Entry 250-5

Fishing Lake Amistad with Greg Hackney and the New Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik

Part 5: Lessons from the Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik

Question: Greg, what did you learn about the Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik from this tournament?

Hackney: I built a lot of confidence in those two baits. I’d experimented with them before Strike King introduced them, but this was the first tournament where I really had an opportunity to test these two lures. This was the first time the conditions lined-up in a tournament so these baits would be appropriate to fish. The biggest thing I learned was that these two new lures can catch keeper bass. As I look at the future, I’ll have many-more opportunities to fish these two new lures throughout the rest of this tournament year.

Question: Greg, what are the conditions that make these lures right to fish?

Hackney: Let’s start with the Shadalicious. The clearer the water, the better the Shadalicious works. The Shadalicious is a sight-oriented bait. It’s not a bait the bass feel or hear. It matches the hatch. That 5-1/2-inch Shadalicous was the size of lure most of the bass in the lake were feeding on at the time. Strike King also makes a 4- and an 8-inch Shadalicious. So, whatever the size of baitfish the bass want to eat, there’s a Shadalicious that’s the right size. To be successful, fish the Shadalicous in clear water.

Question: Okay, Greg, what are the right conditions to fish the Ocho Stir Stik?

Hackney: In the past, to fish the Zero deep, I’d have to put a weight on it to get it to fall. But with the Stir Stik, I don’t have to add weight to the line to get this big worm to fall. It falls flat and slowly, but it falls faster than a Zero.

Question: Why did you decide to dead-stick the Stir Stik?

Hackney: Past experiences taught me that when you’re fishing gin-clear water in calm weather, dead-sticking the bait make bass bite. I’d used this technique to win another tournament in Florida when the weather was bad and wasn’t suited for other baits. I have a lot of confidence in fishing Lake Amistad, even though I hadn’t fished that specific technique all week. I didn’t practice using the dead-stick tactic, but when the water and the weather conditions dictated that was how I needed to fish, I changed my strategy, lures and presentation. Fishing slow is one of my strong suits. Prior to the last day of competition, I’d already prepared myself mentally to fish slowly.

When you’re in a bass tournament, and you have a chance to win on the last day, you have a tendency to want to fish fast, believing that the more water you cover, the more bass you’ll catch. Therefore, when the weather and the water conditions dictate that fishing slow is your best option for winning, you have to tell yourself that to win, you can’t fish fast. I’ve learned that I always have to think in advance when I’m in a tournament. You don’t want to be in your boat on the last day of the tournament, talking to yourself and saying, “What will you do now? Nothing you’ve got is working.” I knew that if the weather slicked-off calm as it was predicted, I had to be mentally prepared to fish slowly.

Question: What color Ocho Stir Stik did you use?

Hackney: I fished the green-pumpkin color.

Question: What are the conditions most appropriate for fishing the Ocho Stir Stik?

Hackney: The Stir Stik relates to the old adage, “big bass take big baits.” Because the Stir Stik is a subtle, big bait, it attracts big bass. It doesn’t have any flash, a violent action, or make a lot of noise. As a matter of fact, it’s the subtlest of all the big bass baits. So, on calm, slick days when you’re fishing deep, it’s the perfect bait.

Question: What’s the next tournament you fish, Greg?

Hackney: The next BASS Elite Series tournament will be at Clarks Hill Lake in Evans, Georgia, where the fish feed on the blueback herring. Normally, the water’s extremely clear, so I’ll have a great opportunity to fish the Shadalicious, which can resemble the blueback herring. I’ll probably fish the green-gizzard shad color.

Question: So, you have a lot of confidence in the Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik, right?

Hackney: When $100,000 is the prize for first place in a tournament, I’ll use the lures that will give me the best chance to win. That’s the reason I used the Strike King Series 5 and Series 6 crankbaits, the Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik. These are good baits. Remember, I caught the biggest bass I’ve ever caught in my entire tournament career at this tournament on the Shadalicious. And, it was the second-biggest fish I’d ever caught in my life. That fish took that 5-1/2-inch Shadalicious. So, I’ll be fishing the Shadalicious any chance I get.

The Ocho Stir Stik helped me finish out the last day of the tournament and catch enough bass to win $17,000, so I’ll be fishing it, too. The Strike King Series 5 and Series 6 crankbaits enabled me to make the 50 cut and the 12 cut, so I won’t leave them at home either. As a professional tournament bass fisherman, I have to use the best lures I can use in competition that will give me the best chances to win and earn money for my family. That’s why I started using Strike King lures, and that’s why I believe in them.

Contents:

• Part 1: Day 1 of the Tournament
• Part 2: The Actual First Day of Competition
• Part 3: Day 2 of the Competition
• Part 4: Day 3 of the Competition
• Part 5: Lessons from the Shadalicious and the Ocho Stir Stik