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Lake City team wins annual quarterback club tourney
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| The team of Jamie Albritton (from left), Greg ‘Stoker’ Stokes, Tracy ‘Skeeter’ Harper, Columbia County Quarterback Club President Rodney Crews won the 4th annual Columbia County Quarterback Club Open Bass Tournament. COURTESY PHOTO |
By TONY BRITT
tbritt@lakecityreporter.com
Tracey Harper and Greg Stokes netted 13.5-pounds of fish, besting their nearest competition by more than a pound, to capture the top honors in the
4th annual Columbia County Quarterback Club Open Bass Tournament.
Saturday’s fishing competition was designed to raise money for the Columbia High School football team and its cheerleaders.
Jamie Albritton, one of the tournament directors along with Donnie Feagle, said 57 teams
competed in the event, making it the largest tournament the Columbia County Quarterback Club has sponsored.
The tournament was held at New Clay Landing on the Suwannee River with anglers fishing from safelight to 3 p.m. By weigh-in time, 36 teams weighed-in fish, catching 27, five-fish limits and totaling 237.05 pounds of fish.
“It feels good to win the tournament,” Harper said. “The money was great. The fishing was great and my fishing partner falling out the boat was great.”
“The tournament started out a little rough, but it ended up good,” Stokes said.
The Lake City fishing duo caught 13.5 pounds of fish and bested second place finishers Ruben Thomas and Josh Lester who caught 11.39 pounds of fish. The third place team was Donnie Feagle and Jamie Albritton with a catch of 8.89 pounds, while the fourth place team of Chase Day and Kim Rod Stephenson caught 8.65 pounds. Justin Brown and Michelle Brown caught 8.25 pounds to finish in fifth place, while Tony Pate took the last money spot by catching 7.94 pounds.
Though Harper and Stokes won the tournament, they paid their dues in earning the win.
As the team was heading to its honey hole, the boat spun a propeller, costing the angler precious time as they had to change the propeller.
Once they arrived, Harper immediately caught the tournament’s big fish within five minutes of being on the spot and when he set the hook on another good fish, the fish yanked the rod out his hand. Stokes dove in river after Harper’s rod and though he
recovered the rod, but that time the fish had escaped.
“It pretty much got boring after that,” Harper joked.
The team said they figured they would be in the money with the bag of fish, but had no idea they had won the tournament until all the fish were weighed.
“We just thought we were in the money,” Stokes said.
“We figured it would take 15 pounds or better to win the tournament,” added Harper, who said they were depending on the morning bite, but got bit most of the day. “We never thought that 13.5 would win it. It’s tough this time of the year.”
Albritton said the event was a success because of community sponsors and the participation by local anglers.
“Mostly everything was provided by local businesses,” he said. “I don’t know a business in town that didn’t donate. We probably had more than $2,000 worth of items that were donated. This was the biggest tournament we’ve had and probably the biggest tournament on the river.
“The biggest thing that I saw this year is that it just seems the community is getting behind the football program,” Albritton continued. “I don’t know if you can contribute that to coach (Craig) Howard, but the money is going to be used for uniforms, transportation and the various costs associated with running the football program. There was a lot of community support this year and it was greatly appreciated by everyone down there.”
RESULTS
n First place — Tracey Harper and Greg Stokes, 13.50 lbs.
n Second place — Ruben Thomas and Josh Lester, 11.39 lbs.
n Third place — Donnie Feagle and Jamie Albritton, 8.89 lbs.
n Fourth place — Chase Day and Kim Rod Stephenson, 8.65 lbs.
n Fifth place — Justin Brown and Michelle Brown, 8.25 lbs.
n Sixth place — Tony Pate, 7.94 lbs.
n Big Bass winner — Tracey Harper and Greg Stokes, 6.05 lbs.
n Second place big bass winner — Tony Pate, 6.02 lbs.
n Youngest Angler Award — Rhett Feagle
(3 years old)
4th annual Columbia County Quarterback Club Open Bass Tournament.
Saturday’s fishing competition was designed to raise money for the Columbia High School football team and its cheerleaders.
Jamie Albritton, one of the tournament directors along with Donnie Feagle, said 57 teams
competed in the event, making it the largest tournament the Columbia County Quarterback Club has sponsored.
The tournament was held at New Clay Landing on the Suwannee River with anglers fishing from safelight to 3 p.m. By weigh-in time, 36 teams weighed-in fish, catching 27, five-fish limits and totaling 237.05 pounds of fish.
“It feels good to win the tournament,” Harper said. “The money was great. The fishing was great and my fishing partner falling out the boat was great.”
“The tournament started out a little rough, but it ended up good,” Stokes said.
The Lake City fishing duo caught 13.5 pounds of fish and bested second place finishers Ruben Thomas and Josh Lester who caught 11.39 pounds of fish. The third place team was Donnie Feagle and Jamie Albritton with a catch of 8.89 pounds, while the fourth place team of Chase Day and Kim Rod Stephenson caught 8.65 pounds. Justin Brown and Michelle Brown caught 8.25 pounds to finish in fifth place, while Tony Pate took the last money spot by catching 7.94 pounds.
Though Harper and Stokes won the tournament, they paid their dues in earning the win.
As the team was heading to its honey hole, the boat spun a propeller, costing the angler precious time as they had to change the propeller.
Once they arrived, Harper immediately caught the tournament’s big fish within five minutes of being on the spot and when he set the hook on another good fish, the fish yanked the rod out his hand. Stokes dove in river after Harper’s rod and though he
recovered the rod, but that time the fish had escaped.
“It pretty much got boring after that,” Harper joked.
The team said they figured they would be in the money with the bag of fish, but had no idea they had won the tournament until all the fish were weighed.
“We just thought we were in the money,” Stokes said.
“We figured it would take 15 pounds or better to win the tournament,” added Harper, who said they were depending on the morning bite, but got bit most of the day. “We never thought that 13.5 would win it. It’s tough this time of the year.”
Albritton said the event was a success because of community sponsors and the participation by local anglers.
“Mostly everything was provided by local businesses,” he said. “I don’t know a business in town that didn’t donate. We probably had more than $2,000 worth of items that were donated. This was the biggest tournament we’ve had and probably the biggest tournament on the river.
“The biggest thing that I saw this year is that it just seems the community is getting behind the football program,” Albritton continued. “I don’t know if you can contribute that to coach (Craig) Howard, but the money is going to be used for uniforms, transportation and the various costs associated with running the football program. There was a lot of community support this year and it was greatly appreciated by everyone down there.”
RESULTS
n First place — Tracey Harper and Greg Stokes, 13.50 lbs.
n Second place — Ruben Thomas and Josh Lester, 11.39 lbs.
n Third place — Donnie Feagle and Jamie Albritton, 8.89 lbs.
n Fourth place — Chase Day and Kim Rod Stephenson, 8.65 lbs.
n Fifth place — Justin Brown and Michelle Brown, 8.25 lbs.
n Sixth place — Tony Pate, 7.94 lbs.
n Big Bass winner — Tracey Harper and Greg Stokes, 6.05 lbs.
n Second place big bass winner — Tony Pate, 6.02 lbs.
n Youngest Angler Award — Rhett Feagle
(3 years old)
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