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JOURNAL
Bassmaster Classic
Overall, I had some pretty good fish, although that first cold, rainy day really hurt me. I ended up with six fish hooked and then only boated two. My best technique was pitching a chigger craw on the backs of the pockets.
Day two, the sun came out and I was able to get 16 pounds, but it was a case of too little, too late!
If there’s a memory I’ll take with me to the grave of the Classic, it would have to be watching all those day 1 fish get off the hook…I can still see the catch swimming off into the lake!
On the sunniest days, especially, the polarized Wiley X lenses helped me find objects in the water, whether it was brush piles or old refrigerators! It’s the truth, on day 2 I caught a fish off of a submerged fridge. How’s that for a tip from the pros: if you see an old household appliance on the lake bottom, you know you’re going to catch ‘em there!
Sunshine Showdown:
I’ve always struggled in Florida…always. This time was no exception!
I tried to sight fish, it took an hour and a half, but still never really got ‘em on good. I caught about 10 pounds the first day and nine the second. I find that in this area you just can’t pattern, you have to get lucky enough that they swim into your area while you’re there, the fish are very inconsistent compared to the rest of the world.
I was boat 96 heading out, which was a huge disadvantage, since there were a bunch of guys in the canal that I’d seen fish in the day before. Wiley X glasses really helped me in practice, as I was able to find those bedding fish.
BIO
Boyd Duckett is a man on a mission — don’t let the Southern charm fool you, he’s in it to win it, which is exactly what this highly competitive native North Carolinian has been doing in the bass market for years.
He’s currently ranked 10th in the world , and his career highlights include winning the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, the Bassmaster Legends Pro Tournament, and the 2002 Alabama Southern Pro, 11 B.A.S.S. top ten finishes, , 17th place Bassmaster standing going into the 2008 season, 2007 Ultimate Match Fishing Champion, and holding the 2007 B.A.S.S. Single Season Earning Record of $864,000.
Not bad work, if you can get it! While he tears up the water all over the country as a pro angler, Boyd’s favorite lake is Lake Champlain in New York. “It’s a very diverse lake, there are simply tremendous small and large mouth bass — you just always catch ‘em.” Boyd’s primary strength is his versatility — whatever it takes to catch fish is his favorite technique, whether they’re on the top or the bottom.
Now bass fans can catch Boyd as part of the Wiley X Eyewear Pro Bass Team, so be on the lookout for record numbers of big bad hawgs getting their eyes crossed by this accomplished angler and his amazing teammates this year!
“Wiley X’s glasses are heavily polarized and effectively eliminate most of the water glare, allowing me to clearly see what I need to under the water, from structure, on the bed, or shallow sight fishing — plus, they look great! Frankly, I’ve worn some ugly glasses on the water before, so it’s fun to have great fishing glasses that look stylish, whether on the water, in the truck or to the beach.”
Boyd also recognizes the importance of avoiding damaging UV rays during his career. “It’s imperative to safeguard your eyes, with as much time as we spend as anglers on the water, my eye doctor told me that UV damage is a critical concern and that quality eye protection is a must. Otherwise you can risk permanent injury that can take you out of competition.”
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