The day three weigh in at the Citgo Bass Masters Tour Event at Santee-Cooper Lakes in South Carolina was much more than just a simple weigh-in. This was the day the Citgo Bass Master Angler of the Year would be announced.

Greg Hackney and Gerald Swindle were neck and neck in the point's race for Angler of the Year. Swindle finished the tournament tied for 39th place with Ron Shuffield, but Greg Hackney made the cut to twelve and went on to fish on day three. Gerald would have to spend day three on the sidelines waiting to see how Hackney's day went. The race was Hackney's to win or lose. He would have to finish eighth or better to beat Swindle in the Angler of the Year race. As the weigh-in progressed Swindle got more and more anxious. Day three saw the fishing get better on the lake, and the weights being posted were impressive. " Waiting for Hackney to weigh-in was like being in a boxing match with my hands tied behind my back," said Swindle. "I thought that I might throw up. I was as nervous as I have ever been. I mean, I had my whole family there and my fiance there. I really didn't want to lose, but I had to just sit there and wait, it was grueling."

As Hackney's day three weight of 13-02 was weighed in Gerald's tension grew. In the end Hackney's weight put him in ninth place. Gerald Swindle was now officially the 2004 Citgo Bass Masters Angler of the Year! "When they announced that I had won, it was like a thousand pound weight was taken off my shoulders," Swindle said of winning.

"If someone would have told me at the beginning of the season that I would win the Angler of the Year (AOY) title, I would have laughed in their face. The person who wins AOY is the best of the best for that year. I have always wanted to win AOY, but it's so hard to do. To win AOY, you have to have the perfect season. I mean nothing can go wrong. Your equipment has to always be ready, and you have to make the right decisions all season long," said Swindle.
 
"Before the Tour even started this year, I was fired up. I spent the off-season getting into shape and thinking about every tournament that was coming up. I didn't fish the FLW Tour this year, which let me focus all my energy on the B.A.S.S. Tour. The Tour schedule also fit me well. I was excited to fish all the lakes we were going to," said Swindle.
"I had a great year all the way through. Earlier in the season people would ask me what I thought about my chances of winning the AOY title, and I would tell them that I wasn't even thinking about it. I really wasn't, I just went to each tournament and fished as hard as I could. I was swinging for the fence at every Tour event. I did start to think about it a little after the Lake Eufaula event. At that point I realized that I might have a chance to win the derby. When I got to Santee-Cooper I tried to put the AOY title out of my mind again and just went fishing. You can't worry about winning AOY; it will make you fish different. I just went out and tried to do the best that I could. When I didn't make the cut and Hackney did, that's when I really got nervous. Hackney was still out there fishing and trying to do better while I had to sit on the sidelines and watch," said Gerald.
"Winning Angler of the Year is still very overwhelming. Even with all the press coverage and publicity, I still can't believe I won. It's really all quite humbling. I'm really just a kid at heart that loves to fish. I already can't wait to start fishing the Elite 50's."

When asked about how winning Angler of the Year would affect his career Swindle said, "I'm really not sure. I mean; short term the money is great. Long term I don't know. I just want to earn the respect of all my fellow competitors."

"If I had to give someone advice, I would tell them: Never give up on your dreams. Winning never comes easy. This makes up for all those times when you fished in brutal conditions or were sick and didn't want to leave the motel room."

"Four years ago when I was laying in a hospital bed recovering from major back surgery, I told myself that if I get up again, I would make it count. Since then I have been totally focused on my goals and my career. I'm going to go for it again next year. I plan on spending the off-season working to improve the weak spots in my game, so that I can come back even stronger next year," said Swindle. "When it's your time, it's your time."
When asked about the upcoming Citgo Bass Masters Classic Gerald said, "Wyle is a lake that fits me. I can't wait to go. I am just going to swing for the fence like I always do. I guess we will find out how I do at the final weigh-in."