Skeet Reese Takes Bassmaster Angler of the Year Award

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Attaining an elusive goal and fulfilling a “lifelong dream”, Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., closed the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series season with his first Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

The veteran pro had a stellar Elite season, in which he scored a victory on the Potomac River in August and posted seven top-10 finishes. He held off Michigan’s Kevin VanDam, a three-time Angler of the Year, with yet another solid finish at the season-ending event on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga.

VanDam fought Reese down to the wire, also performing well at the season-ending event. But Reese’s lead proved insurmountable and the three-time BASS winner scored the $125,000 top prize.

The California angler has hovered around the top of the points standings before, finishing in the top 10 the previous three years, but had never secured what he deems as “the crown jewel of bass fishing.”

“I started this season with one goal in mind and I aggressively pursued it all season,” said Reese, 38. “It feels phenomenal to finally win one of these.”

Reese started the season with a second-place showing at the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, which doesn’t count toward the Angler of the Year standings. He took the lead in the standings after another second-place finish at the third Elite event of the season on California’s Clear Lake.

Continuing a trend, Reese placed second at an Elite event on Lake Champlain in July. While he is disappointed that he didn’t get a few more victories, the three-time BASS winner was always focused on this award.

“This award is the truest measure of performance in the sport,” Reese said. “With the advent of the Elite Series, anglers now fish more events throughout a variety of seasons. Only a versatile angler can win this award now, and it means so much to us.”

Reese’s triumph is the latest boost for West Coast anglers. In third heading into the Elite finale was another California pro, Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande.

A full list of the finalized standings will be available after the tournament ends Sunday.

VanDam finishes just short for the second year in a row. He was third in the 2006 race, falling to reigning AOY champ Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J.

Even with two Elite victories during the season, VanDam, 39, wasn’t able to string together the top-10 finishes that Reese had. He said he was disappointed, but he realizes he put together a solid season.

“I’m one of the most competitive people you will meet so I’m never pleased with finishing second,” the two-time Classic champion said. “But Skeet was amazing all year and when an angler gets on a roll like that, he’s hard to keep up with.”
 

From BASS