Day 1 at the 2015 Geico Bassmaster Classic…a COLD day with Skeet Reese

by Roger
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I couldn’t believe what I was reading when I got the e-mail giving my pairings as a Media Marshall for the Classic…Day 1 with Skeet Reese! I was there in Greensboro, NC during the 1998 Bassmaster Classic. 1998 was Skeet’s first year making the Classic and he showed up on stage tanned, spiked blond hair, pretty much everything you might think of when the words “California bass fisherman” hit your ears. I remember they asked him to show a few moves on stage and he did…might have been the moonwalk or something like it…but it was smooth. We had a good laugh over those memories and thankfully he caught some fish. Otherwise I am sure that the words he spoke to me at Media Day would have been true, even without the brutally cold weather. Those words, after I excitedly told him I would be riding along with him, were “sucks to be you”…luckily it didn’t suck to be me on the coldest day in Bassmaster Classic history.

 

Skeet 1

It was a cold day my friends!

Skeet 2.1

Yes…heaters will melt a boat seat. Even Skeet was surprised.

Skeet 2

Probably one of the neatest things about the Classic is that families and friends are there to support them even from all the way across the country and on the coldest morning in Bassmaster Classic history.

Skeet 4.1

Getting the deck ready to fish with all those yellow rods.

Skeet 4

How many layers of clothes do you think this guy has on underneath the Geico suit?

Skeet 5

Remembering the men and women that make today possible.

Skeet 6

Right now (Van Halen)…our steering is frozen up.

Skeet 7

First cast…first fish of the 2015 Geico Bassmaster Classic.

Skeet 8

Showin’ it to the GoPro.

Skeet 9

Doin’ the ice dip. About every 3 casts, all day long, he had to clean the ice off of the rod guides. I spent most of the day getting snowed on…because the water froze on the line and then came off as ice particles as he reeled it in.

Skeet 10

After the first stop, Skeet stayed shallow the whole day hitting docks and brush piles.

Skeet 11

In addition to the icing problem on the rods and reels, the trolling motor started freezing up. Either it was frozen in the lock position or it wouldn’t lock down because of the layer of ice on the landing pad.

Skeet 12

Skeet and I were both sure that there would be a fish on this brush pile…but no bite.

Skeet 13

Biggest fish of the day on top…

Skeet 14

…lipped…

Skeet 15

…and the look of relief on Skeet’s face that it’s in the boat!

Skeet 16

That was my day with Skeet Reese who ended Day 1 in 2nd place with over 20 pounds.

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