Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., maintains the lead on the third day of the 2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge, with a three-day total weight of 41 pounds.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 9, 2018
ORANGE, Texas — Before the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge, Greg Hackney had a total weight in mind that he thought an angler would need to win the $100,000 first-place prize.
After the first three rounds, he’s well within striking distance of that number — and if someone is going to pass him, they’ve got a lot of work to do.
Hackney caught five bass that weighed 12 pounds, 14 ounces during today’s semifinal round and maintained the lead for a third straight day with 41-0. Alabama angler Keith Poche is nearly 7 1/2 pounds back in second with 32-9.
“Coming into the tournament, I felt like it would take 48 pounds to win,” said Hackney, a Gonzales, La., angler with five B.A.S.S. victories and the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title on his resume. “I thought, if I could average 12 pounds a day, that would get it done.
“But you never know with this group. There are not a lot of big fish here, but there’s a few — and they can change things in a hurry.”
Hackney caught most of his fish from one area Thursday and Friday. But with the fishing fading in that spot, he went with a new game plan for most of the day today.
“I caught three of my fish from new water,” he said. “I went back to the place where I fished the first two days, but I ended up weighing only two of the bass that I caught from there.”
Hackney had the biggest bass of Thursday’s opening round with a 5-14 largemouth, and he landed two more that weighed over 3 pounds Friday. He managed another larger-than-average Sabine River bass today.
“I got real fortunate and caught a really good one at the end,” he said. “I culled a little-bitty one with a 3-pounder. That helps anywhere, but it really helps down here.
“Today, my other keepers were bigger than they were yesterday. I had four nice ones and then that 3-pounder was my biggest one.
Hackney’s plan for Championship Sunday is to continue fishing new areas of the Sabine River system and using baits and techniques that he believes other competitors are overlooking.
Though he won’t be specific about how he’s catching his fish until the derby ends, Hackney said he’s been switching baits often based on the terrain he’s fishing. A tactic that works at one end of a cove might not work at the other end.
Though he seems to have an insurmountable lead, he’s not making any assumptions. The areas he is fishing are getting worked over by other anglers as well, and the pressure has to be getting to the fish, he believes.
“I don’t have anything that hasn’t already been fished,” Hackney said. “If I did, I’d be fishing it. It’s not over by any stretch.”
Poche, a native of neighboring Louisiana, caught 9-3 today to move from third place into second with 32-9. He’s proved his ability to catch a big limit this week with a bag that weighed 15-10 Friday. Poche is followed closely by Japanese angler Shin Fukae, who is in third with 32-8.
“I’ve been starting in a spot close by the launch, and it produced for me today,” Poche said. “I was very thankful for that because when I ran to my place upriver, they were biting funny. I lost a couple of good fish up there that I think would have helped me out a lot.
“Between my morning spot and that place upriver, who knows what might happen?”
Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., leads the race for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award of $1,500 with a 6-3 bass he caught Friday. Gerald Swindle of Alabama had the biggest bass today, a 6-pound largemouth.
The tournament concludes Sunday with takeoff at 6:05 a.m. CT from the City of Orange Boat Ramp. The final weigh-in ceremonies will be held at the same venue at 3 p.m. Only the Top 12 remaining anglers will fish.
The Orange County River Festival, which features a wide variety of food vendors and the Kids Catch and Release Fish Tank, will open at 11 a.m. Sunday.
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge 6/7-6/10
Sabine River , Orange TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 41-00 110
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 12-14
2. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 15 32-09 109
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 09-03
3. Shin Fukae Palestine TX JAPAN 15 32-08 108
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 09-14
4. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 31-11 107
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 08-01
5. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 15 30-13 106
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 5 09-11
6. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 15 30-04 105
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 07-10
7. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 14 29-13 104
Day 1: 4 04-08 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 09-08
8. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 15 29-11 103
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 07-04 Day 3: 5 11-08
9. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 15 29-05 102
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 08-03 Day 3: 5 11-00
10. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 28-14 101
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 07-05 Day 3: 5 12-01
11. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 15 28-11 100
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 11-12 Day 3: 5 08-08
12. Brandon Palaniuk Hayden, ID 15 28-01 99
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 5 09-05 Day 3: 5 12-03
13. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 15 28-01 98 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-02 Day 3: 5 08-10
14. Ott DeFoe Blaine, TN 15 28-00 97 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 08-10 Day 3: 5 09-01
15. Roy Hawk Lk Havasu Cty, AZ 15 27-14 96 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 07-09 Day 3: 5 09-01
16. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 15 27-14 95 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 10-03 Day 3: 5 09-01
17. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 27-13 94 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 06-08 Day 3: 5 11-08
18. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 27-13 93 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-03 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 09-03
19. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 27-10 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 08-08 Day 3: 5 06-14
20. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, NV 15 27-06 91 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 07-12 Day 3: 5 10-13
21. Gerald Spohrer Gonzales, LA 15 26-14 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 06-06 Day 3: 5 09-15
22. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 26-13 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 09-10 Day 3: 5 07-08
23. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 26-10 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 07-09 Day 3: 5 07-13
24. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 26-08 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 08-07 Day 3: 5 09-15
25. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 14 26-05 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 5 07-03
26. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 15 26-05 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 09-05 Day 3: 5 07-06
27. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 26-00 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-07 Day 2: 5 08-08 Day 3: 5 10-01
28. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 25-15 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 06-12 Day 3: 5 08-14
29. Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 15 25-13 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 06-09 Day 3: 5 09-02
30. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 15 25-00 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 06-09 Day 3: 5 07-01
31. Darrell Ocamica New Plymouth, ID 15 24-15 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 07-09 Day 3: 5 08-14
32. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 13 24-08 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 09-11 Day 3: 3 05-08
33. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 24-04 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 08-06 Day 3: 5 07-11
34. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 24-01 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 07-01 Day 3: 5 06-13
35. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 15 24-01 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 08-15 Day 3: 5 07-13
36. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 15 24-01 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 5 08-09 Day 3: 5 07-08
37. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 15 24-00 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 08-10 Day 3: 5 06-15
38. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 14 23-14 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 06-04 Day 3: 4 08-03
39. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 14 23-06 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 08-10 Day 3: 4 06-15
40. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 15 22-10 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 06-14 Day 3: 5 06-04
41. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 15 22-09 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 08-10 Day 3: 5 06-02
42. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 13 22-08 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 3 05-09 Day 3: 5 05-13
43. Seth Feider Bloomington, MN 15 22-07 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 06-10 Day 3: 5 06-09
44. Josh Bertrand San Tan Valley, AZ 13 22-03 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-09 Day 2: 5 09-08 Day 3: 3 05-02
45. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 14 20-09 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 09-09 Day 3: 4 04-02
46. Fred Roumbanis Russellville, AR 12 20-06 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 2 02-10
47. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 11 19-06 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 07-00 Day 3: 1 01-08
48. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 11 19-03 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 09-14 Day 3: 1 01-09
49. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 11 19-01 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 07-08 Day 3: 1 03-06
50. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 10 16-13 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 07-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
