Skeet Reese Announces Retirement from Tournament Bass Fishing

Tournament bass fishing legend and marketing-savvy icon to focus on growing his Reese Fishing brand after stepping away from competition.

Legendary bass pro Skeet Reese announces his retirement from competitive fishing after the 2025 season. | MLF | Skeet Reese

Skeet Reese to Retire After 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour Season

Skeet Reese, one of the most recognizable, successful and impactful anglers of the modern era of professional bass tournament fishing has announced his retirement from competitive angling at the end of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour season.

As a bass geek who really started getting caught up in the sport in the early-90s, this news hits pretty hard—like, “KVD’s retirement announcement” hard. These guys were the stars of bass fishing at a time when professional bass fishing was really experiencing a growth spurt. When I think of tournament bass fishing, I think of guys like Skeet Reese.

A Career Defined by Personality, Passion, and Performance

Skeet Reese has never missed an opportunity to make a memorable impression. Trademark yellow from head to toe. | B.A.S.S.

Reese was one of the first anglers who seemed to understand the marketing/business part of bass angling as well as he understood bass catching. Like a great brand, his presence was undeniable and unforgettable—always dressed head to toe in yellow and black, spiky blonde hair, outgoing personality, signature weigh-in stage dance moves, and an uninhibited willingness to show his emotions. Heck, even his name is marketing gold!

Add all that to the fact that he’s always been a threat to win on any body of water, with 12 career victories including a BPT Stage win just last year, and you have a superstar of bass fishing.

Skeet Reese is going out on top, still a viable threat to win any time he competes. His latest trophy came from Stage Six of the Bass Pro Tour in 2024. | Major League Fishing

What’s Next for Skeet Reese? Focus on Reese Fishing and Brand Partners

Although he will not be competing after this season, he’s not just going to ride off into the sunset and disappear on a tropical island somewhere—although that does seem like a pretty good fit. Reese plans to be very active in the fishing industry, working with his longtime sponsor partners and promoting his rod brand, Reese Fishing.

Reflecting on a Legendary Bass Fishing Career

In a press release from Major League Fishing, the Bass Fishing Hall of Famer expressed immense gratitude.

“I only dreamed of being able to fish for a living as a young angler growing up in Northern California, and I never would have thought it could have turned out like this,” he said.  “I have had partners along the way that have supported and believed in me that have become more like family than business partners; I would not have been able to stay in this career, let alone be successful without them.”

I am thankful to the leagues that have provided a platform for myself and my colleagues to build our brands in, and to the fans who tune in and attend the events we have competed in throughout the years,” said Reese. 

Skeet Reese catching one of the fish that led to his latest tour level victory in Richmond, VA in 2024. | Major League Fishing

“To my family and friends that have been a big part of everything, I want to let you know how much you have been a part of my career and how fulfilling it is to have you a part of it. Finally, to Kim, Lea and Courtney, I would never have been able to chase this without your love and support, thank you and I love you so much.

“This has been a ride that I am grateful to have been on, I can’t express enough how humbled I am to have been a professional angler in this industry, and how thankful I am to have been able to do it for as long as I have.  I will put the same effort into working for my partners and into building the best fishing rods you could ever put in your hands at Reese Fishing – from the depths of my heart, Thank You all!”

Check out the video announcement below from Reese's Instagram page.