Skaneatles Lake
Sunday, 23 Sept. 2012
Partners Tournament
As our tournament season begins to wind down, we made our way to Skaneateles Lake. Located approx. 20 miles SE of Syracuse, NY; Skaneateles Lake is one of the “finger lakes”, noted for crystal clear water. This lake supplies the drinking water for Syracuse and we have fished this lake many times around this time of the year.
This was our second of our partners tournament. What this means is we pair our strongest boater with a weaker non-boater and vice versa. We use this as an educational tournament where our partners learn from each other.
Weather for the tournament: We launched at 7 AM, air temp. started at 49 deg. F. with a slight wind out of the west. By the time we came off the water, air temp was 60 deg. F., wind out of the west at 14 mph with gusts at 20 mph. Water temp. was 63 – 65 deg. F., water was clear with a slight ripple on the water at the start and waves at approx. 1 ft..
Tournament Director Bill Kays and Tom Zedick ready to start the tournament
Although we have fished this water before, the fishing was tough. A cold front came through the day before dumping large amounts of rain, wind, and falling temperatures. The bite was not as good in years past, however the rain never arrived as predicted.
Boats preparing to come out of the water after the tournament
Tournament Committee weighing in the fish
After the tournament is over. The fish are weighed. The team with the biggest weight of fish wins. The fish are then released back into the same water where they came from so others may enjoy catching them at a later date.
3rd place @ 11.02 lbs.
Mike Dixon and Ron VanBenschoten
2nd place @ 11.18 lbs.
Jack “Jake” Wilson and John Woods
1st place @ 12.27 lbs.,Big Bass: 3.15 lbs
Joe Valerio and Kevin Schneider
Big Bass, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops of Auburn, NY
With a tough day on the water fishing with weather conditions not being the greatest, these two gentlemen figured out that the larger small mouth where in 18 – 24 feet of water of a particular point on the lake. They were using a variety of drop shot worms. Their primary drop shot worm was a black due drop worm from VENOM LURES, one of our long time sponsors.
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They also used a roboworm ( june bug color) which they purchased through Bass Pro Shop of Auburn, NY 
Bass Pro of Auburn is another on of our long time sponsors which we are so grateful for.