B.A.S.S. announced today that Gerald Swindle, Aaron Martens, Mike Iaconelli and Skeet Reese have won the fan balloting for the four at-large spots for Toyota Trucks All-Star Week, which kicks off next week at Lake Shelbyville in Illinois. The quartet of former Anglers of the Year will join the Top 8 from the 2012 AOY race: Brent Chapman, defending All-Star champion Ott DeFoe (pictured), Terry Scroggins, Todd Faircloth, Randy Howell, Matt Herren, Kevin VanDam and Edwin Evers.
In the first stage of the event, Sept. 20-21, all 12 anglers will compete on Lake Shelbyville for 2 days. The Top 4 will advance to the first championship round on Sept. 22 on Lake Decatur, where the No. 1 seed will face off against No. 4, and No. 2 will be paired against No. 3 in a modified match-fishing format.
On Sept. 23, weights will be reset to zero for the final competition round – also on Lake Decatur – which will feature the two advancing seeds, one of whom will be crowned the 2012 Toyota Trucks All-Star champion.
Reese said he would've preferred to qualify for the event via the points race, but appreciates his fans choosing him for the competition.
“I came close, but not close enough,” said Reese, who finished the year 11th in points. “I’m very grateful and thankful to have the fan base out there that wants me to participate. I’m glad to be in.”
Said Swindle: “It’s very humbling that the fans of bass fishing think enough of me to vote me in. You put all this time and effort into your career, and people appreciate that. It makes me step back in awe about the whole deal. The fans said I’m going, so I’m going. If I do leave there with a trophy, I owe it to the fans, and I’m not going to forget that.”
