Auburn , Calif. – Getting yourself ready for the tour season is always a busy time for any professional angler. There are final sponsor arrangements, hotel and housing to plan, flights to book, map study and any other thing that could have an effect on the season.

For 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion Skeet Reese, one of the busiest and most important parts of preparing is to get his famous Lucky Craft / PowerBait Big rig ready for the season. That preparation includes maintenance of the trailer and truck, as well as inventorying of tackle, re-stocking and reloading.

“It all starts when I get back from the year before,” said the four-time BASS winner. “I unload the gear from the truck and boat, and put it in the garage for going through at a later date.”

Usually, that later date is a full week of full days in the garage in the few weeks leading up to the time to leave. “I start the process with truck and trailer maintenance,” he said. “I added a new wrinkle this year because I am using the same boat that I ran last year due to the uncertainties surrounding Genmar. So, instead of rigging a new boat, I went through this one, checking and replacing pumps and little things that were worn after last year.”

With the boat, truck and trailer lubed and loaded with chargers, oil, spare props, wash buckets, hoses and extension cords, Reese turns to tackle. He starts with an inventory of his back stock in the garage, because when something is low there, it needs to be replenished. After the wall, he turns to the boxes that came out of the boat and truck.

“I go through my Lucky Craft baits, replacing any that need changed out or are low,” he said. “I also go through my Berkley PowerBait, my Berkley line, and TroKar Hooks, and inventory all of that. I check all of my Wright & McGill Skeet Reese Tessera Rods and Abu Garcia SKT Revos to make sure everything is in working order.” He makes a list of everything that needs replaced.

Adding tackle and how it gets integrated into the system is part of the challenge. “I always have something new to add from one of my sponsors,” Reese said. “Whether it is a new bait like Berkley's new 3” Crazy Legs Chigger Craw, or my new Lucky Craft SKT crankbaits, I have to figure out how to incorporate it. They sometimes require making room, and other times whole new boxes.”

Everything takes longer than one might assume. Reese revealed that he spends as much as two full days on the boat, trailer and truck, and another three to four days on tackle and equipment. “After I've ordered all of my replacement stuff, I have to unpack it and put it all into storage,” he said. “Everything from adding new rods and reels to re-spooling line; everything takes time, but its part of getting my mind into fishing focus.”

One of the final things Reese does in his preparation is to transfer all of his waypoints from one set of Lowrance fishfinders to the next set. “I'm running new Lowrance HDS 8's this year, and I have to transfer all of the waypoints to those units,” he said. “That takes time to do, plus, despite the fact that I went to Tulsa and did some on the water training with Darrell Rollins from Lowrance, I still need to get totally used to the new menus, so that adds something new.”

“The whole process is something I do every year, and it helps get me in touch with my gear, and puts m mind in focus for the Classic, and the season,” Reese said. “It's a long part of the job, not one of the more glamourous parts, but it gets me ready to go.”