Greg Hackney says competitors in this week's Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir should be prepared for a slugfest.
February 12, 2025
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff JASPER, Texas — It’s safe to say that a majority of the 200-plus anglers scheduled to compete in the Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir have yet to win a B.A.S.S. event at any level.
Rayburn is synonymous with big bass, making it a mainstay on the B.A.S.S. circuit for decades. There’s plenty of room (approximately 114,500 acres) for competitors to spread out, too, in search of the legendary toads that earned “Big Sam” the No. 7 spot in the Central Division of Bassmaster Magazine's 2024 100 Best Bass Lakes list.
Though he’s an Arkansas native and has been a Louisiana resident for a quarter-century, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg Hackney has a special affinity for Sam Rayburn Reservoir. When he was only 20, Hackney won a regional tournament on Rayburn, earning a boat and truck combo and qualifying for a spot in the Bassmaster All-American. Hackney also won his first Elite event on Rayburn back in 2006, the first year of the Elite Series.
“Rayburn has been very good to me through the years,” the 51-year-old pro said. “I love it there.”
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Though he won’t be fishing in the Open at Rayburn, Hackney has a good understanding of what competitors can expect on the reservoir.
“It looks like it’s going to be warm just before the tournament and that should make for really good fishing,” he said. “If air temperatures sneak into the 80s, that will have a huge impact on fish migration. February is typically the month when fish will head to the bank (to spawn). You can look at previous Bassmaster events there and see (that) if it’s not cold, it’s gonna be won shallow.”
Water depth will likely be a factor, as well, Hackney said.
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“When it’s lower, they hold in more mid-depth water,” he said. “If the water is low, the grass will play a huge role. If so, I’d look for a big crankbait bite out deep. If the water is high, the bushes will come into play. Another thing is the hard spots on the bottom in higher water. The fish tend to hang out there before heading farther in.”
As of early February, a Toyota ShareLunker bass (8 pounds or more) from Rayburn had yet to be reported to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. However, Hackney said he heard a 12-pound, 15-ounce beast had been boated at Rayburn recently. If so, that’s a sure sign that more big bites will follow as largemouth move into full spawn. A total of 26 ShareLunker bass were caught in Rayburn in 2024, making it one of the five most-productive big-bass fisheries in a state loaded with them.
“Everything is setting up for this one to be an absolute slugfest,” Hackney said of the upcoming Open at Rayburn. “The conditions could be perfect. You’ll have warm water, and the fish will start moving up. There should be some big weights caught.”
The tournament will begin with a 7 a.m. CT takeoff from Umphrey Family Pavilion in Brookeland, Texas, followed by weigh-in back at the pavilion beginning at 3 p.m. The full field will fish again on Friday, with the top anglers advancing to fish for the title on Saturday.
