Team LC Tour Journal 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Memorial Wrap Up

Reese Captures Fifth Spot at Inaugural Bassmaster Major

Swindle and Jordon Just Outside Top 12 Cut

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 22, 2006) – It was not a week for the weary at the Inaugural Bassmaster Memorial Tournament, as 55 of the world’s top anglers competed for more than $250,000.

This weekend’s tournament was the first of three of its kind occurring this season. The Bassmaster Memorial honored Don Butler, the first member of BASS and the second angler ever to win a Bassmaster Classic. This four-day tournament, modeled after the ‘Super Bowl’ of bass fishing (the Classic) included indoor weigh-ins each day, the ESPN Outdoors Expo and same-day coverage on ESPN2.

>>>Skeet Reese

The action began on Eagle Mountain Lake for the first two days of competition. On day three, the top 12 anglers fished a six-hole course on Benbrook Lake, as did the ‘super six’ on the final day of competition. Among the anglers fishing that final day was Skeet Reese. After bringing in a combined weight of 26 pounds, 3 ounces following the first two days of competition, Reese earned the third spot going into day three; but weights were cleared and the top 12 started from scratch Saturday morning.

Both Eagle Mountain Lake and Benbrook proved to be challenging for many, with the low water levels and the heavy boat traffic; but Reese seemed to be on some fish, despite the pressure.

“Fifty-five boats on Eagle Mountain Lake was way too many,” said Reese, a California native. “There were good stringers caught out there and some 15 – 16 pound sacks, but I was glad to get what I got. Benbrook was also interesting, but for different reasons. There just isn’t a whole lot (of fish) out there – it was pretty slim pickins.”

Lure selection proved crucial at this tournament for several anglers, including Reese. Determining what to use and when seemed a daunting task.

“I thought at the beginning of the week, on Eagle Mountain Lake, we would get some topwater fish, but that didn’t materialize,” Reese explained. “Then I thought maybe I’d catch some shallow crankbait fish, but that didn’t materialize either. All my fish on Eagle Mountain came on a 3/8-ounce and a 1/2-ounce brown and purple jig.”

“In the early mornings, I was fishing around shallow rocks in three feet of water or less with the jig – then I would move to docks once the sun came up,” Reese continued. “I caught a keeper on Saturday (on Benbrook Lake) on a black and blue, 5/8-ounce jig and the rest came on a worm with a shaky head setup.”
After a great performance on both lakes this weekend, Reese was happy with the way things turned out. Only one more thing could have made it better.

“I’m pleased with the overall tournament,” Reese concluded. “Obviously I’d be even more pleased, since I had a good tournament, if I had been fishing for points - but I did get to bring home a nice paycheck.”

Reese ended the tournament weekend with a day three weight of 10 pounds, 9 ounces and a 3 pound, 11 ounce sack on day four, putting him fifth overall.

>>>Gerald Swindle

Gerald Swindle was just outside the cut to 12 on Friday, finishing the tournament in the 19th spot. After a rough first day, weighing in 5 pounds and 2 ounces, Swindle fought back on day two to bring in a five fish limit worth 12 pounds and 13 ounces. It wasn’t enough to make the cut, but Swindle was proud of his comeback efforts.

“The first day of the tournament, I caught a keeper within the first three minutes on a Lucky Craft BDS 2, and another keeper on a spinnerbait,” Swindle began. “I thought I was off to a great start. However, it was 11:00 am before I caught another one and I had to catch it on a frog - my day just started to fall apart. I kept trying to swing for the fence, but kept slipping and falling.”

With many anglers on one small lake, fishing can prove difficult, in part because you have to figure out what the others aren’t throwing. Figure out that riddle and increase your chances of weighing in a good limit – and that’s exactly what Swindle did.

“Today (Friday) I went out and tried to target some of the same areas, but slow it down a bit,” Swindle explained. “After I started slowing things down, I really got more bites, but there were still so many people fishing the docks. I would go in and see six guys fishing the same boat dock I was and I would think to myself, ‘okay, what is it that they aren’t throwing?’ That’s what led me to throw the tube – no one else was doing it. And I came in with a limit.”

Swindle was sure, before going into day two, he wouldn’t have enough to make the cut, but already had another goal in mind - fish hard and at least take home a prize.

“I’m not disappointed in today (Friday) at all,” Swindle said. “Yesterday I did most of my damage to myself. Today I had one thing in mind and that was sneaking back up and making a check. Realistically I was out of it with five pounds after day one. I figured it would take 20 or so pounds to make the cut and I knew catching 15 or 16 pounds today would be a tough trial on this lake. I went out today with one goal in mind – catching 10 pounds and making a check. I didn’t shoot for the moon – I just wanted to climb up the ladder a bit.”

>>>Kelly Jordon

Kelly Jordon also just missed the cut to 12, actually tying Swindle for the 19th spot; but his weekend started off opposite of Swindle. Jordon brought in 15 pounds and 6 ounces on day one, catapulting him to the third spot – only a little more than a pound out of the lead going into day two. However, Eagle Mountain Lake proved to be tough because as weather conditions changed, so did the bite.

“I got beat to some topwater spots Thursday morning, so my topwater bite didn’t happen,” Jordon explained. “So I was catching most of my fish on jigs around docks and that’s basically what I did all day long. It didn’t seem like I really had much going – I only had one fish.

“But about 1:00 PM it got really slick out there and that tightens those big fish up pretty well,” Jordon continued. “I was able to catch two pretty nice fish – one six pound, 11 ounces and the other six pounds, 12 ounces – both right in a row.”

However, following an explosive first day, the weather began to change and Jordon tried all he knew, but couldn’t get those Texas bass to bite.

“Today (Friday) it was windy, which led to a much different bite,” Jordon said. “When it gets slick and hot, like yesterday, the fish get more active and the fishing is easier, because you can see where they are. The shad also get in tighter groups out in open water, which makes the fish more active. However, today it got windy and the fish get more active shallow and the shad also disperse a little bit.

“It just didn’t happen for me today,” Jordon concluded. “I worked really hard trying to catch them, but had only one keeper bite all day long. It just didn’t work out – it was really tough out there. But overall it really was a great weekend. I loved being here.

>>> Takahito Omori

Texas resident, Takahiro Omori, finished the weekend with an overall weight of 13 pounds and 15 ounces, putting him in the 36th spot after day two. While weather was a factor for some, a crowded lake seemed to trouble Omori.

“The first day of the tournament, I caught three keepers,” Omori said. “I was throwing a Lucky Craft RC 1.5 in Chartreuse Black. Basically, there was a lot of boat traffic and it was hard to have your own room to fish. I did the best I could and caught three keepers on Thursday totaling 7 pounds, 13 ounces.”

“Today (Friday), I went to a new area but never had any big bites,” Omori continued. “I was fishing around boat docks, just like everyone else. I was throwing a crankbait and staying shallow – about two feet deep. I just couldn’t figure out how to catch those big fish.”

Omori brought in four fish on day two, but they weighed in at 6 pounds, 2 ounces – not enough to make it to the top 12. Although Omori wasn’t fishing on day three, he was very excited about the Major tournaments and is looking forward to fishing the next one on North Carolina’s Lake Wylie.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this kind of tournament and format – a smaller field, no entry fee and fishing for big money,” said an excited Omori. “I’m very happy to have this kind of opportunity and hopefully this is the future for us.”

>>> Marty Stone

North Carolina’s Marty Stone hasn’t had the season he had hoped for…yet. Don’t count out the 2004 Angler of the Year runner-up just yet, as he doesn’t plan to end the year the same way it has begun.

“This sort of sums up my year because again, I should have made the cut,” Stone began. “I’ve had opportunity after opportunity this week and I’ve either missed them, broke them off or spun them out. I often wonder when it’s going to end – but I’m going to keep plugging away at it because I know it will end. As great as my two-year run was, it had to start and it had to stop. As bad as this little run is, I know when it started and it too is going to have to stop.”

Stone was on some fish this week, but couldn’t seem to get them in the boat.

“This week I was on some fish with some Lucky Craft product,” Stone said. “I was throwing an RC 1.5 and a BDS 2, but unfortunately, during practice, a lot of people were cranking around the boat docks and those fish really got scared of that. I had to switch to more of a reaction bite. I started throwing a spinnerbait and flipping a little jig and I had fish on everyday. Yesterday (Thursday) I probably lost five keepers and today I lost another five.”

Stone ended day one with a weight of 6 pounds and 4 ounces, putting him in the 38th position. After a day-two weight of 3 pounds and 12 ounces, Stone wouldn’t make the cut to 12, but was still looking forward to the season ahead. With two more majors to fish, and half the Elite series season left, Stone plans to be a contender before it’s all said and done.

“I’m going to keep my head up,” Stone said. “I’m very thankful for what I do and the way I do it. I just got to fish for a quarter of a million dollars and there was no entry fee – and there are two more that I get to fish in this year. I’m going to be a factor before one of these is over. I made myself a promise and I am going to keep myself to it.”