Skeet Reese – Red River Bound – Headin' to the Bassmaster Classic
Auburn , Calif. – The Lucky Craft big rig is rollin' east and 2007 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Skeet Reese is on board and lookin' for a championship. The Bassmaster Classic is only days away, and Reese, who has finished as high as 2 nd place in bass fishing's biggest tournament is ready for practice to begin, and the tournament to start.
The 39 th edition of the Bassmaster Classic will be the 39-year-old Bassmaster Millionaire Club member's 10 th trip to the event, and if his history in the event is any indications, odds are he will be a strong contender. In his previous nine visits, Reese has logged three top 10 and three top 15 finishes; his highest finish being 2 nd at Lay Lake in 2007, the same year he won the Angler of the Year title.
Despite what Reese called a “heightened awareness” of the importance of the event, he said that he is not feeling any anxiety. “While some of the nervousness has lessened over the years, the excitement for being in the Classic has not changed one bit,” said Reese. “This is the biggest tournament of anyone's career, and since I made it the first time (in 1998) I knew I wanted to be back.”
Outside of his desire to win the Classic, Reese said he does not concern himself with things that don't relate to the fishing. “There are many things that can be distracting during the week, but I don't worry about those things,” Reese said. “I'm not going to worry about the weather, or the conditions. I can't do anything about whatever the conditions are; I just hope that it's not so cold that I can't feel my hands.”
With the expected weather conditions over the next two weeks, Reese might get his wish, as long term weather forecasts for the Shreveport area call for little rain and fairly mild temperatures. However, as quickly as fronts can develop across Midwestern states, one never knows what can happen. “If the Red River lives up to its name, the weights won't be as high as expected,” Reese opined. “If the water has some clarity, the fans could be in store for an exciting show.”
As with many of the competitors in this year's Classic, Reese has some history on the waterway, but he's not entirely sure how that history will aid him. “I haven't been there in a while, but I have heard that it's totally different now,” he said. “When we were there last time [He finished the 2001 Bassmaster Tour stop in a three way tie for 28 th place.] there were trees outlining the boating lanes, but now I hear there are about 10 billon frickin' stumps just below the water line; I just hope I don't rip up the Champion or the Mercury too bad.”
With that in mind, Reese said the winner will likely grind out a win over the three days. “With the amount of obstructions in the waterway, it won't be a running and gunning event,” he said. “It will be more likely that we'll have to pick a backwater and work it over pretty thoroughly.”
“All I know is that I'm packed up, pointed east in the big truck, and I'm looking forward to the tournament; practice starts this weekend, and we'll see what we can put together.”
Skeet Reese is a Bassmaster Elite Series pro, the 2007 Bassmaster Angler of the Year with career earnings that total more than $1.5 million. Reese has qualified for 10 Bassmaster Classic appearances, and has finished in the top 10 40 times, including three wins in BASS competition in an 11 year career. Reese is a 39-year-old California native who resides in Auburn , Calif. with his wife Kim, and two daughters; Leamarie and Courtney.
