2014 Toyota Bassmaster AOY champion Greg Hackney was fortunate enough to catch the biggest bag of Day 1, placing him in the lead and ready to hunt down another large bag on Day 2.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
1 / 51
Hackney, Jacob Powroznik, Bobby Lane, Jason Christie, Jonathan VanDam, and Boyd Duckett were all stretched along a large offshore reef/ridge and were using a combination of tactics to get the fish to bite.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
2 / 51
Hackney and Powroznik were fishing very close together and were working almost as a team to zero in on the fish.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
3 / 51
Hackney, Bobby Lane and Powroznik talking about how the fishing was significantly slower than the day before.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
4 / 51
Both Hackney and Jonathan VanDam kept their eyes on their electronics and were "video game" fishing for their next bite.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
5 / 51
Greg Hackney was staring downward, picking apart every bit of the submerged reef.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
6 / 51
A short while later Hackney hooks up with a decent fish.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
7 / 51
He fights the fish to the boat through the choppy water.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
8 / 51
As the camera man leans over to get the best shot, Hackney reaches down to scoop his fish.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
9 / 51
This smallmouth, however, was still in fight mode and was leaping out of the water repeatedly.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
10 / 51
The fish makes one more large jump right next to Hackney.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
11 / 51
Hackney quickly grabs the fish and hugs it against him as he brings it into the boat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
12 / 51
Photo: Garrick Dixon
13 / 51
With fish number one already in the livewell Hackney moves to the back of the boat to add fish number two.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
14 / 51
As Powroznik slides up next to Hackney and they both get back to focusing on their electronics.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
15 / 51
As the morning went on the wind picked up significantly. Hackney continued to fish hard and ride out the waves with ease.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
16 / 51
Several of the waves spilled right over the bow of his boat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
17 / 51
Powroznik untangling his line from his trolling motor after a large wave wrapped his line around the shaft.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
18 / 51
Did we mention that the anglers were not taking their eyes off their down imaging?
Photo: Garrick Dixon
19 / 51
In the back of the group of anglers Greg Hackney hooks up with fish number three.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
20 / 51
He brings the fish up quickly and goes to land it near the drivers seat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
21 / 51
With a decent smallmouth in hand Hackney shows off his fish to the camera and puts it in the livewell.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
22 / 51
23. Bobby Lane and Jacob Powroznik were lined up and hoping for a bite while Hackney was adding fish three to his live well. Hackney fished a while longer and then made a run up the lake, frustrated with how slow the bite was. “The fish are much more spooky today!”
Photo: Garrick Dixon
23 / 51
Down the reef a bit Jonathan VanDam was hooked up with a critical fish. JVD needed to catch a great bag to solidify his 2016 Bassmaster Classic spot.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
24 / 51
VanDam fights the lively fish to the boat as it jumped repeatedly.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
25 / 51
Jon wrangles the fish and brings it into the boat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
26 / 51
After landing the fish JVD moved back up to the head of the same drift, hoping for another good bite.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
27 / 51
In the first few minutes of the next drift JVD hooked another fish. The pressure was on as thoughts of a Classic spot bounced around in the back of his head.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
28 / 51
Through the rough water VanDam stays calm and lets the fish tire.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
29 / 51
As the fish came to the surface VanDam sits in the passenger seat and gets ready to land fish number three.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
30 / 51
With a solid hold on the bottom lip of the fish JVD is well on his way to a successful Day 2 on Sturgeon Bay.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
31 / 51
Photo: Garrick Dixon
32 / 51
VanDam hoists the fish out of the lake.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
33 / 51
With a big smile on his face and a little less pressure on his back Jonathan holds the fish up for the camera.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
34 / 51
VanDam adds the fish to his livewell.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
35 / 51
After the fish was safe in the live well VanDam made another move up to the head of his drift, launching off the rough water and putting his boat almost vertical in the air.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
36 / 51
VanDam gets set up on his spot and sets the hook on fish number four.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
37 / 51
This one feels like a solid fish.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
38 / 51
With a look of concentration on his face JVD stays focused on fishing clean and getting this fish to the boat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
39 / 51
He reaches down and grabs his catch ...
Photo: Garrick Dixon
40 / 51
... but the fish had other ideas and continued to fight.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
41 / 51
VanDam finally grabs the fish and gets it under control.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
42 / 51
"That’s four guys!”
Photo: Garrick Dixon
43 / 51
Fish number four takes its spot in the livewell.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
44 / 51
A few minutes later JVD sets the hook again. He immediately got excited while the fish was fighting thinking that this could be the fish that ensures his spot in the 2016 Bassmaster Classic.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
45 / 51
Unfortunately it was a big walleye and not a giant smallmouth.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
46 / 51
JVD reaches down to grab the fish and unhook it.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
47 / 51
With the tube hanging out of its mouth the walleye stops struggling and lets Jonathan grab hold of it.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
48 / 51
VanDam lifts the fish into the boat.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
49 / 51
This healthy walleye shows how diverse and exciting it can be to fish on Sturgeon Bay.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
50 / 51
VanDam picks up the trolling motor and moves up to the head of his drift again, this time hoping he can connect with fish number five.
Photo: Garrick Dixon
51 / 51
