Boyd Duckett has fished tournaments at Alabama's Lay Lake for the past 16 years, and the Demopolis resident's local knowledge of the impoundment is vast.
That large compendium of experience played a role in his Bassmaster Classic victory, but his willingness to adapt each day might have been an even bigger factor.
He didn't rely solely on proven locales where he'd scored big bags in the past. Instead, he moved around and relocated his fish each day with the goal of catching a solid limit of spotted bass, then boosting his sack with kicker largemouths via a flipping stick.
It worked brilliantly on 2 of the 3 days (he caught the top stringer on days 1 and 3), and that was enough to offset a day-2 stumble.
A 6-09 brute he boated on the afternoon of the final day pushed him 6 ounces in front of runner-up Skeet Reese and gave him the title in the 37th edition of the sport's premier event.
The 46-year-old Elite Series rookie became the first angler to win the Classic in his home state and proved he can compete with – and beat – the best in the game. Here's how he did it.
Practice
The 3-day pre-practice period that took place the week before the tournament did little to help Classic anglers pattern quality fish. The weather started out warm, and then a severe cold front moved in. By the time they got back on the lake for the official practice day last Wednesday, it had warmed up again, and many were as confused as the pre-spawn fish were.
Duckett had found some quality spotted bass in the 8-foot depth range that he could catch on a crankbait during pre-practice, but they were gone when he checked the area on Wednesday. He knew he'd have to start from scratch on day 1 and find them all over again.
"I've learned to chase those fish over the years because I know there's certain things they do," he said. "I didn't go in using any real local knowledge (in regard to specific locations), and I just threw practice out because of the cold weather.
"I knew I'd have to move every day and just do whatever it took to find them."
He also knew there'd be some big females in the shallows that were ready to start the annual reproduction ritual – but not many. He'd likely need to make flip after flip for several hours each day to get a couple of big bites.
Competition
> Day 1: 5, 19-14
> Day 2: 5, 10-15
> Day 3: 5, 17-13
> Total = 15, 48-10
On day 1, Duckett discovered that a lot of spots in the 2 1/2- to 3-pound range were holding on secondary points, and they'd bite a 1/2-ounce Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap worked very slowly near the bottom. He sacked up a decent limit, and then went flipping.
To find his flip-fish, he pinpointed shallow areas that the big sows would likely select as spawning grounds, then moved back out to the first patch of grass. Bingo!
He caught an 8-02 monster on a Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw that gave him a 19-14 stringer and the day-1 lead.
Duckett caught all of his flipping fish on a Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw (top), including two that combined to weigh more than 14 1/2 pounds. To catch limits, he worked a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap very slowly – "almost like a jig."
He stumbled a bit on day 2, only because he missed a couple of big flipping bites. Still, his 10-15 bag kept him in contention for the final day, which he'd start just a little more than 2 pounds behind leader Kevin VanDam.
When he got those same types of bites on day 3, he took full advantage. He caught the 6-09 at about 2:00 in the Shelby Shores area.
"I told the camera guy who was with me that if I got a 5- or 6-pound bite, I'd win," he said. "I knew about what (the other contenders) had – I'd seen them out there, and I'd been estimating all along.
"Skeet had a little more than I'd estimated, but he's a great fisherman."
Pattern Notes
Duckett said it was critical that the Rat-L-Trap be worked very slowly.
"I was fishing it almost like a jig – I'd throw it out and let it go down, and then just barely crawl it across the bottom. I'd pick up trash every time and I was constantly cleaning it, but those early fish are spooky and they won't chase it.
"If it's just bouncing along, they'll come and get it."
Winning Gear Notes
> Cranking gear: 7' medium-action Airrus Co-Matrix 457 (AC701M) cranking rod, Abu Garcia Revo casting reel (6.3:1 gear ratio), 15-pound prototype Berkley Trilene fluorocarbon line, 1/2-ounce Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap (orange/brown back).
> Flipping gear: 7'6" heavy-action Airrus N-Sync flipping stick, Abu Garcia Revo reel, 65-pound Stren Super Braid line, 5/0 Owner hook, 1-ounce Tru-Tungsten weight (black), Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw (black/red-flake).
The Bottom Line
Main factor in his success – "Following the fish and not getting hung up on what I thought they should be doing."
Performance edge – "The flipping stick and the Chigger Craw were both real important."
Notable
> Duckett, who qualified for the Classic through the 2006 Southern Tour points list, is the owner of a chemical-tank leasing business that he'll continue to run throughout the Elite Series season. He planned to be in the office on Monday afternoon.
> He nearly qualified for the 2003 Classic via the Southern Opens, but was edged out by Tom Hamlin, a fellow competitor in this year's Classic field.
> BassFans who want to learn more about Duckett can read a Tour Insider feature with him, which was published prior to the Classic. To read it, click here.
Much of the tackle referenced above is available at the BassFan Store. To browse the selection, click here.
