Following the biggest Skeeter Owner’s Tournament ever, June 13-14, 2015, Skeeter is thrilled to announce the dates for the 2016 Skeeter Owner's Tournament will be June 9-12, 2016 on Lake Fork.
A total of 2,124 anglers — all of them driving Skeeter� bass boats — hit the water on Lake Fork during the recent 2015 tournament competing for their chance to win hourly prizes and a new Skeeter FX 20 or TXZ 190.
Skeeter Vice President Jeff Stone said the event is a great way for Skeeter to thank clients.
“Each year, it just amazes me how much this tournament grows,” Stone said. “The turnout from all over the country is incredible. We had good weather — not too hot — and the anglers caught more overs than in the past tournaments.”
Stone said Skeeter is already working on next year’s tournament, and with a 40 percent year-to-year growth of the event, he expects next year’s event to have more boats and more anglers competing.
“This is a great opportunity for us to thank our customers,” Stone said. “Next year, we expect it to be just as much fun, and we will continue the traditions we’ve established.”
Skeeter would like to thank all of the anglers, volunteers and sponsors that made the 2015 event possible.
“Our volunteers are remarkable and they come from all over the country. We couldn’t put on such an incredible event without them,” said JoAnne O’Bryant, Senior Marketing Projects Manager for Skeeter. “We would also like to thank each of our vendor sponsors that provided so many of the amazing prizes.”
When the tournament ended Sunday afternoon, Alba angler Walter Thomas, Jr. was admiring his new Skeeter FX 20 after bringing a 10.66-pound largemouth bass to the scales on Saturday afternoon. Thomas’s bass was the biggest caught during the two-day event, but it didn’t come without some anxious moments for the local angler.
“I was fishing in about 35 feet of water, and she was suspended in about 15 feet,” he said. “I didn’t realize she was as big as she was. I had the drag all the way down when she went on a run. The first thing I thought was I needed to lighten the drag, but she headed for cover and I was able to get her turned. It actually helped to have the drag set where I did.
“It was awesome,” he said. “This was the first time I have ever spent any time sitting in the first chair. I led for the entire second day. I never really got nervous until that last hour. Finally, with about three minutes to go, my brother looked out on the lake and said, ‘I don’t see any other boats coming.’ That is when I got really excited.”
As for the new boat, Thomas said, “I’m going fishing in it!”
Thomas said he has a 2010 Skeeter, but this one has all of the bells and whistles and he can’t wait to get it out on the lake.
“This one is so much better,” he said. “I’ve got two boats now, so I need to get rid of one, but that is a good problem to have.”
Also winning a Skeeter bass boat for the biggest bass under the slot limit was Belton angler Steve Meyer. Meyer brought in a fish weighing 2.92 pounds, just edging out the next biggest under at 2.90 pounds.
Meyer fished with his two sons, Travis and Richard, during the tournament.
“I threw a Carolina rig most of the time.” Meyer said. “I’m not sure baits made a big difference, but I went with a Lake Fork Tackle Carolina-rigged Ring-Fry. I had my two sons in the boat with me, and they were beating the front of the boat to death with crankbaits, jerkbaits and everything else. I caught my only fish at 20 minutes before noon on Saturday.”
“We had to sweat it out the rest of the afternoon on Saturday, and then we listened to the radio all day Sunday,” he said. “I’d like everyone with Skeeter to know how much I appreciate this tournament. Bass Champs does a great job, as well. I'd like to thank everyone, right down to the people working the barbecue line.”