Entry 304-4

Greg Hackney on Smith Mountain Lake

Part 4: Day 3 of the Smith Mountain Competition

Question: Greg, what happened on day three of the tournament?

Hackney: I found some bass cruising the bank that hadn’t locked onto the nest yet. Even though these bass weren’t on the bed, I was able to catch my limit in 20 minutes. I caught two of my five bass on the bed and the other three fishing the green-pumpkin-colored Strike King Zero rigged weightless. I never knew when the bass took the bait. I’d just lift-up on my rod tip, and a bass would be there. I was dead-sticking the bait without moving it. I’ve found that many times, the really-subtle fall of the Zero rigged weightless will entice bass to bite.

Question: How did you rig the Zero?

Hackney: I fished the Zero on Youvella’s No. 4/0 offset wide-gap hook rigged Texas style. When I’d pick-up the slack, if the bass hadn’t taken the bait, I’d hop the bait up off the bottom one time and then let it go to the bottom. However, most of my bites came from the initial cast of the lure. Out of the initial limit of bass I caught early, I culled all but one when I started sight fishing. Once I had a limit in the boat, I settled down and was able to fish more comfortably and more relaxed. I fish a lot better after I get a limit because I’m not in a hurry, and I can try to catch bigger bass. I caught two, 3-1/2 pounders that day. I caught one of those bass sight fishing with the Zero and the second one on the Baby Rage Craw.

Question: What place were you in at the end of the third day?

Hackney: I was in 5th place and made the 12 cut to fish on the last day. We had three Strike King Pros in the 12 cut – myself, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas.

Next: The Last Day of the Smith Mountain Lake Tournament

Contents:

• Part 1: The Game Plan
• Part 2: Day 1 of the Smith Mountain Tournament
• Part 3: Day 2 of the Tournament
• Part 4: Day 3 of the Smith Mountain Competition
• Part 5: The Last Day of the Smith Mountain Lake Tournament