Union Springs, NY– Don’t look now, but Greg Hackney is quietly putting together a list of accolades that are making the tournament fishing world stand up and take notice.
With his dominating win at Cayuga Lake, Hackney has now put 2 Elite Series trophies on his mantle. Sitting next to them, is the 2009 Forest Wood Cup.
Oh, and he’s still holding onto the lead for Angler of the Year. Winning over the weekend will likely make him a double qualifier for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
The magic began on Day 2, when Hackney wrestled the lead from Brandon Palaniuk. What followed from there can only be described as domination—and when it was all said and done, his nearest competitor was Todd Faircloth who weighed in a hefty 9 pounds, 3 ounces behind the leader.
Hackney now has the enviable task of calling his bank and making sure they accept oversize checks.
Greg Hackney’s Winning Baits and Tactics
You know the old saying, “Quantity over quality?”
Hackney does, and followed it to a T. He was on the prowl for larger fish, even sacrificing a full bag on day 3 for larger fish. It worked.
He found these fish on deeper grassy points which dropped off from 4 to 10 feet, then leveled off into a grass ledge, then into a rocky bottom about 15 feet down.
“The fish were relating to that deep grass edge,” he would say.
The winning bait was a heavy jig bearing his name—the Strike King Hack Attack in blue craw, with a Rage Craw trailer.
A Legendary Streak Comes to an End
An unprecedented streak came to an end on Cayuga.
Kevin VanDam finished in 70th place, which brings his season standings to 53rd. KVD has qualified for 24 consecutive Classics, but will not qualify for 2015.
The Top 5
Here are the top 5 finishers and their weights:
- Greg Hackney, 85 lbs.
- Todd Faircloth, 75 lbs., 13 oz.
- Chris Zaldain, 74 lbs., 12 oz.
- Edwin Evers, 72 lbs., 9 oz.
- Jared Litner, 71 lbs., 6 oz.