Robert Gee, who has close ties to Cherokee County, wrapped up his rookie season on the Bassmaster Elite Series by competing in the “Super Bowl of Fishing” from March 21-23.
His father, also named Robert Gee, is from Murphy, while his mother, Joy Postell-Gee, is from Andrews. He comes from sporting roots, as his mother is in the Andrews High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
His paternal grandparents, the late Leon and Peggy Gee, were from Murphy. His maternal grandparents, George and Trish Postell, live in Andrews. George Postell served many years on the Cherokee County Board of Education as chair as well as being a county commissioner.
The Bassmaster Classic is the final event of the season, and the top 56 anglers on the Bassmaster Elite series qualify. Gee was one of the 56 to qualify and had a chance to compete for $300,000. Gee finished the event in 42nd place, catching just over 20 pounds of bass at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.
He said the ultimate goal is to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, which he did. Gee said it was awesome getting to fish in such an exclusive event, and it was incredible seeing his hard work pay off.
Reflecting on his rookie season, he said, “I thought my rookie season went well, and I set myself a high bar of expectations for me to build on. We’re going to have to keep working really hard to have the same type of year I had in my rookie season.”
One of the biggest things he learned in his rookie season was just how good everyone on the Elite Series is, and just how hard it is to win the events.
Gee also spoke on what sets apart an amateur angler versus an angler on the Elite Series. He said anglers on the Elite Series can break down a body of water in just a few hours and catch a high weight of fish very fast.
His next event on the Bassmaster Elite Series is from April 10-13 in Elizabeth City. To prepare for the tournament at Albemarle Sound, Gee said he will do map study.
He will look at maps on Google Earth, as well as topography maps to see the underwater terrain. He added that it is brackish water, so he will need to plan accordingly.
Gee will also look at the weather patterns and make adjustments to his tackle –like thicker fishing line to
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accommodate the underwater mussels present in the water – to prepare for the tournament.
Following the tournament in Elizabeth City, Gee will head to Lake Hartwell, S.C., for a tournament. He said the next few months will involve a lot of time fishing in tournaments and preparing for them by spending time on the water.
Gee is from Knoxville, Tenn., and is a huge Volunteers fan. Speaking on their men’s and women’s basketball teams making it deep into March Madness, he said it’s an incredible time to be a Vols fan as they are doing well in basketball, as well as baseball, softball and football.
He specifically talked about their game Friday against Kentucky in the Sweet 16, since the Wildcats beat them the last two times they played. The Volunteers went on to win 78-65, but fell to Houston in the Elite 8.
Along with fishing, Gee grew up playing baseball. He spoke about a high school teammate, Spencer Strider, who today is a starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, though at the moment he is rehabbing an injury from last season.
“I’m jacked up for him … He looks like he’s back in Strider form, and I think he’s gonna kill it. He’s got the will to work hard and get his body right. So I think he’s going to really raise some eyebrows when he steps back onto the mound,” Gee said.
“He loves baseball more than any human being loves anything. Just a testament to all his hard work over the years. I saw it behind the scenes when we were growing up, and he’s truly a true professional.”
Strider spent some time with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, and is expected to return to the Braves early this season.
Gee will return to angling action April 10-13 at Albemarle Sound in Elizabeth City. From April 24-27, he will compete at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C. From May 8-11, he will compete at Lake Fork in Yantis Texas, where he recently spent some time preparing for the tournament.
Details: Visit bassmaster.com/
schedule.