John's Journal...

Boyd Duckett: The Man Who Won the 2007 Bassmaster Classic and How He Did It

What Duckett Accomplished

Click to enlargeEditor’s Note: Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Alabama, the 46-year-old owner of a tank trailer leasing and repair company and avid bass fisherman, never attended a Bassmasters Classic until the one he won in February, 2007 at Alabama’s Lay Lake near Birmingham. “I made a decision when I started professional bass fishing that I wouldn’t attend a Classic until I could fish in it,” explains Duckett. How did Duckett win the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, and what can we learn from Duckett? We saw other tournament pros use this same tactic that Duckett did – not fish for ghost bassClick to enlarge. That’s why Duckett didn’t practice on Lay Lake. Then he wouldn’t try to catch bass in the same places where he’d caught them when and if he pre-fished the lake. Actually Duckett probably spent less time on Lay Lake this year than any other tournament pro who fished in the 2007 Classic. But rather than telling Duckett’s story, let’s let him tell you how, why and where he won with 48 pounds, 10 ounces and took home $500,000, beating out second-place Skeet Reese, who had 48 pounds, 4 ounces and won $45,000 and third-place Kevin VanDam, who won $40,000 with his 45 pounds, 4 ounces.

Phillips: Boyd, do you realize what you’ve just done?
Duckett: Yes, I’ve just won the 2007 Bassmasters Classic, and it’s a phenomenal feeling. Just being able to be in the Classic has been the height of my career, but now to have won it, I really can’t describe the feeling. This is the first year I’ve had the opportunity to fish the Classic. I just missClick to enlargeed it the second year I fished the B.A.S.S. Open. I was really disappointed. The next year I wasn’t really seriously in the hunt during the Open season. Having not made the Elite Series last year, I made a lot of adjustments in my time so that I could still run my company and be able to fish competitively. Trying to take on fishing full time was quite a juggling act for me. However, last year I fished both the northern and the southern tour events and made Click to enlargebetter use of my time.

Phillips: What are your plans for the coming year?
Duckett: I’ll still be fishing the Tour events and the Elite events. Too, I’ll still be working my job.

Phillips: Are you going into work on Monday after winning the Classic on Sunday?
Duckett: I’ll get a good sleep tonight, but I’ll be at work Monday afternoon. By the way, somebody owes me a really-big check. I wish ya’ll would hurry up with these interviews so I can go and get my check.

Tomorrow: How Duckett Planned to Fish the Classic


Check back each day this week for more about "Boyd Duckett: The Man Who Won the 2007 Bassmaster Classic and How He Did It"

Day 1: The Boatyard Interview
Day 2: Duckett’s Classic-Winning Pattern
Day 3: What Duckett Accomplished
Day 4: How Duckett Planned to Fish the Classic
Day 5: The Rest of the Classic Details

 

 

Entry 394, Day 3