Boyd Duckett: Two-bite exception

Editor's note: In the February 2010 issue of B.A.S.S. Times, Boyd Duckett told readers about his two-bite strategy. Read the article here. But Duckett says there is one time when he won't play by his own rules.

There is one predicament that will make Boyd Duckett forsake his two-bite scheme. This is when he is on the bubble to make the Bassmaster Classic at the final Elite Series tournament of the season.

Sponsors expect their pros to qualify for the Classic. Failing to do so can be the kiss of death.

Going into the final Elite tournament of 2009 at New York's Lake Oneida, Duckett was among the Classic qualifiers. However, he could have been eliminated if he finished near the bottom of the field.

Duckett stuck with his two-bite pattern the first day, which was walking a big stickbait. He brought only four bass to the scales. This dropped him in the Classic standings.

The next day he stopped at one of his limit holes and caught five keeper smallmouth on a drop-shot before going back to the stickbait. Those bass locked him into the Classic.