Californian Reese wins Bassmasters Classic

Iaconelli finishes second, 11 ounces behind

BOSSIER CITY, La. -- Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., won the 2009 Bassmasters Classic and half-million dollar first-prize money on the Red River Sunday with a 3-day total of 54 pounds, 13 ounces.

     Reese, 39, a past Bass Angler of the Year, boated a 5-fish limit on Sunday's third and final day of competition to finish 11 ounces ahead of runner-up Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J., a past Classic champion.

     Reese caught most of his fish in a 200-acre area off the Red River that was filled with lily pads. His go-to baits were a spinnerbait and a plastic crawfish imitation.

     Iaconelli nearly pulled off a huge rally on Sunday, hurdling a dozen competitors with a limit that weighed 20 pounds, three ounces, to finsih at 54-2.

     Brian Snowden of Reeds Springs, Mo., (18-1, 52-14), Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., (21-11, 52-11) and Edwin Evers of Mannsville, Okla. (15-2, 51-5) rounded out the top five.

     Fishermen from the Carolinas had mixed days. Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., had a 14-7 limit the final day to finish 13th at 46-5. Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C., boated only 2-12 on Sunday and fell from seventh to 22nd place, finishing with 37-2