Skeet Reese Wins 2013 Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Event with Heroic Last Day!

By Deb Johnson
BASS Press Release

Skeet Reese is on fire — again.

The Auburn, Calif., superstar of bass fishing was victorious Sunday in the Bassmaster Elite Series’ West Point Lake Battle after starting the final round in seventh place, almost 2 1/2 pounds behind leader Tommy Biffle.

Its been a while!
(Photos: James Overstreet BASS)

But when Reese weighed 15-4 Sunday, he squashed the other 11 finalists’ hopes of winning the four-day Battle out of LaGrange, Ga. Closest to catching Reese was Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., who finished second with 44-6, exactly 2 pounds back.

Reese won $100,000 and his 14th Bassmaster Classic qualification. He also racked up points in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, rising eight steps in the standings into third place.

“We play for the win — and the money’s always nice. But I fish for one title — Angler of the Year. For me, it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Reese, who has won the AOY crown once, in 2007.

The West Point event win, the seventh of his Bassmaster career, was his first since he won two Elite competitions in 2010. He was in contention for the AOY title throughout 2010, but Kevin VanDam took it.

2013 Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Day 2: Biffle Bounds into Lead

By Deb Johnson

BASS Press Release

LAGRANGE, Ga. — Saturday was a rainy day in Georgia, but Tommy Biffle was not singing the blues about the West Point Lake Battle.

He managed to fill a five-fish limit after falling one bass short on both Day One and Day Two of the Battle.

Biffle eeks out a lead with 33.09 for three days.
(Photo: BASS)

Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., seized the third-day lead in the four-day Bassmaster Elite Series’ Battle with a total of 33 pounds, 9 ounces. Seventh after Thursday, he popped into third Friday before taking the hot seat Saturday.

The loss of a “good keeper” early Saturday had him wondering if he’d even weigh four bass.

“I was a little bit worried I’d only have three, because I’ve been getting (and boating) four bites a day,” he said. “Today I had six, but I didn’t catch the quality I’ve been catching. As tough as the fishing is, I was glad to catch five.”

Biffle liked Saturday’s wet, wet weather. He said he actually hoped for a thunder and lightning storm on the water to change the barometric pressure.

2013 IBASSIN.com’s Classic picks

So, who will win the Classic on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees?

Here are IBASSIN.com’s picks and why.

(Photos: BASS)

Jason Christie

It is statistically proven that hometown favorites have a slim chance of winning. Boyd Duckett is the only Classic Champ to ever do it. With that in mind, Jason Christie is our huge favourite. Not sure if it is divine intervention of this southern FLW pro winning the Northern Open on smallmouth bass but that is very odd series of events not to be ignored. Christie has local winter time experience on Grand plus he recently won a pre-spawn FLW event two years ago. He is playing it too cool and that is a sure sign he is hiding something.

Tommy Biffle

Tommy is another Oklahoma expert. He has the extra incentive of several missed Classic titles. Recently he has proven himself as an off-shore angler, mostly on the back of his Biffle Hard head and Bug, but who cares how he did it. He knows how to catch deep water bass. If he was still just a flipping expert, his chances would be limited. Plus, how fitting would it be for him to finally win a Classic in his home state. A definite career topper!

Kevin Van Dam

Come on, I would be a fool not to pick him. He is amazing a transitions and change. If the weather flickers from freezing to mild he’ll react accordingly. One down fall is the lack of grass in this lake. Van Dam is a master with grass. Grand is all rock, so that might be a downfall. In reality, KVD has no downfalls and this seasonal period is an off-shore jerk bait, crankbait and jig bite. He will get his fifth Classic and Grand Lake is a perfect setting for another KVD fest.