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Glenn: Hi, I'm Glenn May with BassResource.com, and I'm here with Mr. Skeet Reese. Skeet,
it's great to have you here today.
Skeet: Thanks. It's good to be here.
Glenn: Skeet, when you start preparing for a tournament, whether it's the Classic or
any other tournament, how far in advance do you actually start prepping for that; and
what are the types of things you do?
Skeet: I think emotionally, mentally, you start thinking about it once the regular season
is over; you're trying to move on. What's the next event? The Classic's the next event.
So, I've been thinking about this for really the last six months. But as far as actually
diving into it and spending time, you start thinking about it, making a strategy and all
that, I'd say in the last month's time is when I do it. I got in, and whether it's rigging
the boat or tackle and ordering stuff, and I start to even think about looking at a map
or anything. About a month ago is when I started. I had enough time finally to really dive into
it and say, all right, time to go to work.
Glenn: Now what types of things are you looking for before you get to the lake?
Skeet: Well, I guess, just trying to find out what type of fish we're going to more
than anything. Whether it's a man-made reservoir, deep, natural, dirty water, clear water, tidal,
the Louisiana Delta here is such a vast area. This one probably has created more anxieties
and headaches for guys than most events because it's so diverse. Most lakes you can make adjustments
and change pretty quickly. Here you can be in the wrong area. You could be 150 miles
away from winning fish. So, there's a lot more variables in this one. It makes it a
little more challenging.
Glenn: So, when you get on a new body of water, what's one of the first things you do? Do
you start motoring around and looking at your graph, or do you just pick a spot, put the
trolling motor down and start fishing? What do you do to start picking apart a lake?
Skeet: Two things; if I'm in the house or hotel room I'll look at a map first. Second
I'll probably spend more time now looking at my Lowrance, HDS, mapping program, and
looking at the lakes, looking at contour lines. The detail mapping gives you a much better
idea of the contours of the lake. If I'm going to go to a new body of water, first time,
typically I'll pick one area and try and learn that the best I can. And sometimes it's maybe
just dropping a trolling motor and fishing for three or four hours. Maybe it's one creek
arm, one section, whatever it might be, once I learn something and you try and get some
knowledge out of that, then you can start taking it to other sections of the lake or
body of water.
Glenn: Okay, and once you get going into a tournament, let's just say things aren't panning
out the way you thought they would. What's one of the first adjustments you make?
Skeet: There is no one, right answer to that. It's based on conditions, time of year, everything.
So, bottom line is if you're not thinking about what's going on in the water and paying
attention to every little detail, that's when you're going to get run over by a freight
train, with somebody coming in with a bigger stringer. You just have to pay attention to
every little detail. Do you know how many lures are made, how many different rods and
reel combinations; it's from six-pound test to 65-pound braid bait selections. It's all
based on the time and what's in there.
Glenn: So it's a lot of experience and your knowledge base; then your experience level,
too. In all these years that you've been working to become a better angler and learning all
these different techniques, what lessons have you learned that you've been able to apply
to your life outside of fishing?
Skeet: The biggest thing is just whatever you fear most typically is what will make
you grow the most, allow you to grow the most. If fishing is what you fear the most as far
as a technique, a style of fishing. You say you don't like finesse fishing, that's just
a cop out. You don't like to throw a swim bait. That's a cop out. Bottom line is if
you fish you should be open minded to do anything and everything that you need to do to actually
catch a fish. You adapt that to life, and what you fear out there. Because most times
you know what's right. You treat somebody right, you're going to get treated right.
Glenn: When you first became a pro, I know there are a lot of misconceptions out there,
and some things people don't know about, but what was really surprising to you when you
first became a pro that you just weren't expecting?
Skeet: Probably it's the early years, the first years out here, is the lack of respect
from guys on tour, being from California. There are certain names that are embedded
in my head for as long as I live that I have zero respect for because they showed me zero
respect coming out. All I can say is, I have titles now and they don't.
Glenn: Well, what's the best part of being a pro?
Skeet: Bottom line, I'm doing what I love to do. I fish for a living. I get to compete
in tournaments and catch fish for a living. That's why I got into this. I love catching
fish, and competing.
Glenn: In a lot of circles, when you ask people who is their fishing hero or who do they want
to aspire to be when they become a pro, your name comes up often. I'm curious, who is your
fishing hero?
Skeet: From a tournament standpoint, it would be Rick Clunn. He's the one, the reason I
fish for a living, because he inspired me when I was young. That's when I found out
about tournament fishing. As far as just angling, it would be my Dad. My Dad's the one that
took me fishing and taught me how to catch a bass, early on. So, it's two different situations,
but from a tournament standpoint, definitely Rick.
Glenn: Okay. Now what I'd like to do right now is what's called our "shameless plug moment."
You get to talk about your sponsors, or say something to you family or friends out there.
Or maybe you've got a new book or DVD that's coming out. Whatever you'd like to talk about,
the floor is yours.
Skeet: Well, there are lots of things I can talk about, but I know we've got a whole new
line of baits that I've done with Berkley that are getting ready to be unveiled that
are pretty exciting. There has been a lot of time and energy put into my new line of
rods from Wright McGill, the Tessera Series, as well as the Micro Honeycombs. The Micro
Honeycombs are the most unbelievable rod on the market for $99. I'll put it against any
$200, or $300 rod out there as far as weight, balance, sensitivity. The Victory Reels, they
smoke--$99-- I'll put against anything out there. I'm pretty proud of all of them.
Glenn: Awesome. Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Skeet Reese, and I'm Glenn
May, with BassResource.com.