Elite

Hackney’s Day 3 flurry

See Greg Hackney bring 'em in early Day 3 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River!

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Photography by
Andy Crawford
Louisiana’s Greg Hackney held the sixth position going into the third day of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.
Hackney headed straight to a cove off Lake Oneida just across the Canadian border, where he caught much of his first two days’ combined weight of 49 pounds.
The pro has been catching fish he has visually seen swimming around his boat, but early in the morning visibility wasn’t good enough. He kept an eye open anyway, even as he fan-casted the shallow flat.
Hackney already had a 4-pounder in the boat by the time we caught up with him.
About 7:35 a.m., he set the hook on his second bass.
He was soon pulling in his second 4-pounder.
That catch put a smile on Hackney’s face.
After a couple more blind casts, Hackney spied a cruiser and flipped a lure to it.
it was an almost immediate strike, and Hackney was hooked up again.
However, it wasn’t the bass Hackney wanted. “There was a bigger one with it,” the pro said.
Hackney boat flipped this fish, since it was one he wasn’t even going to keep.
After releasing the bass, he flipped out again to the larger bass but couldn’t provoke a strike.
He quickly re-rigged and got back to work.
And was quickly hooked up again.
Body language and facial expression hinted that this was a better bass.
Hackney was scooping his third 4-pounder over the gunnel.
Yeah, he couldn’t help but smile.
Hackney saw another good fish, and got down on his knees to minimize his profile.
Another hookset followed.
This bass was a keeper, but it was very fiesty.
As the sun came up, it was easier to see cruising fish. Hackney put a lure in front of the biggest ones he could see.
About 9:30 a.m., he was hooked into another good one.
You can see the strain of the fight on Hackney’s face as he ensures the bass is solidly hooked.
This bass was a solid 4-pounder that had to be scooped into the boat.
The successful battle brought out Hackney’s smile again.

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