Boyd Duckett: The Man Who Won the 2007 Bassmaster
Classic and How He Did It
What Duckett Accomplished
Editor’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 bass.
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 missed
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 better
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
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