Five Questions for Greg Hackney
Category: article
Oct 29th, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Oct 29th, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Greg Hackney has been a top-shelf pro basser for years. There are anglers that are more famous on the Bassmaster Elite Series, but few can match up to his record of wins, including his time in the FLW where he won the Forrest Wood Cup and the Angler of the Year title.
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| Greg Hackney (Photo BassFIRST) |
Hackney took a few minutes while driving to the airport to answer five questions for BassFIRST.com.
DL – What is your all-time favorite TV show?
GH – When I was a kid, I loved Doctor Who. I never missed an episode. Tom Baker was the Doctor at the time. It broadcast on the local PBS affiliate. The special effects weren’t great, but the stories were really good. I like the new Doctor Who on BBC, but nowadays I really don’t have much time for TV. Usually I watch ESPN, Outdoor Channel or the Weather Channel, if I am watching.
DL – How many fishing rods have you owned?
GH – I’ve owned maybe five or six hundred. I am not sure. Not all of them are the pro-staff rods I have. A lot of them were other rods. I’ve done all kinds of fishing, so I’ve had all kinds of rods. I give many of my pro-staff rods away and keep plenty for my children to use. I keep my father supplied with rods and reels. Also, I have many of the rods from when I was a kid. I have my first open-face Ambassador combo that I received when I was 8 years old. All of that stuff is stored at my parent’s home.
DL – What is the worst mistake you ever made in a fishing tournament?
GH – Leaving a fish in the livewell. It was in 2005 on Beaver Lake at an FLW event. It almost cost me the Angler of the Year title. If I’d brought that fish to the scales the AoY race wouldn’t have been close. I normally drain my livewell when removing fish. That time I didn’t. The tournament director said I had four fish alive, I told him I had five. I realized what happened. He was going to let me go get my fifth fish, but his boss said no. That brain fart almost cost me big time.
DL – What is the best business decision you’ve made?
GH – Moving to Phoenix Boats. It was a really smart move for me. They build great products. I think they will be the top brand in years to come. It’ll end up making me look like a rocket scientist. I saw their boats at a show I was working. It looked like a racecar. I approached them about getting the relationship started. The company I was with was terrific, but I could tell the entire corporate structure was changing and it didn’t feel right. Phoenix Boats is a terrific company. Also, Strike King and Quantum were good decisions. My worst was signing with Tru-Tungsten. Right now, I feel like the sponsors I am with are the sponsors I will be with when I retire from the sport.
DL – Do you prefer Orlando or Las Vegas for ICAST?
GH – Orlando, it is a prettier area. It seems more laid back, more comfortable. I’ve never been a big fan of Vegas. I took my wife to her first ICAST in Orlando this year. She is going with me to Vegas next year, so it should be better. I’m not a big gambler, except for fishing tournaments. I do spend $10 on the slots in the Vegas airport to kill time. If I wanted to gamble, I have several casinos right near my house. I’ve never been to them. In my early 20’s I’d go to the boats with friends, but that was more a social thing.
Heck, where else do you see prostitutes advertised publicly in this country? I mean Vegas has ads for them on the taxis.