By Mike Whatley

April 18, 2009, Milledgeville, Ga. - USAF SSgt Michael Reid, of Perry, GA, took top honors at the third qualifying event of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series this weekend, dedicating the win to his Grandfather who passed suddenly just a week prior to the tournament. Reid, who is a career serviceman stationed out of Warner Robbins AFB, is on a temporary duty assignment in FL as a C130 Crew Chief and had to travel all night on Friday, foregoing any practice time, to make the event. His First Place victory earned him the guaranteed $5,000 purse plus 200 points toward his qualifying for the Year-end Championship worth over $200,000 and a slot in the prestigious “Bassmaster Classic”.

Not having a chance to practice, and with Lake Sinclair sporting heavily muddied waters from all of the recent rains in the area, Reid put his knowledge of the lake and post spawn conditions to good use. The majority of his fish came out of very shallow water. So shallow in fact, you would have thought their backs would be out of the water, especially the 7.02 pound kicker that anchored Michael`s limit. Reid used a Texas Rigged Junebug Speed Worm and Big Daddy Craw creature bait to boat his winning sack and placed extra importance on the Vicious Ultimate 20 pound test line he was tying to. The big bass ran straight into a brush pile when she felt the hook and Michael was concerned that he would not get her back out, but the line showed it’s true value to Reid when he was able to muscle her back out successfully. Michael is also eligible for an additional $500 in Triton Gold Contingencies for participating in the program. His total earnings for the weekend comes to $5,760 including the $260 Big Bass money.

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