Hackney on the water

Follow Greg Hackney on the water on Day 1 of the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year tournament in Escanabe, MI

Greg Hackney pulls up on his first fishing location of the day and begins to move towards a GPS waypoint.
Greg Hackney pulls up on his first fishing location of the day and begins to move towards a GPS waypoint.
First spot didn't pan out. Hackney pulls the trolling motor…
First spot didn’t pan out. Hackney pulls the trolling motor…
…and makes a short move.
…and makes a short move.
Wes Miller spent the day with Hackney, shooting video for Bassmaster television.
Wes Miller spent the day with Hackney, shooting video for Bassmaster television.
After another drift across his area, Hackney pulls the trolling motor again…
After another drift across his area, Hackney pulls the trolling motor again…
…banks hard to the left…
…banks hard to the left…
…and makes another move upwind.
…and makes another move upwind.
Hackney only had one lone competitor in his area.
Hackney only had one lone competitor in his area.
After a couple hours of fishing his first area, Hackney made a move several miles south.
After a couple hours of fishing his first area, Hackney made a move several miles south.
The pike bite was on.
The pike bite was on.
Hackney kept a close eye on his electronics while he was fishing.
Hackney kept a close eye on his electronics while he was fishing.
He fires a cast with a crankbait.
He fires a cast with a crankbait.
Hackney is hooked up with one of his better fish of the day.
Hackney is hooked up with one of his better fish of the day.
Hackney begins to lift the fish into the boat…
Hackney begins to lift the fish into the boat…
…Wes Miller is in place with his GoPro camera…
…Wes Miller is in place with his GoPro camera…
…and Hackney completes the catch.
…and Hackney completes the catch.
Finally time to cull.
Finally time to cull.
Hackney gets on a short fish catching flurry…
Hackney gets on a short fish catching flurry…
…putting one fish after another in the boat.
…putting one fish after another in the boat.
Miller captures all the action.
Miller captures all the action.
Miller shoots under water video of fish cruising around the boat…
Miller shoots under water video of fish cruising around the boat…
…and Hackney entices one of them to bite.
…and Hackney entices one of them to bite.
This fish won’t help and goes back into the water.
This fish won’t help and goes back into the water.
Hackney eyes another target…
Hackney eyes another target…
…watches as his bait drops to the bottom…
…watches as his bait drops to the bottom…
…then sets the hooks.
…then sets the hooks.
Hackney takes his time with this fish.
Hackney takes his time with this fish.
He looks into the water to get a closer view of the fish…
He looks into the water to get a closer view of the fish…
…while Miller eases the GoPro into the water to capture the fight.
…while Miller eases the GoPro into the water to capture the fight.
This fish would stay in the live well and once again Hackney was able to cull a smaller fish.
This fish would stay in the live well and once again Hackney was able to cull a smaller fish.
After the quick trip to the live well…
After the quick trip to the live well…
…Hackney was quickly fighting another fish to the boat.
…Hackney was quickly fighting another fish to the boat.
Another fish that won’t help the cause…
Another fish that won’t help the cause…
…is pulled aboard the boat.
…is pulled aboard the boat.
A quick catch and release.
A quick catch and release.
The flurry continues as Hackney sets the hook again.
The flurry continues as Hackney sets the hook again.
Hackney dips his rod when the fish jumps…
Hackney dips his rod when the fish jumps…
…then quickly puts more pressure on the fish.
…then quickly puts more pressure on the fish.
The fish tries to jump beside the boat…
The fish tries to jump beside the boat…
…but Hackney has done a good job wearing this fish down. He reaches for pay dirt…
…but Hackney has done a good job wearing this fish down. He reaches for pay dirt…
…and snatches the fish from the water.
…and snatches the fish from the water.
Hackney culls again and is now begin to build a good limit of fish on Day One.
Hackney culls again and is now begin to build a good limit of fish on Day One.