Spring 2024
S
ince the days of Dee Thomas, Dave
Gliebe and Mike Folkestad, western
pros have always had a few extra hurdles to conquer to attain long term success
on the national bass tours. Now, with two
established circuits plus the rising NPFL, there
are more opportunities, and yet qualifying for
and remaining on tour seems to be increasingly
difficult for those from west of Oklahoma. Maybe
it’s the fact that it’s not financially feasible, or that
many of those who really want to take a stab at
it have moved closer to the core traditional states.
That makes the westerners who are still out
there even more emblematic of their home states,
where fans tend to cheer for those who’ve made
the leap. Here are two pros – one from the Bass
Pro Tour, the other from the Elite Series; one a
veteran, the other a relative newcomer – who I’ll be watching
closely in 2024:
BASS PRO TOUR – SKEET REESE
Because Skeet Reese has always filled the role of the blonde, dancing, son of the beach, it’s hard to remember that he’s been on the national scene for well over two decades. He’ll turn 55 this year, and in my opinion is a surefire future lock for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. That’s not just for his fishing prowess, which includes eight Bassmaster wins, an AOY title and the 2009 Bassmaster Classic trophy, but also for what he represented as a western pro and for his exceptional marketing chops.
Nevertheless, the last of those wins came in 2015, nearly a decade ago, and the upcoming years represent an opportunity to build on his numbers and his reputation. As a general rule, his BPT finishes have not reflected his aptitude nor his skillset. In five years, he’s finished 60th to 63rd three times, along with a 43rd and an 11th. As recently as 2021, however, he had a great year, with 3rd and 5th place finishes in BPT events and a win in a Tackle Warehouse Invitational.
While his personality always stood out along with his fishing skills, Skeet’s current legacy may be unfairly hindered by the fact that several of his best years were also among Kevin VanDam’s best years. Indeed, except for a weird rules’ situation involving postseason events, he’d likely have a second AOY title, putting him in even rarer company.
Again, sort of some disaster involving moral turpitude, I think he’s a steel lock to go into the Hall of Fame, joining his contemporaries like KVD and Ike, but I’d be fascinated to see a comparatively late career push and a couple more wins. Not only would that win over any remaining naysayers or doubters (and at this point I’m really not sure there can be any in good faith), but it would be a great opportunity to not just represent his western competitors and fans, but also to show that it’s doable without moving to Texas, Tennessee, or Alabama. Off-season knee problems may complicate the analysis, but it’ll make for a better story if he comes back.
On the whole, the BPT has not proven to be westerner- friendly purely in terms of standings. Over the last five years, Brent Ehrler is the only one of them to finish in the top-10 at least three times, and he’s been the only one to legitimately challenge for an AOY title.
Because so many quality pros with personality have entered the ecosystem and taken to YouTube over the past few years, it’s easy to forget how incredibly forceful Skeet was for a long period of the sport’s best years. He finished in the top seven in AOY every year from 2006 through 2010, one of the great all-time runs of the of the modern era, and then between 7th and 18th four times after that. The know- how is clearly there, and I’ve got to believe that there is still gas in the tank.
®
page
11