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Skeet’s frog fishing clinic

Tag along with Elite Series pro Skeet Reese on Day 2 of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake as he puts on a frog fishing clinic.

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Skeet Reese had two big reasons to be in a bad mood on Day 2 of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga last week: 1) His hopes for a second Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title had been dashed on Day 1 when he finished in 58th place with 13 pounds, 4 ounces. He'd been in third place in the AOY standings, just 12 points behind leader Greg Hackney, entering the event; 2) He got stuck with me as his Marshal. But being the pro's pro that he is, Reese turned a bad start into a good day in a surprising way.
Skeet Reese had two big reasons to be in a bad mood on Day 2 of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga last week: 1) His hopes for a second Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title had been dashed on Day 1 when he finished in 58th place with 13 pounds, 4 ounces. He’d been in third place in the AOY standings, just 12 points behind leader Greg Hackney, entering the event; 2) He got stuck with me as his Marshal. But being the pro’s pro that he is, Reese turned a bad start into a good day in a surprising way.
Soon after the 6:15 a.m. launch, Reese had another reason to frown: His first fish of the day was a chain pickerel. Between the northern pike and the chain pickerel populations in Cayuga Lake, Reese and every other Elite Series angler last week went through the thrill of a bite and the agony of unhooking a toothy fish over and over and over again. This, however, would be Skeet's only non-bass catch of the day.
Soon after the 6:15 a.m. launch, Reese had another reason to frown: His first fish of the day was a chain pickerel. Between the northern pike and the chain pickerel populations in Cayuga Lake, Reese and every other Elite Series angler last week went through the thrill of a bite and the agony of unhooking a toothy fish over and over and over again. This, however, would be Skeet’s only non-bass catch of the day.
Reese found plenty of shallow bass at the northern end of Cayuga during practice, and he'd committed to that pattern.
Reese found plenty of shallow bass at the northern end of Cayuga during practice, and he’d committed to that pattern. “I thought 16 to 17 pounds a day was totally doable,” he said. “And I saw enough 4- and 5-pound fish to get me excited.” After his 13-4 on Day 1, Reese knew he’d made a mistake. But he was committed. Thirty minutes into Day 2, Reese was back pounding the bank, casting a Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog on top of the eel grass mats that had piled up along the east shore.
This type of blow-up on a frog can change your mood in an instant. After getting a few short strikes, Reese connected on a good one. In fact, it would be his biggest bass of the day.
This type of blow-up on a frog can change your mood in an instant. After getting a few short strikes, Reese connected on a good one. In fact, it would be his biggest bass of the day.
Reese estimated this bass weighed somewhere near 3 1/2 pounds. Since he started the day in a tie for 58th place, it was a solid start toward making the Top 50 cut at day's end.
Reese estimated this bass weighed somewhere near 3 1/2 pounds. Since he started the day in a tie for 58th place, it was a solid start toward making the Top 50 cut at day’s end.
This fish marked the beginning of
This fish marked the beginning of “the rat parade.” By 11 a.m., Reese had a five-bass limit, but four of them were just like this one, which had to go on the measuring board before it went in the livewell. There is a 12-inch minimum length limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass at Cayuga Lake.
In search of bigger fish, Reese moved back out to the deeper grassbeds in Cayuga Lake and managed to cull up a bit with this bass that hit a soft plastic stickworm, pitched on a half-ounce weight.
In search of bigger fish, Reese moved back out to the deeper grassbeds in Cayuga Lake and managed to cull up a bit with this bass that hit a soft plastic stickworm, pitched on a half-ounce weight.
As mid-day dragged along, Reese was struggling, skipping docks with a swimbait and a stick worm, but adding nothing to the 7- or 8-pound limit in his livewell. As for me, I passed the time by watching ospreys come and go from this giant nest on the east bank. The constantly shrieking ospreys made it impossible to fulfill the Marshal's requirement of a noontime nap.
As mid-day dragged along, Reese was struggling, skipping docks with a swimbait and a stick worm, but adding nothing to the 7- or 8-pound limit in his livewell. As for me, I passed the time by watching ospreys come and go from this giant nest on the east bank. The constantly shrieking ospreys made it impossible to fulfill the Marshal’s requirement of a noontime nap.
Skeet Reese's day started to turn for the better after he pulled into a shallow creek on the west side of Cayuga. The creek was muddier than Reese had seen it in practice. It was lined on both sides with thick stands of narrow leaf cattails. Reese had switched to a black frog as the sun got higher; his early-morning 3 1/2-pounder came on a white frog.
Skeet Reese’s day started to turn for the better after he pulled into a shallow creek on the west side of Cayuga. The creek was muddier than Reese had seen it in practice. It was lined on both sides with thick stands of narrow leaf cattails. Reese had switched to a black frog as the sun got higher; his early-morning 3 1/2-pounder came on a white frog. “I’ve got all the colors, brown and green, but I usually throw only black (with high skies) and white (in low light),” Reese said.
Reese began making precise pitches into gaps between the cattails, where there was about a foot of water.
Reese began making precise pitches into gaps between the cattails, where there was about a foot of water.
And the violent explosions of a bass attacking a topwater lure soon followed.
And the violent explosions of a bass attacking a topwater lure soon followed.
With bass like this one – in the 3-pound range – Reese started culling the
With bass like this one – in the 3-pound range – Reese started culling the “rats” from his livewell.
Another 3-pounder replaced one more 1-pounder, and Reese started getting excited. At 1:05 p.m., he said,
Another 3-pounder replaced one more 1-pounder, and Reese started getting excited. At 1:05 p.m., he said, “I’m two bites away from fishing tomorrow (by making the 50 cut).”
Bass just kept chomping the frog. Not all the explosions resulted in hook-ups. After one monster splash and a miss, somehow, uh, Reese's rod ended up in my lap. But at 1:20, all the rats were overboard and Reese had nothing but 3-pounders in his livewells.
Bass just kept chomping the frog. Not all the explosions resulted in hook-ups. After one monster splash and a miss, somehow, uh, Reese’s rod ended up in my lap. But at 1:20, all the rats were overboard and Reese had nothing but 3-pounders in his livewells.
Reese kept pulling 3-pounders from the cattails. This was where the day really got interesting. None of these fish came from the edge of the cattails. Reese had to make a precise pitch into weed gaps no wider than a couple of inches.
Reese kept pulling 3-pounders from the cattails. This was where the day really got interesting. None of these fish came from the edge of the cattails. Reese had to make a precise pitch into weed gaps no wider than a couple of inches. “I can’t believe how tight you’ve got to get back in there to get a bite,” Reese said. And I couldn’t believe how many times he could thread the needle with his casts.
You can see the trail left on the duck weed-covered water surface by the Snag Proof Ish's Phat Frog after another precision cast by Reese. He rarely retrieved it this far from the cattails before making another pitch.
You can see the trail left on the duck weed-covered water surface by the Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog after another precision cast by Reese. He rarely retrieved it this far from the cattails before making another pitch.
Not even the 2007 Angler of the Year and 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion makes a perfect pitch every time. The Phat Frog didn't stay stuck in mid-air long before Reese pitched it back between the cattails, where you could hear bluegills sucking bugs from the surface.
Not even the 2007 Angler of the Year and 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion makes a perfect pitch every time. The Phat Frog didn’t stay stuck in mid-air long before Reese pitched it back between the cattails, where you could hear bluegills sucking bugs from the surface.
As the afternoon continued, Reese found bass on the opposite bank of the creek as well. The details of his rod-and-reel combo? Wright & McGill 7-foot, 2-inch Skeet Reese Series Football Jig/Big Worm rod paired with a new Wright & McGill Reese Series Pro Carbon baitcasting reel with a 7.9:1 gear ratio.
As the afternoon continued, Reese found bass on the opposite bank of the creek as well. The details of his rod-and-reel combo? Wright & McGill 7-foot, 2-inch Skeet Reese Series Football Jig/Big Worm rod paired with a new Wright & McGill Reese Series Pro Carbon baitcasting reel with a 7.9:1 gear ratio. “I like high speed reels.” Reese said. “They make me more efficient. The rod does all the work to horse a fish out of that cover. I also switched the hooks out (of the frog) to the new Trokar frog hook. It’s the sharpest hook made.”
And just like every bass he found in the creek, this was another one in the 3-pound range. Reese never let the frog sit still on the surface. He was constantly retrieving it with short twitches of the rod tip, walking the dog, 3 inches at a time, with a steady left, right, left, right. The frog was tied to 65-pound test Spiderwire Ultracast Ultimate Braid.
And just like every bass he found in the creek, this was another one in the 3-pound range. Reese never let the frog sit still on the surface. He was constantly retrieving it with short twitches of the rod tip, walking the dog, 3 inches at a time, with a steady left, right, left, right. The frog was tied to 65-pound test Spiderwire Ultracast Ultimate Braid.
After putting five 3-pounders in his livewells, Reese had to get out a balance beam to cull his fish, which looked like cookie-cutter 3-pounders, except for that first one of the day. I've often wondered why more of the Elite Series anglers don't use a set of digital scales. But Skeet Reese is approaching the $3 million mark in career tournament winnings, so who am I to be questioning his methods?
After putting five 3-pounders in his livewells, Reese had to get out a balance beam to cull his fish, which looked like cookie-cutter 3-pounders, except for that first one of the day. I’ve often wondered why more of the Elite Series anglers don’t use a set of digital scales. But Skeet Reese is approaching the $3 million mark in career tournament winnings, so who am I to be questioning his methods?
This afternoon had turned into a frog fishing clinic, and it's one reason why the Elite Series Marshal program has been so successful. If you wanted to see exactly how one of the best bass anglers in the world catches fish on a frog, this was the day to be with Skeet Reese. I got the opportunity because someone else failed to show. Lucky me.
This afternoon had turned into a frog fishing clinic, and it’s one reason why the Elite Series Marshal program has been so successful. If you wanted to see exactly how one of the best bass anglers in the world catches fish on a frog, this was the day to be with Skeet Reese. I got the opportunity because someone else failed to show. Lucky me.
It was back to the balance beam after every bass now. Reese was culling up ounces at a time, but that's a problem any pro can live with when he's got nothing but 3-pounders on board.
It was back to the balance beam after every bass now. Reese was culling up ounces at a time, but that’s a problem any pro can live with when he’s got nothing but 3-pounders on board.
Did you ever wonder how yellow became Skeet Reese's trademark color?
Did you ever wonder how yellow became Skeet Reese’s trademark color? “It wasn’t planned,” Reese said. In 1996 or ’97, Reese got a Champion bass boat that had caught his eye. It was yellow. Then Reese added a yellow jersey to match the boat. In the years since, one thing led to another – yellow shoes, yellow rods. Skeet Reese isn’t exactly mellow (I’m still thinking about that rod that landed in my lap), but he is definitely draped in yellow.
This is an example of the
This is an example of the “sweet spot” where Reese had to pitch the frog in order to get a bite. The initial pitch landed a foot farther back in the cattails and duckweed-covered water. I lost count, but Reese must have caught 10 keepers in about two hours. Not one of those bites came when the frog was more than a foot from the cattails, and most came from back inside the cattail jungle.
What made this day with Skeet Reese most interesting wasn't just the way he finished with a frog-bite flurry. It was the way he started, struggled and found a way to succeed. As Reese noted, there's a lot of money on the table right now, based on AOY points race, even if you don't win the title. Second place in AOY pays $55,000, third is $38,000, fourth is $35,000 and fifth is $30,000. Reese wants to collect every bit of cash possible as the season winds to a close.
What made this day with Skeet Reese most interesting wasn’t just the way he finished with a frog-bite flurry. It was the way he started, struggled and found a way to succeed. As Reese noted, there’s a lot of money on the table right now, based on AOY points race, even if you don’t win the title. Second place in AOY pays $55,000, third is $38,000, fourth is $35,000 and fifth is $30,000. Reese wants to collect every bit of cash possible as the season winds to a close.
After Reese finished culling on Day 2, he weighed in 16 pounds, 13 ounces, which moved him up to 33rd place in the standings. The sun didn't shine and the wind blew Saturday, which destroyed his frog bite. Reese finished the tournament in 50th place. But he made the Top 50 with that Friday performance under pressure and earned $10,000. The 45-year-old Auburn, Calif., pro goes into the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship next month ranked 8th in AOY points. He can't win AOY, but he could finish as high as fourth. And that's some money Skeet Reese doesn't want to leave on the table.
After Reese finished culling on Day 2, he weighed in 16 pounds, 13 ounces, which moved him up to 33rd place in the standings. The sun didn’t shine and the wind blew Saturday, which destroyed his frog bite. Reese finished the tournament in 50th place. But he made the Top 50 with that Friday performance under pressure and earned $10,000. The 45-year-old Auburn, Calif., pro goes into the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship next month ranked 8th in AOY points. He can’t win AOY, but he could finish as high as fourth. And that’s some money Skeet Reese doesn’t want to leave on the table.

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