Auburn , Calif. – While he has long been regarded as one of the top anglers in the world, Skeet Reese is not one to let things rest on their laurels. While he had won the 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, and has built one of the more impressive résumés in the sport over the past decade, he recognized that there is always room for some improvement; not matter how fine they may be.
One of the most technically sound anglers on tour, and one of the best pure fish catchers most people would ever meet, Reese makes fishing look easy. However easy he makes it look, he competes on the most prestigious tours in the world, the Bassmaster Elite Series. Most of the competitors on that series are closely matched, and if you spoke to them man to man, they would generally agree that most of the field believes that they are all capable of winning on that level.
With that in mind, there is one thing that differentiates the anglers on tour, and that is the space between their ears. The ability to make a plan, execute it while remaining flexible enough to make quick adjustments separates the men from the boys on the Elite Series. The theory is that everyone can compete when everything goes right; when the sky is sunny with a slight breeze and the water temperatures are in the low 60's in prespawn.
But, to do it when wind chill factors drive air temperatures below freezing, and the conditions changes overnight, completely obliterating the pattern the anglers worked so hard to develop in practice requires a serious mental tool box.
As tough mentally as Reese has been throughout his career, everyone can still have potential for fine tuning anything. “I'm always looking for an edge, and the mental side of our sport is something that most of us never gave much thought to maintaining,” said Reese. “Before the start of the 2010 Bassmaster Classic, I was introduced to a resource that could help me sharpen my focus.”
To be fair, anyone who can go through the grind of an 11 event season and emerge the Angler of the Year has the mental capability to do just about anything. But, as Reese said, a little maintenance never hurts. “I met Charles Plott, a performance consultant who helped me take the mental skills I possessed already, and helped me use it a little bit better,” said the six-time BASS winner. “Charles has spent time with me in person and over the phone, and the concepts we discuss have helped me focus better, place things in their proper perspective and go out there ready to fish.”
Charles Plott of PAS Systems
Plott, of Huntsville , Ala. first came to prominence in the sports world when he served as a special consultant to the Ryder Cup captain, Paul Azinger. Plott worked with the long time PGA pro to help him understand the makeup of his team members, what their strengths are, and how to overcome their weaknesses.
He came to the knowledge of the fishing world when he worked with 2004 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle, a friend of Reese's. Through their mutual connection, Plott was introduced to Reese, and they began their conversations. “Through our conversations, I've been able to discover that Skeet is one of the most gifted people I know,” said Plott. “Working with Captain Azinger, I learned how tough he was mentally, and I believe that Skeet is every bit the equal to Azinger; he is that strong.”
One of the other parts of working with Reese that Plott enjoys is the fact that the Auburn , California pro is willing to “leave no stone unturned” in search of the answer to excellence. “Skeet is the same off the water as he is on,” said Plott. “He scours the lake looking for the answers to the fishing equation, and he carries the same approach into his mental game, it truly is refreshing.”
The effort has helped Reese tighten his focus, and allow himself to do what Plott suggested he do; quit focusing on results. “Skeet may be one of the best natural ‘Fish Catchers' I've been around,” said Plott. “He's learned to focus on what he can control, and let the results take care of themselves, thus far, it's been entertaining to watch.”
Reese, on the other hand said the sport has a lot to look forward to with Plott around it. “Charles has an easy manner that helps us see more of what we have inside,” said Reese. “He works with several other anglers on tour, and if he's helped them like he's helped me, then he's doing a great job with them too.”
With three events left in the season; one in Oklahoma and two in Alabama , Reese leads the Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year Race. For Plott, his focus is merely to help his clients become more efficient on and off the water. Plott Advanced Systems can be reached by visiting their website at http://www.pasprofile.com/ .
