Whether you groove on tossing topwater lures at daybreak, flinging jigs at riprap and docks, or finessing a swimbait through the weedbeds, no platform can top a bay boat style fishing machine for light tackle fishing on the Chesapeake and nearby coastal bays. And one that boasts some cool new design features is the Skeeter SX241.
Wait a sec—Skeeter? Yes, Skeeter. Up to now we haven’t seen many of Skeeter’s bay boats in the region, but Beacon Light Marina in Middle River recently took the brand on and we stumbled across them at last fall’s Annapolis Powerboat Show. At a glance, you’ll see that these boats have the traits that make for a topnotch light tackle center console: broad casting decks, 360-degree fishability, gobs of livewell capacity, and oodles of rodholders plus tackle stowage. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that a 1’3” draft means you and your anglers will be precision-casting into spots other boats can’t even dream of reaching. And with a cruising speed of over 40 mph and a top-end hitting 60 mph (according to Yamaha, with an F350 mounted on the jack plate), you’ll be making those casts well before the competition arrives.
The SX241 offers a few perks that few other bay boats match, too. Pop open the foredeck wing hatches, and you’ll discover that the port stowage compartment has racks inside so it can serve as a rod box. And both port and starboard compartments lock, so you can keep your rigs and gear secure when trailering or leaving the boat unattended for a few days. The rodholder count is impressive, hitting a grand total of 22 including the hard top rocket launchers. As far as those livewells go, while most boats of this genre offer one or possibly two as standard features the SX241 has three: two flanking the aft deck and one under the forward console seat. Tackle stowage is a cut above the norm as well, with four tackle boxes plus a bulk stowage section under the leaning post, and a swing-out pocket for a large tacklebox built into the console along with an extra slot for safely stowing cell phones or other valuables.
Speaking of the console: it’s minimized to provide the most deck space possible for angling. Though this means a head compartment isn’t in the cards, it also means this 24-footer has the casting territory of many 26-footers. And Skeeter offers a wide range of factory-installed Garmin and Humminbird electronics options at the helm, including the Mega Side-Imaging or Sidevu pre-wiring.
Setting all of the above aside, what will really seal the deal for most anglers looking at this boat is the casting deck acreage. The bowdeck is a monster, with room for three to swing rods without hooking each other in the ear. The aft deck is even more interesting—on this boat it runs full width from the edge of the cockpit right up to the very transom, while on many boats a large section of the center aft portion would be scalloped out for a motor well and rigging space. Added bonus: Steps up to each casting deck are molded into the corners of the cockpit, which will make anglers with cranky knees particularly happy. Double-added bonus: the steps aft house cup holders and the forward gunwales also have flush-mounted cupholders, which will make anglers who get thirsty particularly happy.
You say you love light tackle fishing, and you’re intrigued by those sleek, low-slung bay boats you’ve seen prowling around the Chesapeake? Well, keep your eyes open. With models like the SX241 trouncing around in our territory, there’s a good chance you’ll be spotting a Skeeter soon.
Skeeter SX241 Specifications
- LOA – 24’1”
- Beam – 8’5”
- Displacement – 2925 lbs.
- Draft (hull) – 1’3”
- Transom Deadrise – 20 degrees
- Fuel Capacity – 75 gal.
- Max. Power – 350
- Area Dealers – Beacon Light Marina, Middle River, MD, (410) 335-6200