him up to third place overall with a three-day total weight of 52-10.
Virginia pro John Crews, who weighed 14-15, finished the day in fourth with a total weight of 51-14, and Dustin Wilks came to the scales with a bag weighing 16-11, giving him 45-12 on the week to round out the Super Six.
Hackney
Fished Solo
After a disappointing finish in February’s Bassmaster Classic on Lay LAke, Greg Hackney left his home near the Louisiana Delta heading west to another delta looking for redemption. After a so-so start, Hackney made advances towards the top Friday with a respectable limit, but saved Saturday to steam into the lead.
“I cranked around out there today until around 10:30 just trying to get something going,” he said. “I finally put everything else down and just went flipping, and the rest is history.”
Hackney revealed that his primary water today was an area that he’d fished Thursday, but didn’t touch Friday. “I kept jumping around trying to figure out which area had the best potential,” he said.
“I’ve started somewhere different each morning and then bounced around throughout the day. I didn’t do that today.”
Hackney isn’t able to pinpoint the exact reasons for success in his primary water, but he is certain of at least one probable cause. “I don’t have another competitor anywhere around me,” he said.
“Yesterday, I was in an area that five or six other guys where in,” he said. Sitting in 10 to 12 feet of water, Hackney said that he isn’t in a wide area, but it’s got plenty of available cover and quick access to deep water. “I can reach either bank with a short cast,” he said.
“Really all that I’m doing is just dobbing around. That’s my plan for tomorrow too…just go fishing.”
Ike Got “Lucky”
Mike Iaconelli stormed into the hunt Friday with a near 26-pound limit. Though he wasn’t able to duplicate the same heroics he was at least able hold his spot in line despite a day that was less than he’d hoped for.
“I don’t know what the deal was today,” he said. “It was an unbelievable struggle for me today. I tried everything I could think of, but I could not get a bite during the low water.”
This was surprising as it was during low water that he’d done his damage on the first two days.
“I was actually just about to make a move around 12:30 when the water started coming in,” he said. “Over the next two hours I had eight bites, so I really pulled it out today.”
Feeling fortunate to be where he’s at, Ike said that flipping was what got him to this point, and it’s flipping that will keep him there. “I really think that’s the best way for me to win,” he said.
“I’ve had about eight rods out on my deck this week, but I’m going to put all of them up and only have the flipping stick out tomorrow.”
Reese in the Hunt
Unlike the rest of the California crowd fishing in this week’s Duel, Reese decided to hang around for the weekend; however, he pointed out that it hasn’t be easy. “It’s been tough everyday,” he said.
“The tide was right – everything was right today – but the cold front just shut them down.”
Skeet explained that the front killed the area he’d spent the first two days in, so he was forced to scramble to some back-up water.
“I went in there and had nearly 19 pounds,” he said. “I was one good fish away from having a great day, but I’ll take it under these conditions.”
Reese said that he thought coming in that the week’s temperature would progressively improve the fishing conditions. Unfortunately, the water temps haven’t risen forcing everyone – including himself – to adjust.
It’s likely that the adjustments will continue for him right up until the end of Sunday. “I don’t really know what I’m going to do just yet,” he said. “With the adjustment that I made today, it’s really going to be a factor of how much I’ll need to go for the win tomorrow that determines what I’m going to need to do.”
Crews Needs a Limit
John Crews isn’t the only pro in the Top 12 to not bring a limit to the scales each day, but he’s the only one who has a legitimate shot at winning Sunday. The fact that he’s only brought in one limit this week speaks to the quality of his spot.
“This place is just absolutely loaded with big fish,” he said. “I’ve just settled down into one area and grinded it out.”
With scant few bites each day, Crews explained that he’s been blessed that each one of them has been a quality keeper. “I only had five keeper bites today, and only got four of them to the boat,” he said.
Crews pointed out that his area, which contains matted hydrilla with deeper water nearby, has developed throughout the week. “I found it in practice, but I’ve really been able to figure it out more as the week’s gone on,” he said.
“I know that there’s some big fish in my area, and I know that if the conditions turn on and I get eight or nine bites tomorrow I’ll be right there in the thick of things tomorrow.”
Browning Got on the Wrong Tide
Stephen Browning started the day with a five-pound margin of error. Unfortunately, that cushion had been built on the high tide – something that was too late in the day Saturday to been much help.
“It was just one of those deals where I knew that the tide was coming in, and this area had been so good to me all week that I couldn’t give it up,” he said.
“I kind of bet on the come because I was too far away from my other water to get there.”
With his back-up area being two hours away from the water he’s plied all week, Browing said he doesn’t plan to return. “I’ve lost all of my good tide there, so I’m going to go to other areas and get after them,” he said.
“Tomorrow I’m just going to go fishing again and hope for the best.”
Wilks’ Program is Consistent Once Again
Dustin Wilks has been brutally consistent all week in a tournament where limits are scarce, but he pointed out that today – his heaviest of the week – was unique given the tidal conditions.
“I caught three fish earlier today than I’ve caught any all week,” he said. “I culled two-and-a-half pounders all day.”
With his best three bites coming near the front of his day-long barrage, Wilks commented that he caught nearly 20 keepers on the day, with far fewer lulls than any other day this week.
Tomorrow, Wilks isn’t planning to make any changes to his profitable program. “I’m just going to keep my head down again tomorrow and fish,” he said. “I really feel like I can get another 17 or 18 pounds out of there tomorrow – maybe more if I get the right bite.”
