Duckett’s Breakdown to the Media
Category: article
Aug 26th, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Aug 26th, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Boyd Duckett hadn’t been in the top 5 let alone been close to winning an event since his 2007 Major on Lake Dardenelle. Here is the in-depth conversation media members asked the two week new father after winning the Ramada Championship Sunday afternoon.
Media: What was the breakdown again?
Duckett: four smallmouth, one largemouth
Media: Your biggest fish was?
Duckett: A 4-pounder I think, largemouth
Media: Did you mix it up all week, largemouth and smallmouth?
Duckett: Yep
Media: What did you use today to catch your fish?
Duckett: The key bait as you’ll see on the show was a 4-inch Blue Black Hollow Belly Swimbait
Media: You caught all your fish on that?
Duckett: Most of what I weighed, one on a topwater but all the meat came on that.
Media: When you caught that 4-pounder this morning, what went through your head?
Duckett: No doubt all I had to do was stay there and cull smallmouth. Once I had that bigger fish, I thought I could cull smallmouth. I told my cameraman we’re not leaving, we’re going to stay here and cull ounces.
Media: This spot was right in Maple Bay?
Duckett: It’s right in front of our cabin, 200 yards. After we saw them the first day evening, I’d idle out there, and I’m like hello fish. Once the tournament started, I’d drive over to take-off and drive basically right back to the cabin by boat and start fishing.
Media: There were other anglers around you?
Duckett: Oh yeah. There was three of us fishing that same identical 100 yards, Kelly Jordan, Jeremy Starks the fist three days.
Media: What was the difference in why you caught’em so good?
Duckett: The difference was the light line.
Media: That’s why you caught’em and not the other guys?
Duckett: Yep.
Media: How light and what line were you using?
Duckett: 10lb. line, that made a big difference. I threw the Hollow Belly on 10lb. 100% Fluorocarbon.
Media: So talk about how life just works like that and that Classic berth?
Duckett: Well, I came up here to try and make the Classic, not sure if I’m happier about that or the win and the win pays a $100,000. Last year I had a horrible season and I’ve worked really really hard to try and prepare myself so when I go into every tournament with a Championship anglers attitude whether I catch them or not. Making the Classic was my goal, you never want to lose sight of your goals. I thought I made it until all these guys made the Top 12 and were out of it and that kinda messed me up. I had to win it to make it.
Media: Did you know that going out today?
Duckett: I did know that when I went out.
Media: You haven’t had a Top 5 since 2007, that’s five years?
Duckett: Boy, that’s bad. You know, it’s really good and win something. If you going to be a really top angler, you need to win one every year or every other year. It takes a lot of work. I don’t wanna go on and on about how I feel about all that, but I’m motivated after last season. You know I’ve worked really hard at all my Classics, I’ve led three of them. I haven’t put out during the regular season as hard as I should have but I do a lot of things. I’ve got a couple of companies and I stay busy and bass fishing kinda took a backseat and then you get a reality check when you finish 84th in the points.
Media: When do you think you had a shot to win this?
Duckett: Ugh…when I caught the 4-pounder this morning.
Media: That was the first time throughout the entire tournament?
Duckett: Well, you know that was like the first time I felt like it was in my hand. It’s mine to lose, let’s put it that way.
Media: Were you more focused this event now that you’ve sold your company?
Duckett: I think that’s help me a lot, I’ve relaxed a lot, I’ve made a committment to myself to spend more time fishing. All you can do is try hard. You know, I wanna be a respectible angler.
Media: What company did you sell?
Duckett: My tank trailer business.
Media: When did you sell the business?
Duckett: In May.
Media: How have you fished since?
Duckett: Much better. Apparentyly.