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| Can Kemos Repeat at Bay Mills? |
It’s the same question in any sport. Does a recent win necessarily give the winner an advantage going into the next competition?
Coming off a win from the first AIM Pro Walleye Series in April on the Winnebago System out of Winneconne the 37-year-old Oconomowoc, Wisconsin resident and walleye professional Tommy Kemos will try an answer that question when he gets set to fish the waters near Brimley in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The second event of the 2011 AIM Pro Walleye Series™ schedule will be the Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament™, June 2-4. AIM® has teamed up with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino to conduct a special, "artificial bait only" invitational tournament that will be held June 2 to 4, 2011. The Resort, located on the prime fishery near Brimley, Michigan, has pledged additional cash to the event purse.
“I’m going into this (the Bay Mills Invitational) like I did at Winneconne, with my head on straight and to fish against the fish,” Kemos said. “I’m looking to redeem myself after last year’s tournament at Brimley,” he said. In that tournament, Kemos placed in the top ten after the first two days but then faded for a distant 19th place finish.
“I have my hat in my hand coming into the Brimley tournament,” Kemos said. He added, “It certainly helps to start the season with a win and get the momentum going your way. That being said, this is one of the toughest groups of competitors in a walleye tournament. And a lot of others are hungry to get a victory. These are the best anglers in the business.”
In his ninth year fishing professionally, Kemos thinks the Bay Mills Invitational tournament has some special challenges, especially this year. The area is very different than the Wolf River chain of lakes. “This is a high quality fishery that is unique and extremely challenging with very clear water making the fish hard to trick.”
“Another thing with this being a late spring this year, the water temperature is still cold. I always try to watch the local weather going into a tournament and keep a constant eye on satellite imagery. Dealing with cold water and lower water levels presents an interesting challenge. Last year I had to travel over very shallow water to catch fish. Those areas may not be accessible this year,” he said. “I’ve got my waders packed,” he joked.
While some boats may make long runs down through the Soo Locks, fishing close in Brimley Bay shouldn’t be passed up. “It’s the most consistent bite. Last year, many finishing in the top 10 fished within sight of Bay Mills Casino,” Kemos said.
Fresh off a win is one reason Kemos is optimistic about his chances. Having fished this water before may be another advantage, but other professionals have had experience here as well. What may be new is the type of bait Kemos is planning to use. “I have a huge advantage over the rest of the field through working with Uncle Josh Bait Company,” he said.
He’s been experimenting with new bait called MEAT that has been in development for over a year. “We tested it last year and have refined it. I have the finished product which will be released at the ICAST show this summer and I am excited to put it to use,” he said.
The new bait is actually made with the fat from a pig. Kemos says the bait is the most life-like he’s seen. It floats, imitates a crawler, leech or minnow and when lying in the palm of your hand, and crumples like it’s alive.
“In the walleye world there have been great advances in the last few years in the area of artificial baits. This bait corrects a lot of shortfalls of the existing products out there. You can replace any live bait technique with this product. It can be used to tip crankbaits or spinners, for vertical jigging or for pitching the MEAT minnow into weeds for walleyes – which is the way we used it last year.
How fish will be caught and where won’t be known until the final weigh-in. “I would say the bite is up in the air but will boil down to some shallow technique like trolling spinners or cranks or swimming jigs shallow across weeds,” he said. “What always comes into play is the amount of water we have available. Someone could go out and catch 7 or 8 or 9 pounders in Lake Superior. In the years we have been there I don’t think we have discovered the full potential of the system.”
Thirty-one boats will compete in the Bay Mills Invitational. The Pros are paired with a different Co-angler partner each day of the event. The filed is cut to the top half of the field after the Day Two weigh-in and only those Pros fish on Day Three.
The tournament headquarters launch and daily weigh-ins are at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino. The boats must check in at 3:30 p.m. each afternoon, with the weigh-ins beginning at 4:30 p.m. For fans unable to make it to Bay Mills, they can view live daily weigh-in at www.aimfishing.com. For more information or rooms call Bay Mills at 1-888-422-9645.
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| Brett King Leads AIM Bay Mills Invitational |
The pre-fish was out the window for most today as conditions encountered were dramatically different from what the Pros were dialed in to before the 50 MPH winds of yesterday.
Many Pros reported the water temperatures had dropped as much as 10 degrees from the highs they had seen earlier in the week, and the turbidity had, depending on the bite, either dirtied up, or cleared enough to move the fish or shut them down.
Tommy Skarlis CRR’d a total of 4 fish, enough for 15.98 and third place going into the second day. Mike Gofron put 5 in the net, enough to hold second. Brett King had one of the very few 7 fish AIM limits, and holds what may seem like a commanding lead with 26.56 pounds, but most pros agree that the bite WILL pick up as the water warms and a 7 fish limit is more than possible for any of the Pros tomorrow.
Ross Grothe is in fourth with 7 fish and 10.83. Terry Wilson is in fifth with 9.4, Jim Carroll in sixth with 9.38, Brandon Carpenter in seventh with 9.2, Dane Stanaway in eighth with 8.15, Joe Okada in ninth with 7.66, and the top ten is rounded out by Gary parsons with a total of 4.91.
The weather will continue to be somewhat dicey tomorrow, with winds forcast to be SE at 16 MPH with occasional storms rolling through as a warm front approaches. Temps will warm into the 70’s Saturday on the final day, so warming water, the one thing almost every pro talked about as a positive influence on the bite they were on during prefish, is a certainty.
The Bay Mills Invitational field will leave the docks again tomorrow at 7:30 Eastern. Weigh in begins at 4:30 Eastern at http://www.aimfishing.com.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC™ (AIM) is a unique tournament organization which is owned by stockholders, the majority of which are Professional walleye anglers. AIM Professionals are among the “All Stars” of professional fishing, with cumulative HUNDREDS of years of tournament experience, including countless tournament victories, series championships, and Angler of the Year titles. This insight and knowledge is now being employed to provide the finest tournament experience for the participants, and the maximum exposure for the host tournament sites and corporate partners.
AIM Marketing Partners:
Bay Mills Resort & Casino, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Yamaha Marine, Crestliner Boats, J. J. Keller Fishing Team, The Reel Shot, Navionics, Luck E Strike Lures, Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Pier of d’Nort piers, Reef Runner Lures, The Judge Tournament Ruler, Rite in the Rain Paper, G2 Angling, Come By Chance Resort, and M419 Guide Service. |
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| Bay Mills Is Ready for AIM |
Fans attending the June 2-4 AIM Pro Walleye Series™ Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament will find a great facility at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino. Not only does the Resort provide great accommodations and the chance to view each day’s tournament weigh-in, but there will be plenty for the kids to do, too.
2011 is the second consecutive year Bay Mills Resort & Casino has welcomed the AIM tournament. Rod Jones, the casino General Manager said, “We’ve always tried to have a big event for the first weekend in June, and this is a great fit. We are right on the water and the tournament is a big benefit for the local community.”
Part of what makes this tournament unique is that the Pro Anglers are limited to using artificial bait only. It also is billed as the nation’s most lucrative walleye tournament, with a payout exceeding 200% of entry fees.
“Those elements set us apart, especially the no live bait rule. Each pro has to use their knowledge of walleye and lure presentation to be successful with artificial baits,” Jones added. Besides the fun for grown-ups both inside and outdoors at the resort, there is a big event just for kids on June 4 prior to the final day’s weigh-in.
Daily Rundown
Fans are invited to watch the tournament take-off each morning. It is suggested that fans come to the Bay Mills Marina an hour before the 7:30 a.m. start. The Pros and their Co-angler partners will be released one-by-one just off the harbor entrance.
Another great spot to see the Pros is at the Soo Locks about 8:00 am when many of the boats “lock through” en masse downstream to enter the St. Mary’s River. You can watch from the lock observation deck in downtown Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.
All boats must check in at the marina by 3:30 p.m. each day. The “virtual weigh-in” begins at approximately 4:30 p.m. under a large tent in the parking lot next to the marina. For those not able to attend the weigh-in, the event also will be broadcast live online over the AIM Website: www.aimfishing.com.
On the event’s final day, Saturday, June 4, kids ages 4-14 get their chance to meet and greet their favorite AIM Pro Anglers. Approximately 300 free rod and reel combinations will be given away, courtesy of the National Professional Anglers Association, the Soo Area Sportsmen’s Club and Bay Mills Resort & Casino. Children attending will also receive “Future Pro” T-shirts, which the Pros will autograph. The event starts shortly after noon near the weigh-in stage.
The kids will immediately get a chance to try their new rods and reels under direction of the AIM Pros in a trout-stocked channel adjacent to the resort. In addition, one lucky child’s name will be drawn to receive a free day of fishing with an AIM Pro Angler on Sunday, June 5.
“Kids are an important part of the future of fishing, and we want to get as many as we can involved in the sport,” said Jones, who is an avid angler himself.
While the kids are having fun, the AIM Pros will be competing until the last possible moment. Only the top 16 Pros will qualify to fish this final day of the tournament. The First Place Pro will claim over $40,000 in cash and prizes. Fans can “watch” all the moves of the top five boats because they will be outfitted with GPS tracking units. Any fan with an Internet connection can follow their progress and locations in real-time at www.aimfishing.com.
Bay Mills Resort: More than Gaming
Bay Mills Resort & Casino offers much more than gaming. Besides a hotel with 142 rooms - each with a lake view - the resort also has an RV park. The RV park will be expanded from 76 sites to 124 sites by the end of June.
The resort also features an 18-hole championship golf course rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest. This is the course where women’s’ touring golf pro Michelle Wei first played against men at age 14.
The casino features nearly 1,000 slot machines, other gaming, plus five bars and lounges and restaurants. A very popular crab buffet is featured on Tuesdays, with crab and prime rib on Fridays and Saturdays.
“This is your perfect up north retreat. We even have some areas where you can play slot machines while looking out windows over Lake Superior, something unique in the industry,” Jones concluded. “We have a very relaxed, professional gaming atmosphere because our customers are coming Up North on vacation.”
And, during the AIM tournament from June 2nd to the 4th they will also be treated to some of the top walleye pros in America.
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| Bay Mills AIM Payouts Announced |
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC� (AIM) announced today that over $115,000 in prizes were awarded to the 43 Pro Anglers that participated in the recent
Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament�.
The recent first annual Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament� set several records. First, this was the first AIM event to straddle the U.S. and Canadian borders. Second, the Bay Mills Invitational was the first AIM event to allow artificial baits only. The purse paid to the AIM Pro Anglers was also the largest ever. The $114,500 in cash and prizes paid to the top ten Pro Anglers represented 177.5% of the Pro Angler entry fees.
The event also registered the largest single walleye caught in a tournament by an AIM Pro with a 30.75" monster caught by Jim Carroll on Day One. Add to this the largest crowd (estimated at over 200 children) for the AIM/NPAA Youth Events and it was a special tournament.
The payouts were as follows:
1. Rich Boggs $15,000 Cash plus the 1750 Crestliner Raptor/125 Mercury
2. Brandon Carpenter $14,000 Cash plus the $2500 Rutting Ridge whitetail hunt
3. Scott Duncan $13,000 Cash
4. Rick Olson $12,000 Cash
5. Mike Gofron $9,500 Cash
6. Dane Stanaway $8,000 Cash
7. Jason Przekurat $6,000 Cash
8. Gary Parsons $5,000 Cash*
9. Tommy Skarlis $4,000 Cash*
10. Dan Plautz $3,000 Cash
Each of the 43 AIM Pros also received an EZ-Lube System. Jim Carroll received the "Me and My Catch" Big Fish Award for his trophy walleye. And all were treated to great facilities and great support by the Bay Mills Resort & Casino and the area fans.
*Winners in the Cash Pools were as follows:
� Big Fish Day One - Tom Kemos $175, Gary Parsons $105, Chase Parsons $70.
� Big Fish Day Two - Gary Parsons $175, Tom Kemos $105, Keith Kavajecz $70.
� Big Basket Day One - Tommy Skarlis $175, Tom Gatzke $105, John Kolinski $70.
� Big Basket Day Two - Gary Parsons $175, Tommy Skarlis $105, John Kolinski $70.
� Super Pool Day Three - Gary Parsons $1,050, Tommy Skarlis $1,050.
� SD Tourism Big Basket of the tournament - Gary Parsons $1,000.
Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: www.aimfishing.com.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC� (AIM) is a unique tournament organization which is owned by stockholders, the majority of which are Professional walleye anglers. AIM Professionals are among the "All Stars" of professional fishing, with cumulative HUNDREDS of years of tournament experience, including countless tournament victories, series championships, and Angler of the Year titles. This insight and knowledge is now being employed to provide the finest tournament experience for the participants, and the maximum exposure for the host tournament sites and corporate partners.
Additional AIM Marketing Partners:
South Dakota Tourism, Bay Mills Resort & Casino, Lund Boat Company,
Mercury Marine, Crestliner Boats, JJ Keller Fishing Team, Navionics,
Fin-Tech Tackle, John Butts Outdoors, Rutting Ridge Outfitters,
Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Optima Batteries, Worldwide Marine Insurance,
Pier of d'Nort piers, Me and My Catch photo replicas, Reef Runner Lures, The Judge Tournament Ruler, Rite in the Rain Paper, E-Z Lube Systems, G2 Angling.
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| Who's Hot? Brandon Carpenter |
What gives a pro that "hot stick" come tournament day?
Sure, luck may figure in, but planning is always the trump card, says Iowa native Brandon Carpenter, a young pro who's on a roll in his second season on the AIM Pro Walleye Series.
 |  | Brandon Carpenter at the Bay Mills AIM
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So far this season, Carpenter has notched two great performances that would make any seasoned veteran proud.
Following a fifth place finish at Bay City in May, topped by a strong second-place showing at the special Bay Mills Invitational in Brimley, MI, Carpenter is hoping that the Green Bay AIM is the proverbial 'third time's a charm' to continue building on that momentum and keep him in the hunt for the championship and Angler of the Year honors on Lake Winnibigoshish in September.
"I'm excited about the event in Green Bay. I'm really focused this year and I was wishing the invitational in Brimley would have counted for AIM Angler of The Year," said Carpenter, who exudes an affable, easy-going, nothing-bothers-me attitude on the water, even when the difference between a swing and a miss and a hook-up can mean thousands of dollars.
"Normally I try to get in six full days of fishing before each tournament he adds from his home in the rolling farm country of Rockwell, IA, south of Mason City. "Our goal is to find one good spot each day. If you can go into a tournament with five or six spots you can count on, that makes a huge difference," Carpenter says. And like any top pro, it also pays to have a great support team. He says he already has a scouting party out on Green Bay, searching for those potential hot spots.
"I've got some good friends in Green Bay who are trying to locate fish already," he says.
While some pros fish on teams having three or more members, Carpenter says he also has to overcome the fact that his team numbers only two, himself and Bruce Mirabella, from Bartlett, IL., near Chicago.
"So it takes us a lot longer to cover the water we need. That makes fishing harder, and smarter, even more important.
"I've had some amazing pre-fishing so far this year and it seems like whenever I get to a tournament, I stay extremely focused and don't panic. In Bay City, my Number One spot was the one I fished, and my No. 2 spot is where Jarrad Fluekiger, who won the tournament, was.
"I'm kind of the rookie in the league. As my wife says, I've been a Triple-A League fisherman for the past 10 or 15 years, and last year I decided to move up to the big leagues. I competed in the full season with AIM last year and learned quite a few lessons from these guys. "
That's one reason he says he teamed with Mirabella. "I learned that if you're competing, you'd better have more help, as in teammates, so you can learn, watch and work together. I was just an average angler last year, and had high hopes for this season, and things are starting to work out pretty well," he says.
His preliminary strategy for Green Bay? Fish hard, and again, smart on that water body, which presents its own challenges because of its size and the influence of Lake Michigan.
"I've probably got all of 30 days experience on Green Bay. Last year, after the pre-fish, the weather came out of the north and blew colder water right out of the big lake and into Green Bay. Because of my inexperience, I didn't know how to react to that. But this year I've got some ideas. Last year, I didn't make the cut. This year, that will be different," he says confidently. Which is what you also have to be a hot stick: the confidence to stick to your plan, and be versatile.
"A lot of guys have favorite baits and techniques. I really don't have one. I love them all. And I've learned that you usually have to have a different presentation at each spot, so it's good to be a journeyman in every technique," Carpenter says.
"I'm feeling more comfortable with what I'm doing this season, and that there's a game plan every day. I stick to my plan and hope that everything works out come tournament days, and we're not about to change. I've done the panicking thing before and that very rarely works. That's one of the things I've learned.
"It's all about having the knowledge and confidence to think you can compete with the rest of the field and do the best you can every day," he says. "When things work out, it's great, and when they don't, it kinda stinks. But that's fishing. And, so far this year, it's been working out."
Reach Brandon with a comment at [email protected].
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| Brimley Bay, St. Mary�s River To Test AIM Anglers At Bay Mills Invitational |
By William Semion
If you like your walleye opportunities to be about as varied, productive, and yes, tricky, as they can be, then the huge St. Mary's River system and eastern Lake Superior, where AIM hosts its first-ever special invitational walleye tournament, is the place to be. |  | Lund/Mercury Pro Marianne Huskey
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The Bay Mills Invitational also adds to AIM's list of innovations in tournament fishing by with its exclusive artificial lures-only format. Combined with the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release� formula - with every large walleye being digitally recorded - and then immediately released to fight again, this will make one of the most exciting and challenging stops for the 43 pros invited to participate.
What also makes the Invitational unique is that the highest-placing Canadian "Sanctioned Team" in the 2009 AIM International Walleye Championship also earned an invitation, and the highest-placing U.S. "Sanctioned Team" in the 2009 AIM International Walleye Championship also was invited to compete.
At stake are cash and a Crestliner boat with trailer and 125-horsepower Mercury outboard package totaling $40,000 awaiting the pro atop the field at the end of the third day. Bay Mills Resort & Casinos, headquarters for each day's events and located on Lake Superior's Brimley Bay, sweetened the pot for the entire field by $50,000 in incremental cash. Anglers will start each day at 8 a.m., with the live weigh-in webcast at aimfishing.com daily at 5 p.m.
Todd Riley, of Amery, Wis., the 2009 AIM Angler of the Year and International Walleye Championship winner, earned a paid entry, and is intrigued about figuring out the water and his chances.
"It's a gorgeous area and absolutely love fishing here," Riley says. "It's incredibly challenging, but rewards are huge if you find fish. I found several spots separated by miles of water, and if I can find some more spots like that and catch fish there I can win this tournament."
Regardless of their experience with fishing the Brimley area, AIM pros and their coanglers will find fishing opportunities in the St. Mary's to be as broad as the river itself.
This region has it all, says Marianne Huskey of St. Ignace, Mich., who's in her second year as an AIM pro and who will be fishing what she considers home waters: eastern Lake Superior, Brimley Bay, and the mighty St. Mary's.
If you want to fish these waters like the pros, she says, try trolling the shallows of clear and frigid Brimley Bay, a great producer for pulling harnesses or crankbaits. Or, try the shallow waters of legendary Munuscong Bay, in the southern St. Mary's system. Jiggers will want to head there too for the June bite that's just emerging. Then return in the fall, when Munuscong turns on again.
Cast off the jagged rock points of the river's islands like Sugar and Neebish, or troll the sandy flats of lakes Nicolet and George, which are actually bulges in the river.
This system has it all, and its challenges, too, she admits. But Huskey is expecting it'll take three days of big baskets to win.
"I expect some pretty big weights because we're fishing part of the Great Lakes. Whomever leads this is going to be registering 25- to 29-inch fish for sure," she says.
"The biggest challenge might be the wind. We're launching from Brimley in Lake Superior. If the wind blows up, it's not like a shallow lake. When you're talking 200 feet of water just offshore, you're talking extensive rollers.
"But the best thing about Bay Mills is we're talking 95 miles of river system," she adds. "The St. Mary's River and this region of the U.P. is such a great fishery so families who haven't been here will find it's so beautiful to vacation here and second, you'll also explore new water and a lot of water.
"All the pros have fished rivers, but this one expands your horizons. The St. Mary's is one of the fastest flowing on the tour," she says. "In some areas the current is up to 7 mph."
Other obstacles are rocks in the lower river. "As long as you stay in channel you're fine but toward Munuscong Bay there are some good-sized rocks. If guys go into Munuscong, some rocks there aren't charted.
"The only mapping program I've found to show them is the Navionics chip and if you don't have one I strongly suggest you purchase one," she says.
Brimley resident Greg Bertram agrees. He'll be fishing as a coangler, and says that those who don't know the river need to stay in the channel if they're running at speed.
"There are some areas in the upper river too where if you get out of the channel, you'll find some car-sized boulders," he advises. A good graph system here like a Lowrance is a must.
Even though he's fished the St. Mary's since he was young, he's looking forward to fishing with the best in walleye fishing.
"This is a great chance to learn from the pros and to learn about some new areas to fish as well as techniques," he says.
Bertram also expects some impressive weights to be registered during the event, if pros concentrate on the right spots.
The 2010 AIM Bay Mills Invitational is sponsored by Bay Mills Resort & Casinos, located on the shores of Lake Superior in Brimley, in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula. Bay Mills has two casinos, 1,000 slots, 10 tables, a poker room, 142 lake-view hotel rooms, an RV park, five restaurants and bars, plus a championship golf course. It is owned by the Bay Mills Indian Community and is located at 11386 West Lakeshore Dr., Brimley, Michigan 49715. The contact number is (906) 248-3715, or www.4baymills.com.
Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: http://www.aimfishing.com.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC (AIM) is a unique tournament organization which is owned by stockholders, the majority of which are Professional Walleye anglers. AIM Professionals are among the "All Stars" of professional Walleye fishing. This insight and knowledge is now being employed to provide the finest tournament experience for the participants, and the maximum exposure for the host tournament sites and corporate marketing partners.
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| Boggs Takes Bay Mills Invitational Win |
The forecasted cold front went through this morning taking the best portion of the bite with it at the AIM Bay Mills Resort and Casino tournament out of Brimley, Michigan. Nisswa Minnesota's Rich Boggs was leading all the way through the live the weigh in, holding his lead to last two Pros as Brandon Carpenter weighed in and Scott Duncan was staged.
|  | Rich Boggs Takes The Bay Mills Invitational Win
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Boggs only weighed 5 fish today, totaling 57.07 pounds for the tournament. He was placed in the 'hot seat' behind the custom Bay Mills trophy to wait for Scott's total. Scott was into the big walleyes yesterday, averaging nearly 5 pounds, and posed a true threat to Rich Bogg's lead if his fish were on.
As MC Tommy Skarlis read the Scott's fish off the list, and stopped at 2 for 8.37, it wasn't clear whether Scott had more in that 4 pound class on his AIM CRR card.
He didn't.
Rich Boggs won weighing a total of 57.07, Brandon Carpenter edged Scott Duncan for second with 44.59, Scott weighed a total of 44.26, Rick Olson had the largest day three CRR total (20.58) to bring his total to 38.78 for fourth, and Mike Gofron weighed 38.45 for fifth.
Local favorite Dane Stanaway took sixth, Jason Przekurat continued his day two move upward to take seventh, Gary Parsons had a tough day, but literally scrounged up a few to take eighth, Tommy Skarlis took ninth, and veteran Dan Plautz rounded out the top ten.
Most of the fish were caught in shallower water using jigging and casting techniques or trolling cranks up over the tops of the cover. Clear water and lack of current were the enemy, so when Jason Przekurat found his area to be still and clear, he ran his boat through the spot a few times...and promptly boated 7 fish.
Adding an interesting twist to the ceremonies, Bay Mills resort and Casino paid out the winnings in cold, hard cash, served to the winners on silver platters. Rich Boggs took home $15,000.00 and a new Crestliner boat powered by a Mercury Opti Max outboard.
Anglers Insight Marketing heads to green Bay on July 1, fishing the famous walleye waters of the Bay Of Green Bay.
Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: www.aimfishing.com. The next 2010 event will be the AIM Bay Mills Invitational� tournament and will be held June 3 - 5 at Brimley, MI in conjunction with Bay Mills Resort and Casino.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC� (AIM) is a unique tournament organization created by many of the most successful professional walleye anglers and other investors who share a mission of advancing not only competitive angling but the entire fishing industry. The organization is dedicated to providing unmatched marketing exposure to the competitive anglers and the supporting sponsors. AIM's unique Catch-Record-Release� format, dynamic events and the introduction of new and innovative technologies have been designed to bring a higher level of entertainment and useful information to the world of fishing.
AIM Marketing Partners
South Dakota Tourism, Bay Mills Resort & Casino, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine, Crestliner Boats, JJ Keller Fishing Team, Navionics, Inc., Fin-Tech Tackle, John Butts Outdoors, Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Rutting Ridge Outfitters,
Do It Molds, Pier of d'Nort docks, Me and My Catch, Rite in the Rain Paper,
Reef Runner Lures, Worldwide Marine Insurance, The Judge Tournament Rulers
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| Boggs Takes Lead at AIM Bay Mills Invitational |
Jim Carroll, day one leader at the Anglers Insight Marketing Bay Mills Invitational, went right back to his big blue/big fish bite, hoping for four bites. Just like yesterday, he got two, but lost one up on the top and boated the other, a 29. The result was a drop to fifth place, but all the Pros are going to worry about Jim's bite tomorrow except perhaps for one, Nisswa Minnesota's Rich Boggs.
|  | Boggs Takes The Lead
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Rich moved into first today and holds close to an 11 pound lead over second place Scott Duncan. Rich 'ground it out' today, and added his Day Two weight of 24.50 pounds to yesterday's weight of 22.26 to take the lead with 46.76 pounds.
If it wasn't for the much better bite and the 24.50 weight today by Rich Boggs, Scott Duncan would be in the spotlight, moving up to second with the Bay Mills Invitational events biggest CRR total through day two of 25.31. Scott said he's pretty confident his fish will go tomorrow, and there are only one half the pros on the water after the cut so room will not be an issue.
Brandon Carpenter held true to his prediction yesterday evening, and put 7 on his CRR card for a weight of 15.41 to total 34.84 and hold third place going into the cut. Gary Parsons also held his own, registering 16.16 pounds today to take over fourth with a total of 34.45, hot on Carpenter's tail just a fraction of a pound out of third.
|  | Scott Duncan
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Day one leader Jim Carroll is in fifth with three fish weighing 33.74, local favorite Dane Stanaway is in sixth with 29.53, Greg Yarbrough is in seventh with 25.65, Ron Seelhoff in eighth with 24.89, Michael Mcmaken holds ninth with 24.39, and Keith Kavajecz rounds out the top ten with 24.24.
Other 'movers and shakers' included Jason Przekurat who rocketed out of the bottom few to eleventh weighing 17.36 for seven and Tommy Skarlis who moved to twelfth with only two fish today, but they weighed in at 14.87.
The field was cut to 22 tomorrow and will leave the Bay Mills Resort and Casino landing at 8 AM in the morning. The top 22 are fishing for one of the best payouts in Pro Walleye fishing this year.
Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: www.aimfishing.com. The next 2010 event will be the AIM Bay Mills Invitational� tournament and will be held June 3 - 5 at Brimley, MI in conjunction with Bay Mills Resort and Casino.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC� (AIM) is a unique tournament organization created by many of the most successful professional walleye anglers and other investors who share a mission of advancing not only competitive angling but the entire fishing industry. The organization is dedicated to providing unmatched marketing exposure to the competitive anglers and the supporting sponsors. AIM's unique Catch-Record-Release� format, dynamic events and the introduction of new and innovative technologies have been designed to bring a higher level of entertainment and useful information to the world of fishing.
AIM Marketing Partners
South Dakota Tourism, Bay Mills Resort & Casino, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine, Crestliner Boats, JJ Keller Fishing Team, Navionics, Inc., Fin-Tech Tackle, John Butts Outdoors, Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Rutting Ridge Outfitters,
Do It Molds, Pier of d'Nort docks, Me and My Catch, Rite in the Rain Paper,
Reef Runner Lures, Worldwide Marine Insurance, The Judge Tournament Rulers
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| Carroll Leads AIM Bay Mills Invitational |
The word yesterday at the AIM Rules Meeting and this morning in the early interviews was the bite was very tough. One might have thought there would be few fish CRR'd today, but as usual, the Pros got into the walleyes well enough to need 13.61 to hold a top ten spot. Numbers were limited, but 16 Pros CRR'r the maximum allowed 7 walleyes.
|  | Carroll Leads Bay Mills Invitational
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Minot, North Dakota's Jim Carroll said in his early day one interview he was swinging for the fence. He went out to the 'big blue' today, and fished ALL day for two fish. That might not have been something to talk about if the 'two fish' he caught hadn't converted from 30" and 30.75" to a weight 23.58 pounds, enough for a 1.32 pound lead over second place Rich Boggs hailing from Nisswa, MN, who brought a solid limit of seven in today converting to 22.26.
Brandon Carpenter, a Rockwell, Iowa Pro is confident he can put about the same weight in the rig each day, which would make him tough to beat as consistency is likely to rule the day on a tough bite. Brandon is in third with 19.43. Mark Martin, a perennial top ten angler, holds fourth with 18.56, and Gary Parsons is in fifth weighing in 18.29.
Mike Gofron is in sixth with 15.64, Tom Kemos in seventh with 15.41, Keith Kavajecz in eighth with 14.39, Scott Allen in ninth with 13.72, and Greg Yarbrough rounds out the top ten with 13.61. If the action is consistent tomorrow, it will take about 14.5 pounds to make the second day cut.
|  | Carroll's Big 'Eye
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The AIM Bay Mills Invitational is an artificial only event, so all the walleyes caught today, including Jim Carroll's giants, were caught on artificial lures. No live bait is permitted.
The AIM Bay Mills Invitational boasts the largest payout in Pro Walleye fishing for 2010, and is hosted by the Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley, Michigan. Day two action begins tomorrw at 8 AM. Stay tuned to Anglers Insight Marketing for morning interviews, image galleries, and much more beginning tomorrow morning about 7:30 AM Central time.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC� (AIM) is a unique tournament organization created by many of the most successful professional walleye anglers and other investors who share a mission of advancing not only competitive angling but the entire fishing industry. The organization is dedicated to providing unmatched marketing exposure to the competitive anglers and the supporting sponsors. AIM's unique Catch-Record-Release� format, dynamic events and the introduction of new and innovative technologies have been designed to bring a higher level of entertainment and useful information to the world of fishing.
For more information on AIM, its 2010 circuit and special events, sponsors and professional anglers, visit www.aimfishing.com. A link to Me and My Catch is provided on the AIM site under the "Sponsors" tab. The next event of 2010 will be the Bay Mills Invitational on June 3 - 5 at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley, Michigan.
AIM Marketing Partners
South Dakota Tourism, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine, Crestliner Boats,
JJ Keller Fishing Team, Navionics, Inc., Fin-Tech Tackle, John Butts Outdoors,
Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Rutting Ridge Outfitters, Do It Molds, Pier of d'Nort docks, Me and My Catch, Rite in the Rain Paper, Worldwide Marine Insurance, The Judge Tournament Rulers, Reef Runner lures.
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| AIM� Ready For 2010 Bay Mills Invitational Tournament |
Artificial Lures Only and High Payback Highlight This Historic Event
Plymouth, WI - January 6th, 2010 - Anglers Insight Marketing LLC� (AIM) and Bay Mills Resort & Casino are ready to roll for the 2010 Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament - a special event in addition to the 2010 AIM Pro Walleye Series� schedule. |  | Catch-Record-Release
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AIM has teamed up with Bay Mills Resort & Casino to conduct a special invitational tournament that will be held June 3 to 5, 2010. The Resort, located on the prime fishery near Brimley, Michigan, has pledged an additional $50,000 to the event purse.
Bay Mills Resort & Casino has chosen to partner with AIM to showcase the entire Brimley area and the outstanding walleye fishery. The 2010 Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament will feature the fishing industry's newest products in an "artificial bait only" competition. The tournament will also showcase the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release� format - with every large walleye being digitally recorded - and then immediately released to fight again!
Rod Jones, General Manager of Bay Mills Resort & Casino said, "Since we are located here in Brimley, Michigan, right on the shores of Lake Superior, where anglers from all over the US and Canada travel to fish, hosting the Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament is a natural fit for our resort. It will showcase the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a premier walleye fishing destination. I especially like AIM's Catch-Record-Release format. Therefore, Bay Mills Resort & Casino has committed an additional $50,000 to the tournament purse to make this a premier event in the walleye fishing industry."
Scott Matheson, President and CEO of AIM stated, "We are pleased to bring the AIM tournament format to the Brimley area. This added event to the 2010 schedule will be another example of AIM fishing the best areas at the peak of the bite. This event will showcase the newest products of AIM's fishing and marine Marketing Partners. The normal 100% Pro Angler payback in the AIM Pro Walleye Series� events will be increased by $50,000. Thanks to Rod Jones and Bay Mills Resort & Casino, we are proud to offer this high-payback invitational as a reward for participation in the inaugural year of the AIM Pro Walleye Series�. We invite competitors, our Marketing Partners and our fans to make plans now to attend!"
The 2010 Bay Mills Invitational Walleye Tournament will feature several unique characteristics.
1. The tournament will feature the top walleye Pro Anglers focusing on the newest 2010 product innovations from the fishing industry. The tournament will be limited to artificial baits only.
2. The field will be limited to only 50 boats. The Pros will qualify for entry based on their participation in the 2009 AIM Pro Walleye Series�:
Todd Riley, the 2009 AIM Angler of the Year the 2009 AIM International Walleye Championship� winner will receive a PAID entry.
� The highest placing Canadian "Sanctioned Series" Pro Angler in the 2009 AIM International Walleye Championship will receive a free invitation.
� The highest placing U.S. "Sanctioned Series" Pro Angler in the 2009 AIM International Walleye Championship will receive a free invitation.
� The remaining 47 invitations will be allocated, in order, to the AIM Pro Anglers that have fished ALL four AIM 2009 tournaments and then three of the AIM 2009 tournaments and so on until the field is filled. Invitations will be sent to the qualifying Pro anglers from the AIM office shortly.
3. The tournament payout will be increased by $50,000 over the entry fees to make this one of the most lucrative events in walleye fishing.
Bay Mills Resort & Casino will serve as the tournament headquarters, launch site, and the site of the daily weigh-in stage show (which will also be featured LIVE on www.aimfishing.com.
"The Soo" is located on the St. Mary's River, connecting the east end of Lake Superior to northern Lake Huron. The area forms an ideal walleye fishery, with a huge variety of structure from shallow structure and weeds, rocky points, reefs, islands, and river channels. The river and the expansive lake areas offer countless presentation options. Shallow and deep jigging and shallow and deep trolling are all proven techniques. Walleyes can be found throughout hundreds of square miles of the waterway!
Bay Mills Resort & Casinos located on the shores of Lake Superior in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan has 2 casinos, 1,000 slots, 10 tables, a poker room, 142 lake-view hotel rooms, an RV park, 5 restaurants and bars, plus a championship golf course. It is owned by the Bay Mills Indian Community and is located at 11386 West Lakeshore Dr., Brimley, Michigan 49715. The contact number is (906) 248-3715, or www.4baymills.com.
Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: www.aimfishing.com.
Anglers Insight Marketing, LLC (AIM) is a unique tournament organization which is owned by stockholders, the majority of which are Professional Walleye anglers. AIM Professionals are among the "All Stars" of professional Walleye fishing. This insight and knowledge is now being employed to provide the finest tournament experience for the participants, and the maximum exposure for the host tournament sites and corporate marketing partners.
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