Duckett going for broke today

Boyd Duckett has put together the three most consistent days of the tournament: 16-9 on Day 1, 17-2 on Day 2 and 16-6 on Day 3. It had him in second place going into today. But in spite of that top-notch consistency, Duckett started with a 6-pound, 5-ounce deficit to leader Mark Daniels Jr. So he’s got a different plan.

“I can get to 16 1/2, 17 pounds, but when I do, I know I’ve got to do something else,” Duckett said yesterday. “And I’ll do something else to try to win. You don’t get that many chances to win one of these. When you get a shot, you’ve got to try to win. And you’re not going to win with 16 or 17 pounds.”

Duckett lamented the fact that he’s only hooked one 5-pound-class smallmouth all week, and that one came unhooked at the boat.

“That’s the only big one I’ve seen,” Duckett said.

Well, now he’s seen two. Duckett hooked “a giant” this morning, but it also came unbuttoned after he got a good look at it. However, if anything that only encouraged him. Duckett knows he’s around the right fish to make a charge at the trophy today.

“They’re out here,” he said.