This past weekend's Parade Magazine featured Skeet Reese, 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champ. Written by internationally known author Harlan Coben, it was a solid PR coup for the sport.

Skeet Reese was on the cover of the Sunday, March 14, edition of Parade magazine, the supplement 33 million people receive each week in their Sunday newspapers. Inside was a two-page spread with photos featuring the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Auburn, Calif. The article was written by Harlan Coben, an award-winning author of 16 books in the thriller genre.

The Parade piece was a coup for the sport of bass fishing on two counts: It was the cover story for a mainstream media outlet that claims a readership of 72.775 million people and distribution in 470 newspapers, and it was written by a novelist of international fame.

"Skeet Reese, the West Coast and bass fishing (were) represented very well," said Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Keith Alan as he presented a copy of Parade to Reese on stage in the final moments of the TroKar Duel on the Delta last Sunday in Stockton, Calif.

As Alan spoke, Reese was still a bit stunned from learning he was 2 ounces short of winning the event. He smiled for photographers while holding up the magazine. The pose was a double image of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic winner in his yellow and black trademark wear.

Interviewing Reese was Coben's introduction to bass fishing. His latest book, Caught, to be released next week, is not about fishing, nor are any of his other thrillers. Many, however, are award winners, including Tell No One, which was made into a movie of the same name.

Parade arranged Coben's onboard interview with Reese. That was in September 2009, during the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason in Alabama.

"I think they figured Skeet would be a good interview subject with his rather, uh, you know, brash background," Coben said.

He was enthusiastic about taking on the piece because his son, Ben, is an avid angler.

"He loves to fish more than life itself, and he has a father who doesn't know anything about fishing," Coben said. "So that's when we came up with the idea, and thought it might be neat to bring Ben down with me. I was a total outsider, a guy who knows nothing about fishing, rather than somebody who is an expert on bass fishing."

While in Alabama, Coben went fishing with Elite pro Greg Vinson. The trip was an exercise to help him understand how tough the sport can be. Ben came along.

"I was ready to give it up in about 10 minutes," Coben laughed. "I only caught a gar, but Ben reeled in four bass. The next day, Skeet and Kevin (VanDam) were making fun of me."

Reese's miss on an Elite win on the same day the Parade piece came out was an odd coincidence. Coben, who has been following Reese's career, drew a parallel to the postseason tournament where he interviewed Reese.

"I'm crushed for him because I know what a competitor he is, and I know how hard he takes it," Coben said. "I was in the boat with him when he didn't win the Angler of the Year, so I know Skeet and that he's taking it hard, but he'll bounce back."

Click to Read the Parade magazine article