Photos by Mark Jeffreys & Matt Pangrac

Reese said that while he entered the Lay Lake Classic with high hopes, he just never found the concentration of fish that were located in Beeswax, the area where the majority of top finishers fished the entire tournament. “The bottom line is that there was one great creek on the entire lake and it happened to be the only creek that I didn’t go in,” he lamented. “I had no idea that the area had coontail grass and a million bass in it.” 

Knowing that he needed a 20 pound limit to put him back in contention on the second day, he decided to throw big baits and fish areas that he felt had potential. “It just never happened. I zigged when I should have zagged,” Reese explained. 

Lay Lake barely resembled the same body of water where the California pro recorded a second place finish in the 2007 Classic. “The water temperature was 10 degrees colder and the current was ripping. The main lake also had a lot more color and the main river portion fished completely differently. It was basically the opposite conditions from the 2007 Classic.”  

Skeet Nation
While the on-the-water portion of the Classic didn’t leave any indelible moments for Reese, there were several off-the-water moments at the Classic Expo and Birmingham coliseum which reminded him how much of an impact he has had on the sport over the course of his career. 

“I remember rolling into the coliseum for the day one weigh-in when they unveiled my banner for the 2009 Classic win,” said Reese. “I could see all these yellow jerseys and yellow fishing poles in the stands and I remember thinking, ‘Man, this is really cool.’”

As a promotion for his Wright & McGill Signature Series Tessera rods, everyone who purchased a rod at the Classic expo received a free replica Skeet Reese yellow and black jersey. It appeared as though everyone who received the jersey decided to wear it to the weigh-in. 

“Just walking around the show, there were yellow jerseys and rods everywhere,” said Reese. “The feedback that we are getting from the consumers is mind boggling. I get e-mails and letters every single day thanking us for creating such a great product at an affordable price.” 

The prevalence of Skeet fans at the Classic and the overwhelming success of his products served as another step in validating Reese not only as a force to be reckoned with on the water, but in the industry as a whole. 

“I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and I think that everyone is finally realizing that I’m not just a fisherman. I have a lot of good concepts and the ability to make products that will help people catch more fish, enjoy their time on the water, and have an overall better experience. That’s that part that I’m having fun doing right now.”

Reese said that he believes a large part of his rapid assent in nationwide popularity is due to his 2009 Classic performance. “Winning the Classic last year really helped grow my fan base,” he explained. “I was able to see a huge difference in that this year at the Classic.” 

It’s a competitive mentality that Reese carried with him even before his 2007 Toyota Trucks Angler of the Year title and 2009 Classic trophy. “As far as my desire to win and dominate as a competitor, that has never changed,” he said. “It’s no different now than before the TTAOY and Classic titles. Obviously, there’s more of a comfort level because I’ve done it and I’m no longer striving for something that I have never done.” 

Delta Deadline 
Reese’s first chance at capturing another regular season title kicks off March 11th on the California Delta, a fishery that Reese recorded a Top 5 finish on in 2007. It’s a tournament that is weighing heavily on Reese’s mind – literally. 
“I think we are going to whack the heck out of them at the Delta,” Reese opined. “I totally expect to see several bass over 10-pounds caught throughout the tournament, and we could potentially see some limits in the 30- to 40-pound class. Right now, the bass are staged and these little cold fronts keep holding them up. The first warming trend that we get, all hell will break loose.” 

Since the Classic, Reese’s main focus has been preparing for the California Delta, a complex tidal fishery capable of coughing up giant limits from any number of productive areas. “The California Delta is so big and vast that it changes every year. There are so many potential areas that I’m just trying to come up with a good game plan. I’m nervous, excited, and I just want to know what’s going to happen both there and at Clear Lake.” 

While he is confident on the Delta, Reese said that he has a greater comfort level on Clear Lake, a body of water which he describes as his “old stomping grounds.” When compared to the California Delta, Clear Lake is rather diminutive in size. “I think that I understand and know every nuance of that lake,” expressed Reese. “But there are a lot more guys who have spent time out there now, and when you put this caliber of anglers on a small lake, they’re going to find the good stuff.” 

While he seeks a victory at one (or both) California events, Reese hasn’t lost sight of the importance of a strong start to the eight event regular season. “My goal is to win but if I can come out of California with two Top 10 finishes, I’ll have a great start to the season. That’s how I’m looking at it right now.” 

In typical Skeet Reese fashion, he chuckled when asked about his feelings on the rest of the 2010 schedule. “To be perfectly honest, I haven’t really thought much about it past the Delta and Clear Lake. Those are the two that I’m completely focused on. After that, I know that we go to Smith Mountain but I’m not even sure what the schedule is after that.

“I’ll think about the next tournament when it comes. You have to just take one tournament at a time and when it’s over, it’s time to redirect your energy to the next one.” 

Note: Skeet said that at the daily weigh-ins at both the California Delta and Clear Lake, there will be a Skeet Reese Inc. booth where fans can purchase his Signature Series rods and SRI apparel.