The first three days of this tournament remarkably resemble the first three days here in 2015. Yes, it’s June, not March, like when the tournament was held in ’15. And anglers are limited to Texas waters only now, not Texas and Louisiana like they were then. And there’s a 12-inch minimum length limit now, instead of 14 inches, like it was then.
Despite those differences, the Day 3 lead was 39-10 in 2015, and yesterday it was 41-0; the 12th place cut was 28-0 then, and 28-1 yesterday, and four anglers who made the Top 12 cut then, made it again yesterday – Greg Hackney, Keith Poche, John Crews and Justin Lucas.
Before the tournament began, Hackney predicted the length limit change, in particular, wouldn’t be a factor.
“You still need 14-inchers or better to win,” Hackney said at the anglers’ meeting Wednesday. “It doesn’t change that. To me, the top end (of the standings) will stay the same, and it helps the bottom end. Now a guy can go out there and catch a limit and never catch a 14-inch bass.”
Hackney’s had a pretty good week – both catching fish and making predictions.