PALATKA, Fla. — Skeet Reese toted a bag full of bass onto the Bassmaster stage Thursday at the 2012 St. Johns River Showdown. As the scales locked in at 16-2, emcee Dave Mercer welcomed Reese back.
Reese has not been absent from the Elite Series, but Mercer was spot-on with his comment, Reese said backstage.
“Last year it seemed I was on a little hiatus from my normal fishing performance,” he said. “It was just one of those years when a lot of stuff was going on. I’m excited to get back out and fish this year. I don’t know what’s in store, but I know I’m looking forward to it and I’m having fun again. I want to win now as much as I’ve ever wanted to.”
Reese of Auburn, Calif., was 54th in points at the end of the 2011 season, far below the cut-off for qualification for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River, the same body of water on which he claimed the Classic crown in 2009.