I snapped the above photo of Greg Hackney (left) and Gerald Swindle after Day 3 on Lake Texoma. Swindle had just come off the weigh-in stage and walked over to Hackney to give him a man-hug. They’re both fiercely competitive, but friends off the water, too. And they have a compelling shared history.
In 2004 they were first and second in the Toyota Angler Of the Year race. The title wasn’t decided until the last day of the last tournament, on Santee-Cooper. Swindle was leading AOY but missed the cut to fish the final day. Hackney, in his rookie year, made the cut and needed to finish eighth or higher to win AOY. He finished ninth, and Swindle won the title after Hackney agonizingly lost a fish that would have won it for him.
Fast forward to 2016. Hackney is first in AOY standings. Swindle is second, just 30 points back. And in this tournament, the GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino Resort, Swindle finished third and Hackney won it.
This feels like an Ali vs. Frazier kind of epic showdown, or maybe Manning vs. Brady. Like those battles, Hackney vs. Swindle has played out over many years. So it seemed like a great time to look deeper into the relationship of these two Elite pros.
Are you friends?
Hackney: All of us are friends out here off the water. On the water we’re fierce competitors. But I’ve been friends with Gerald my whole career at B.A.S.S., since my rookie year. We went to the Costa Rican jungle together on a trip with CITGO. I thought I broke a rib there I laughed so hard with him.
Swindle: Absolutely. I consider him one of my friends. He’s one of us. He’s the kind of guy I’d like to have live next door to me. We’d go hunting deer, coons, that kind of thing.
Do you hang out?
Hackney: We hang out some at the tournaments. But I tend to be all business at these things, and we’re so busy. I’m in a hurry to get here, and in hurry to get home to my family.
Swindle: Yes we do. But we can get in trouble. We’re both comedians and smart asses. So it’s probably good we don’t hang out more at tournaments.
What do you like about him?
Hackney: Gerald always has a really good attitude. And he’s a smart businessman. He’s joking around all the time, but deep down he’s a serious businessman.
Swindle: I love Greg’s honesty. He’s not scared to speak his mind. Greg will draw a line in the sand and get on one side of it. And he wants to do this thing on his own terms. I admire his family life, too. So I respect him on and off the water.
What don’t you like about him?
Hackney: He’s such a good junk fisherman. He can have five fish and he used five different baits to catch them.
Swindle: He’s so damn good at flippin.
Who’s the best junk fisherman?
Hackney: He is. But I’m the best flipper. Maybe you shouldn’t put that in the story, but I have to give myself credit. I spent my whole life practicing it. When I was young I’d put a jar out in the yard and work on it. It’s crazy how much I practiced.
Swindle: I’m the best junk fisherman. But he’s the best methodical flipper on the tour.
What do you remember about that 2004 AOY battle?
Hackney: I had a knot slip and I lost a good fish that would have won AOY for me. It was horrendous. But I always looked at it as being positive for my career. I wasn’t ready then.
Swindle: I missed the cut for the last day. That hurt bad. Greg made it. He needed to finish eighth or better to beat me and he finished ninth.
Who’d win a fight between you two?
Hackney: Well, Swindle is bigger than me. So I’d probably go low. And I’d probably poke his eyes. He might win, but I’d do some damage.
Swindle: Well, even as dumb as I am, you try not to fight a man with that many guns.