Coming into the first event of the 2012 AIM Professional Walleye Series in Brimley, MI; the overriding chatter was about the competition between Team Canada (31 Canadian Pros) competing against  Team USA (31 American Pros) in this CAN/AM event hosted by the Bay Mills Resort and Casinos.  Although the camaraderie between the two countries had that competitive edge, it still boiled down to which individual angler would also take home the impressive $40,000 first place cash award.

As in the previous two years, it was Lake George that produced the “winning weight” and American pro Scott Duncan from Spring Grove, IL used his knowledge and skills to figure out the area to claim the win.  It doesn’t mean it will always be the winning area though, as every year, fishing certain areas or patterns can change.  As we know spring fishing is often way different than summer or fall fishing,  some people try to use “science type” knowledge to begin their pre-fishing experience.  They may study the different areas where water temperatures change, where currents change, some study the moon patterns and many try to figure out how they’ll adapt to a morning or an afternoon bite.

Scott uses what he’s learned over the years, but for the most part, he says, “I try to take all of that “science” out of fishing and just fish.  I do consider these changes, but the bottom line is that you just have to get out on the water, find the fish and then just fish them.  If I go over an area and catch a fish, I’ll go back over that area again and see what happens.”  The area Scott was fishing is known locally as the Horseshoe.  It is the last deep water on the South end of Lake George, before it flows into the buoy marked channel.

“I didn’t even realize it was called the Horseshoe until I heard someone call it that after I was off the water.  When you look at a map of the area, it looks like a funnel, so that’s what I called it.”  For Scott Duncan, and likely for as long as he fishes that area, it’s pretty clear that he’ll always fondly refer to it as The Funnel.

Early June in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is like early spring fishing for many other areas of the country.  Water temperatures were raising from the low 50’s to the mid to upper 50’s through the pre-fishing tournament days.  Emergent weeds, that were known to grow in the 7-9 foot range and hold walleye during this time of year, were found by many anglers during the pre-fishing days.  Yet for Scott Duncan it was the new weeds that popped up just days before the tournament in the 9-12 foot range that held the nicer size of walleye that brought Duncan his Slam “Dunc” win!

Duncan used his Humminbird down imaging to locate the fish holding areas.  Since it was a bit too shallow to see directly through the weeds, the side-imaging allowed him to view the edges of the weeds he wanted to fish.  He trolled exclusively with his Minn Kota Terrova with i-Pilot.

One of the keys to Scott’s success was to find a crankbait that would run just deep enough to tick the top of the weeds, but still have an action that would entice the walleye bites.  Running #10 Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerks in various colors fit the bill.  Trolling at the slow speeds between .8 to 1.4 miles an hour behind Off Shore’s In-Line Planer boards and using 16#  pound Stren Magna Thin line, kept his lures right in the precise strike zone.

When asked about the three different co-anglers Duncan had for the CAN/AN event, Scott had to chuckle.  “Actually all three of my co-anglers ended up being Canadians.  None of them had worked with In-Line Planer Boards before, but they were all great fishermen and listened well as I explained how I would be using them and fishing each day.  At the end of each day, it wasn’t so much about the competition against “us and them” while they were fishing in my boat, but more about us working together as a team. Still I had to smile at the end of the whole event, knowing that they helped not only me, but also Team USA take home the win.” 

“During pre-fishing we located these fish and decided we wouldn’t go back in there until the tournament days.  We felt the fish would hold and we didn’t want other anglers to see where we were catching them.  On day one I made my first pass through which took only about 20 minutes and I already caught and recorded three nice walleye with a combined weight of over 10 pounds.  Even though it may have seemed like a morning bite at that time, in reality the fish did bite throughout the day, though it was spotty at times.  The tournament started out perfectly, I had a limit of 7 walleyes that gave me a commanding lead with 26.38 pounds!”

“Day two only produced four fish for a little over 13 pounds, which allowed Marianne Huskey to sneak ahead of me and take the lead.  Yet on day three, I was able to sneak back ahead of Marianne with a little over 15 more pounds and seal the deal with a total three day weight of 54.97!  What an awesome feeling to be presented with a custom built 1st place trophy from Bay Mills Resort and Casinos and a silver platter holding a huge pay out of $40,000 in cash!  Lund boats also presented me with a $6,000 contingency bonus for running my Lund 2075 Pro-V IFS powered by a 300 Mercury Verado.  It was great to see three of my best friends and fellow Lund Pro-Staffers Marianne Huskey, Mark Brumbaugh and Mike Gofron darn near sweep the top spots.”

What made this win even sweeter for Scott is the fact that he’s always had the support of his wonderful family.  Scott doesn’t take this support for granted and each and every time he’s on stage he takes a moment to thank them.  It takes time and money to be away from his family and that’s not always an easy thing to do.  He’s been married to his beautiful wife Tammy for 20 years and he always glows with pride when he mentions his two daughters, Jessie (age 14) and Sammy (age 10).

One of Scott’s greatest fans was his Mom, but sadly she passed away in April of this year.  “One thing that will stick in my head for years to come is that I was telling my co-angler Chuck about losing my mom on April 11th. I had talked about her for a good 5 minutes, with maybe 10 or 15 minutes left in the day. No sooner then when we got done talking about her, with maybe 5 minutes left in the tourney, we caught a 6 lb. walleye that gave me (us) the win.”
 
Scott has been fortunate to work in a family business.  Often it’s hard to leave his family and get away from his job, but Scott knows his hard work allows him the ability to fish the Professional AIM Walleye Series.

“My job at Lenco Electronics, Inc. is our family custom transformer business that I have been working for 30 years now. Fishing the Pro Walleye series is like going to Disney Land for me, it kinda takes me away from the reality of my full time work. If you can go and win a tourney against Goofy, Pluto, Sneezy, Doc, Snow White, Dumbo, and Marvin you’ve accomplished something.”

When ever you see Scott Duncan he’s got a smile to share.  His sense of humor keeps the day’s fun and the harder days easier. Thankfully with support from his loving family and the great sponsors Scott has worked with throughout his career, everything is falling into place.  What an incredible way to start off the 2012 season for Pro Angler Scott Duncan.
 
Let’s not forget……Remember, coming into the 1st 2012 AIM Professional Walleye Series tournament, the chatter was which country would take home the bragging rights.  Would the Canadians defend their title from the 2008 PWT CAN/AM event in Dryden, Ontario, or would the American’s “even the score”?  With more than the top ten places going to Team USA, it looks like a tie breaking rematch is in order.  For the team win, each member of Team USA pocketed an additional $250.00 from Bay Mills Resort and Casinos.  Though it was a tough bite for many of the anglers this year, the Brimley area is simply beautiful.  The people are so friendly and they worked extremely hard to make this truly a wonderful CAN/AM event.

Both teams seem to relish in the competitiveness and camaraderie that this Bay Mills event brings to anglers from both sides.  As an added highlight, many stayed to celebrate their new found friendships and rekindle the old ones as well.  Duncan celebrated his win at a post tournament gathering at the Bay Resort Casino.  Once again the camaraderie of Team USA and Team Canada joined in on the fun. It was quite a victory for Team USA, but even more impressive it became quite a pay day for Scott Duncan.  Years of hard work and dedication made Scott’s dream become a reality.  It gave Duncan his first major professional Pro/Am Walleye title --- A “Slam Dunc” win!


Scott Duncan’s Sponsors:

Lund Boats, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Berkley, Lakemaster, Optima Batteries, Fox Lake Harbor, Shorland’r, Fin-Tech, Mercury Marine and Walleyeworkshop.com.

The wind howled, temperatures stalled in the just plain cold region,  and rain blew sideways all day today, dampening everything but the attitudes of the Pros and Cos fishing AIM Bay Mills Casino Can Am Challenge. Regardless of success, the anglers truly enjoyed the event.

Marianne Huskey watched as Scott Duncan weighed in, knowing she probably was a little bit short on weight despite her five fish CRR count to Scott's four, and not quite 2# cushion. As the weights were read off one by one, it was evident Scott's average of about 20" against Marianne's average of under 17" was enough to take the win and a plate of $100 bills equaling $40,000.00.

Lund Boats, one of the original AIM sponsors and strong supporter of tournament angling, offers a $6000.00 Anglers Insight Marketing Tournament contingency for the win, so Scott's total purse was $46,000.00. This was Scott's first Major win, and Marianne's best finish...in fact, the best finish by a Lady Pro Angler ever in any Major Walleye event.

Lund/Mercury Pros Scott and Marianne were fishing the Horse Shoe, pulling Rapala Husky Jerks just above the weeds. The crankbaits were the rattling model, and Scott, Marianne, Mike Gofron, and Mark Brumbaugh employed the tactic to nearly sweep the event for team Lund, taking 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and fifth. Ranger Mercury Pro Tommy Kemos took fourth.

Perennial top ten placing Pro Gary Parsons took sixth coming back from a tough day one. Still hot on the AIM circuit, Yamaha Pro Robert Blosser took seventh. Navionics/Berkley Pro Tommy Skarlis took eighth and team mate Ross Grothe overcame a rock crushed lower unit fishing with just his kicker for power to take ninth. Michael McMaken, a tough and well known Great Lakes Pro Walleye angler rounded out the top ten.

See the AIM leader board for the rest of the standings.

Team USA took home the Challenge win, with nearly 4 times the overall weight in walleyes of their Canadian Challengers. Undaunted, most of the Canadian Team first congratulated the US Team for evening the overall score ( The Canadian Team took the last Can Am Challenge, a PWT event on Wabigoon Lake in Dryden Ontario) and then openly challenged the USA Team to a Re-Match.

The Bay Mills resort and Casino offered incredible hospitality, and unequalled facilities, gathering constant praise from the Pro and Co nagler field onstage. The plates of cash were pretty well recieved, as well.

The Top Co Anglers paired with the winning Pros took home Gift Cards from Bay Mills Casino for up to $5000.00.

Bay Mills Casino, local hosts, and the NPAA sponored a Kids fishing day today during the event, introducing an incredible 600 kids to fishing and entertaining them for several hours with a trout pond, games, casting lessons, and free equipment.

AIM's next event is out of Lorain, Ohio, on Lake Erie, out of the Black River Landing and Black River Wharf June 28th through the 30th. There are still open sports in the event!

The bite continued to be tough yet improved for quite a few of the Pros, but the top three remained the same with some shifting in order. Marianne Huskey weighed in 26.81 for a total of 41.66 to take the lead from Day One leader Scott Duncan by two pounds. Mark Brumbaugh is in third and will need 17 pounds tomorrow to equal Marianne Huskey's two day weight. That could happen here.

Fourth place is Tom Kemos, just a pound behind Mark. Fifth is Gary Parsons, coming a a long way with 17.3 to take over a top ten position.

Sixth is Scott Allen, holding his top ten position going into the last day, seventh is Michael McMaken, eighth is Bruce Samson, Ninth is Ross Grothe, who fished using his kicker only after hitting a rock yesterday taking out his main engine.

Robert Blosser rounds out the top ten.

The weather turned sour this afternoon as rain fell steadily all through the weigh in, and it looks like rain tomorrow as well. Most of the Pros are applauding the rain, hoping it will dirty up the water a little and get the shallow fish a bit more active.

This event departs form the last day cut normally placing only the top 50% of the field due to the Can AM Challenge. The entire field will leave the Bay Mills casino Launch at 7:30 AM tomorrow morning.

Watch for interviews and morning action tomorrow morning at about 8 AM Central.

Day One Team Canada vs Team USA Results. Team USA leads 124.71 lbs to 30.77 lbs. Canadian members have odd boat numbers, USA members are even.

Team USA

Team Canada

Scott Duncan weighed 26.38 pounds today to take the lead over second place Mark Brumbaugh by almost ten pounds. Marianne Huskey holds third with 14.85 pounds.

The bite slowed for most of the Pros today as a monster cold front moved through and moved the fish out of the areas they had been the most active during pre-fish. The Can AM Challenge is an artificial only event, and most of the Pros reported they were trolling cranks for the action that did occur today.

The CRR virtual weigh in attracted a good crowd in cool temps under sunny skies. The field of 61 Pros are fishing for a top prize of $40,000.00.

Fourth place is held by Scott Allen with 8.84. Fifth is Tom Kemos with 8.34, sixth is Bruce Samson, seventh is Mike Gofron, eighth is Dane Stanaway, ninth is tommy Skarlis, and rounding out tenth place is Geoff Stadnyk.

Tomorrow looks like rain and winds out of the NE at 13, and Saturday looks like rain again and winds picking up a bit out of the NW. Most of the Pros said they were hoping for the sun to shine and temps to climb. Exactly the opposite looks to be the case, but the darker skies and front coming through may fire up the bite.

The field will leave Bay Mills tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM, and will weigh in again, live, on aimfishing.com beginning at 5PM. Watch www.aimfishing.com for morning interviews and images beginning at approximately 8 AM Central.

You won’t want to miss the activities that are being planned at ALL the AIM Professional Walleye Series events this year!  Each of AIM’s walleye tournaments have been set up with communities that have worked extremely hard with AIM to bring excitement for anglers, sponsors and the surrounding communities.  Festivals have been planned, parades, youth clinics, mini sport shows, community dinners, city-wide rummage sales, food booths, live entertainment; the list goes on and on.  Each tournament site has their own unique plans and it will be exciting to be a part of it all.

The first stop on the tournament trail will be held at Brimley, Michigan from May 31-June 2, 2012.  AIM President Joe Baron and Bay Mills Resort and Casinos representatives have worked diligently to help make this a very successful event.  Not only will it be an exciting tournament to watch where anglers have the potential for huge walleye weights, but there are many other activities that will attract people of all ages. 

The Brimley area fishery literally forms a border between the United States and Canada.  Director of Marketing for Bay Mills Resort and Casinos Connie Winkler said, “One interesting point is that Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is the 3rd oldest city in the United States.  Sault Ste Marie, Canada is the 3rd largest city in Ontario, Canada.”  Connie also has some great suggestions if you have time to come enjoy the area.  “Some awesome tourist attractions on the U.S. side are the Soo Locks which is only 18 miles away, Iroquois Lighthouse (5.5 miles), Tahquamenon Falls and Whitefish Point’s Shipwreck Museum (50 miles), plus it’s always impressive to travel over the Mackinac Bridge.  Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are both close, plus in the Soo you can tour a freighter called The Valley Camp.  In Canada there is the Sault Ste Marie Museum, Bellevue Park and the Art Gallery of Algoma.” 

Bay Mills Resort and Casinos set up a really impressive tent last year (60’ X 180’) which will be used again at the weigh-ins. 

The tournament runs right at the Bay Mills Casino on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with weigh-ins starting at 5:30 p.m.  If you can’t be there “live” then tune in on the web site at www.aimfishing.com for the live stream weigh-in feed.  Along with the tournament activities there will be an Outdoor Show with many vendors showcasing their tackle, cars, boats and ATV’s.  Something the U.P. is known for are their U.P. pasties so if you haven’t tried them, now’s your chance!  Other vendors will have burgers, hot dogs, subs, fish and brats. 

AIM member Marianne Huskey has shown her passion for teaching kids to fish by managing the NPAA (National Professional Anglers Association; www.npaa.net) Youth Clinics at each and every AIM tournament.  This year Brimley, MI is expecting a huge turnout of 400 kids.  NPAA is donating 100 T-shirts and rod and reel combos with Bay Mills Resort and Casinos donating the other 300.  They will also receive Frisbee’s from Off Shore Tackle and jigs from Fin-tech Tackle.  Here is what Marianne has to say about these youth events:

“I think the most important thing about our NPAA Youth Clinic is allowing the kids to
meet the pro's they see on TV and let them realize we are no different than they are.
The kids will receive T-shirts with the NPAA Sponsors logos on them along with "Future Pro 2012" on the opposite side. Each child will have the opportunity to get the T-shirt signed by the Pro Anglers.  Most of the kids have a great story about the biggest fish they caught and they always use their hands to justify their great big catch!!!! It's very cute. As you know we all had a story like that when we were little.”

“My objective is to catch the interest in each and every young person who attends these clinics so they want to take their new fishing rod and tackle out to the local stream or lake and catch fish on their own. Hopefully we will create some young upcoming pros’ as well. It is important to pass on our love for the outdoors not only to children but to families who are looking to enjoy the outdoors with new activities.”

Connie Winkler added that the time for the youth clinic has changed from last year to the morning hours so the kids will have more time to fish in the trout pond and play games throughout the day.  Plus last year many of the kids couldn’t watch the weigh-in, but with the new time change, this year they should be able to attend.

Team members from the semi-pro hockey team “The Soo Eagles” will be working the kid’s event and will be signing autographs!  There will also be minnow races, fishing games, a tattoo parlor, coloring hats and learning to cast.  A local TV station will be broadcasting live from 6-9 am on Friday, June 1 in the morning and a live radio remote will be aired on Saturday, June 2.  There will also be a 50/50 raffle that will add a lot of excitement to the weekend and Betty Sodders, an outdoor writer, will be there covering the event!  Plus the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding fishing seminars on Sunday, June 3.  Chase Parsons will be one of the featured speakers at 10:00 a.m. 

Bay Mills Resort and Casinos will hold an invitation only slot machine tournament during the weekend as well as a fun Batter’s Up promotion in the casino from 10am to 8pm each day.  Anyone over 21 may enter.  AIM member Keith Kavajecz thoroughly enjoyed the craps tables last year and wanted to add that Bay Mills Resort and Casinos has, “The Friendliest Craps Table Crews Ever!”  Bay Mills Connie Winkler added that, “Saturday, June 2 there will be a party with a DJ in our Back Bay Grille & Games restaurant where the anglers will either celebrate or lick their wounds.”  Bay Mills Resort and Casinos is also working with two charities for this event---“The Boys and Girls Club” and “Fishing Has No Boundaries”. 

Yes Brimley, MI is a wonderful site to hold AIM’s first event of 2012.  The main activity is, of course, the AIM CAN/AM tournament where 31 Canadian anglers will be competing against 31 American anglers, for a grand prize of $40,000.00.  Prizes will be paid in cash on silver platters and the co-anglers will be eligible to receive Cabala’s gift certificates.

Each tournament has a sort of time-line of what and where the anglers need to be for the start and finish of a tournament day.  For anyone who wishes to “see the anglers off in the morning” and watch as the boats return for the final weigh-ins; here’s an itinerary for the Brimley 2012 event and the procedures that all competitors must abide with:

Each day the tournament will start at 6:00 – 7:00 a.m. at the boat check/launch.  Each boat receives the official score cards and blank SD camera memory card.  Anglers must remember to fill in their names on their score card.

The daily boat check will also be a great opportunity to conduct interviews and take photos and videos of the competitors.  On day three the top five boats will be outfitted with an AIM Pro Track™ GPS system.  This allows anyone to see where the top competitors fish during the day.  Follow them on www.aimfishing.com. 

At 7:15 a.m. each morning, the singing of the National Anthem takes place along with any final instructions and roll call.  Take off is at 7:30 a.m. Check-in is at 3:30 p.m. for ALL boats. The Weigh-in is at Breakwater Park and the show starts promptly at 4:30.

One thing to note for anglers as well as anyone traveling into Canada---DO NOT FORGET that you must have an enhanced driver’s license or a passport when traveling into Canada and returning to the States. 

For more information on the tournament itself, go to the AIM home web page and click on the “Brimley, MI to Host the First AIM Professional CAN/AM Walleye Tournament” article.  The 2012 season has some pretty wonderful tournament sites.  AIM’s format with CRR (Catch, Record, Release) has the anglers excited to get started and get fishing!  Follow the “Schedule and Results” here on the web, come join in the activities, or better yet----Come Fish the Professional AIM Walleye Series.  The first event at Brimley has such an awesome weekend planned plus it’s going to be an exciting year. Literally Brimming over with Fun!

Plymouth, WI – May 10, 2012
AIM has announced the payouts for the 2012 Bay Mills CAN-AM Invitational Professional Walleye Tournament in Brimley, Michigan hosted by Bay Mills Resort & Casinos. 31 Team U.S.A. Pros and 31 Team Canada Pros will be competing for cash and prizes May 31 thru June 2.  Bay Mills has sweetened the pot for this very special event by adding to the prize pool, making this event one of the highest percentage payouts in competitive walleye fishing for the 2012 season.

The field of Pro Anglers includes:
Team USA: Brandon Carpenter, Brett King, Bruce Mirabella, Bruce Samson, Chase Parsons, Dane Stanaway, Don Loch, Gary Parsons, Gregg Yarbrough, Jim Carroll, Joe Okada, John Kolinski, Jon Tennessen, Justin W Schneider, Keith Kavajecz, Ken Zmudzinski, Marianne Huskey, Mark Brumbaugh, Mark Martin, Mike Gofron, Mike McMaken, Pat Neu, Robert Blosser, Ronald Gordon, Ross Grothe, Scott Allen, Scott Duncan, Terry Wilson, Tom "Doc" Johnson, Tom Kemos, Tommy Skarlis

Team Canada: Luc Audet, Mel Barr, Terry Bernath, John Butts, David Cryderman, Dan Dolinski, Sandro Fragale, DJ Germain, Joe Giuliani, Matt Guacci, Sheldon Hatch, Daniel Hein,  Lonie Lundmark, Denis Martin, Russell McDonald, Dean McDonald, Chris McMillan, Ivan Misevic, Chris Oakes, Randy Olson, Claudio Ongaro, Denis Perrier, Cary Pettinger, Jamie Robinson, Craig Santala, Tony Shirley, Geoff Stadnyk, Craig Stapon, Norm Thorkilson, Shane Turcotte, Randy Wihlidal

The total payout for the event will be over $140,000 – or more than 150% of the Pro angler entry fees. Of this total, each Pro angler will receive a $300 cash bonus at the time of registration at the pre-event rules meeting on May 30th. First prize for the individual tournament winner is $40,000 and the winning national team will also be awarded $250 for each Pro for a total of $7,750. The remaining payouts extend down to the top 15 Pro anglers. These payouts are as follows:
Place    Payout
1    $40,000.00
2    $12,000.00
3    $9,000.00
4    $7,000.00
5    $6,000.00
6    $5,500.00
7    $5,000.00
8    $4,600.00
9    $4,300.00
10    $4,000.00
11    $3,800.00
12    $3,600.00
13    $3,400.00
14    $3,200.00
15    $3,000.00

Further information about the Bay Mills Invitational is available at www.aimfishing.com, where viewers can also find up-to-the-minute updates about the AIM Pro Walleye Series tournaments. The weigh-ins for each day will also be carried live on the AIM website.

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 & Casinos, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine/Motor Guide, Yamaha Marine, Crestliner Boats, Navionics, John Butts Outdoors, Oahe Wings & Walleyes, Luck E Strike Lures, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Pier of d’Nort, Come By Chance Resort, Gemini Custom Apparel, Reef Runner Lures, The Judge Tournament Ruler, Rite in the Rain Paper, G2 Angling, M419 Guide Service, Walleye Madness Guide Service.

(This is Part Two of the two part article for AIM’s first Bay Mills Resort and Casino’s CAN/AM (Canadian/American) Invitational.  Interviews with past winners fishing the Brimley event and interviews with the team captains from Canada and the USA.)

As mentioned in Part One, Brimley, MI is the first event in the 2012 AIM Professional Walleye Series. Hosted by Bay Mills Resort and Casino, this CAN/AM (Canadian/American) Invitational will be held from May 31-June 2, 2012.  Using AIM’s format of CRR (Catch, Record, Release) the sky is the limit for HUGE weights at each and every event.  AIM tournaments bring back the fun of simply fishing for the biggest fish.  Thirty-one Canadian anglers competing against thirty-one American anglers, with each angler hoping for the chance to bring home the $40,000.00 first place prize. Each angler on the winning team will also receive a bonus payout from the Bay Mills Resort and Casino.  The competition will be tough. Each country is hoping to bring home the win.

Interviewed in Part One was American team captain and 2012 Angler of the Year, Brett King.  Canadian team captain Joe Giuliani was also interviewed.  Let’s see what the other two team captains for the American and Canadian teams have to say---American Mark Martin and Canadian John Butts.  First though, let’s see what another awesome fisherman on this system, American Pro Jim Carroll has to say.  Jim was able to bag 10+ pound walleyes while fishing on Lake Superior in 2010.  Here are a few thoughts from Jim regarding fishing up at Brimley, MI again:

(Interview Jim Carroll)
1.    Jim, Bay Mills Resort and Casino up in Brimley, MI has decided to host another international tournament. The PWT (Professional Walleye Tournament) had one up in Dryden in 2008.  This will be the first Professional AIM international event.  Are you excited to be competing against both American and Canadian anglers and how competitive do you think both countries will be? 
Jim:  I’m very excited and I think the Canadians will be tough again this time too.  I feel like the guys that fished on the losing U.S. side in 2008 at Dryden will be looking to even the score.  The Canucks have bragging rights now, we want them back.

2.    In 2010 you fished the AIM event up at Brimley and you were able to bring huge weights to the stage.  Were you fishing the same time of year in 2010 and do you believe the anglers will be able to bring these kind of weights to the stage again?
Jim:  Any time we fish in a Great Lakes event there is a possibility of giant fish.  Either Lake Superior or Lake Huron can produce some big bags this time of the year.

3.    What technique or techniques were you using and will you use those same strategies again, fishing the same areas that you fished in 2010?
Jim:  I’ve fished primarily crank baits there the past couple of years.  One of the things you learn very quickly in the tournament game is to take a fresh look at every event.  Fishing the current conditions with too many preconceived notions will usually get you in trouble.  Walleyes can be notoriously finicky---here today and gone tomorrow---type of fish. The minute you think you have them wired you are setting yourself up for disappointment.  The angler that wins this tournament will definitely earn it.  It’s one of the most challenging places that we fish.

4.    An International Walleye tournament is such an awesome way to bring together the top anglers from each country.  In 2010 you had the ability to catch huge walleye that can easily weigh over ten pounds each!  How do you like the AIM format of CRR (Catch, Record, Release) and how do you think this format will affect the day to day weights? 
Jim:  Fishing an AIM event is all about walleye tournament excitement. Because of our format and the potential size of the fish in the system, an angler is never really out of contention and a big comeback on Day 3 to win is always a possibility.  Every time we have fished that system somebody has found something new and I’m sure our Canadian friends will have some fresh tricks up their sleeves. 

5.    If you were a betting man, which country would you bet on and what do you believe the total daily weights will be to bring home the AIM CAN/AM win?
Jim:  I’m betting on Team USA again this time, but I thought we’d win at Dryden too.  I think it’s going to be close between the teams and the winner of the tournament will have somewhere between 45 and 55 pounds.  GO USA!

Professional angler Mark Martin has been fishing in the major tournament circuits for well over 20 years and was chosen as one of the American team captains for this event, certainly is a great honor for Mark.  Here is what he has to say about the new experiences  encountered getting ready for such an exciting event:

(Interview with Mark Martin)
1.    Mark how were the captains chosen for this very first AIM CAN/AM premiere event up at Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley, MI?
Mark:  I was chosen for my relationship with Bay Mills Resort & Casino and getting them for a site sponsor early on.  Brett King was chosen for winning last years Angler of the Year.

2.    How was it decided how many anglers from the United States and Canada would be competing against one another?
Mark:  Bay Mills Resort & Casino decided the Anglers from the USA would be chosen from the list that had fished and supported the Brimley event the prior year (31) & match (31) for Canadian anglers as their facility parking lot could only handle that many anglers and tow vehicles (along with having the tent and their regular patrons there.)

3.    Competing and fishing against Canadian teams certainly brings out some pretty competitive energy.  How do you feel the Americans will fare against some of the top Canadian fishermen?
Mark:  I feel it will be a pretty evenly matched event although the Canadian team will share more information between themselves than Team USA (that is where they get the advantage).  But all said, it will be a very close finish with the advantage going to Team USA for our years of experience on that system and the use of artificial bait only. 

4.    Do you enjoy AIM’s format of CRR and how has that affected your love of the sport of walleye fishing?
Mark:  AIMS' CRR format will soon be the standard in the Fishing Tournament Industry. As more people experience, use and hear about CRR, the more fans we make with the local communities and people watching the web site.  After fishing Professional Tournament fishing for almost 30 years, the Green Aspect of AIM’s format (the fish having minimal time out of their actual environment) is what makes me happy. Being able to put the fish right back into the water, their comfort zone, to possibly get caught by me again during the tournament.  Instead of a 10-20 mile ride in a live-well back to the weigh-in and put back into a foreign area where they have to quickly relocate a home, food to survive and even a new spawning area at times. As far as I am concerned, this is the only way to conduct a tournament. Focus on preserving the fisheries and protecting the future of our sport.

5.    Are you excited about the awesome prime time locations and the prime calendar times that were chosen for all of the AIM tournaments this year?
Mark:  This is the best line up of Tournaments and Times I have seen in years.  I am very excited to get the 2012 season started!

As mentioned, Joe Giuliani representing as a team captain for the Canadian team was interviewed in Part One of this article.  Also chosen as a team captain for the Canadian team is Angler John Butts.  Here is what John has to say about the new experiences he’s encountered getting ready for such an exciting event:

(Interview with John Butts) 
1.    John you have fished many AIM events.  How much emphasis do you feel anglers will put on the individual competition as compared to winning an overall CAN/AM title?
John:  I have fished several AIM events and just love the CRR format.  Our team will put more emphasis on winning the over all Can-Am title but make no mistake, we all want to win both titles.

2.    Are most of the Canadian anglers local to the Saint Mary’s river system or are the anglers from across Canada?
John:  About half the Anglers have fished the St Mary's before but half are from Thunder Bay west to Alberta and this will be a new challenge for them which they are looking forward to.

3.    With AIMS’ format of CRR (Catch, Record, Release) do you feel this is the future of tournament fishing and have there been any other CRR tournaments in Canada?
John:  I believe this is the future for some events. But it’s hard to use CRR in a total team event for obvious reasons. There have been a few events in Canada to use the CRR most notably the Angler Young Angler Championship with awesome results.

4.    How do you like the Pro-Am concept and being one of the first captains to bring competitive fishing together for both the American and Canadian teams? 
John:  Personally I prefer the Pro-Am concept as it brings more people to the sport and for me I enjoy meeting new people from all across North America. I am honored to be one of the captains and consider it be a major accomplishment in my fishing career. Introducing so many great Canadians to fishing at this level has been very exciting for me.

5.    John you own a full-service guiding business that operates from Dryden, Ontario.  Your generosity and dedication to the sport of fishing and hunting has led to a partnership with AIM where you have provided 5-day whitetail hunts to the participants and fans of the AIM Pro Walleye Series.  How good is the whitetail hunting by you and will you be doing that again this year?
John:  The Whitetail hunting in the Dryden area is fabulous and it is hard to find a better place to hunt--Just ask Rob Blosser and Dan Plautz. Not sure what direction I will take this year with donated hunts as I am solidly booked, thanks to AIM and their marketing reach.

Bay Mills Resort & Casinos is located in Brimley, Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior. Anglers have access to Lake Superior, the Saint Mary's River system, plus downstream from the international locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.  With Bay Mills Resort & Casinos' sponsorship, awesome cash prizes and bonus payouts, this will make the AIM Professional Walleye Circuit, Bay Mills Can-Am Invitational the most lucrative walleye tournament in 2012!

Fishing on an International level will certainly add excitement to the sport of walleye fishing for both the anglers and sponsors of the event.  Who will bring home the top prize at Brimley, MI this year?  For some anglers the real title just might be which Country will grab that very first AIM CAN/AM title!  

Brimley, Michigan, right on the shores of Lake Superior is where anglers from all over the United States and Canada travel to fish.  What a perfect setting for the May 31 – June 2, 2012 AIM Bay Mills CAN/AM Invitational. Thirty-one Canadian pros and thirty-one American pros will be competing against one another for the grand prize of $40,000!

AIM and Bay Mills has been running “artificial bait only” events for two consecutive years now.  Bay Mills Resort & Casino’s past general manager, Rod Jones, was one of the first to recommend an “artificial only” event.  Although there was some initial push back, AIM anglers have shown that not only can walleye be caught without live bait, but in fact artificial baits are very successful at putting fish in the boat.  By forcing all the live bait anglers to come out of their comfort zone --- some new trends in walleye fishing have actually emerged.

Having an “artificial only” tournament doesn’t faze most seasoned tournament anglers. There are times when artificial lures are a natural better choice.  For example in stained waters, murky waters or even during night fishing, the fish tend to rely less on sight and more on sound or smell.  Many artificial types of bait throw off more sound and vibrations than live bait, which can help walleye find the bait that to the walleye, appears to be a food source.  Other advantages of using artificial types of bait is the ability to fish faster, cover more water, increasing your chances of contacting fish. 

Fishing artificial lures is nothing new to tournament anglers and in fact, in many circumstances artificial baits are becoming the “norm”. In 2010 Jim Carrols’ big fish was caught in Lake Superior with deep diving crank baits.  Other anglers such as Brandon Carpenter used small Beetle Spin type lures, tipped with artificial tails to attract walleye out of the muddy water of Brimley Bay.  Tom Kemos used Uncle Josh’s “Meat” tails to imitate crawlers while jigging shallow in a small tributary.  Many other anglers trolled in 2-4 feet of water with small baits like #4 Berkley Flicker Shads and Salmo hornets.

AIM anglers and teammates Brett King, Joe Okada, and Robert Blosser proved artificial baits worked like magic last year when they took home the top three places at the 2011 Brimley tournament!  Although pre-fishing was slow in Lake George, during the tournament the weather and water conditions changed and King and his clan changed with the conditions to troll stick style baits in the weeds of Lake George. 

All it usually takes is time on the water for anglers to realize that artificial baits can and often do produce just as much, if not more, fish.  To be consistent, a smart tournament angler must constantly learn and adapt throughout his practice period.  A successful practice period translates into strong confidence.

“The key to any artificial tail for walleye is for it to be limber”, states AIM Pro Keith Kavajecz . “Artificial bait products like Gulp, Power Bait and others give anglers options that mimic live bait or look like dying, injured or fast moving fish.  Artificial tails are becoming a power house in walleye angling.”  Fishermen have endless choices when it comes to colors, shapes and vibrations.  Artificial products also provide anglers with scented tails options that have been tested and proven helpful in catching walleye. Typically when using artificial tails, fishermen find that they are less likely to lose their bait when they miss a fish.  No mess, no fuss---you simply go back to fishing.

Ask anglers like Richie Boggs who won in 2010 using a combination of small cranks and spinners with Gulp 6 inch night crawlers on Lake George.  The key to his spinner success was that he made the artificial crawler look even more realistic by cutting the nose of the crawler off at a slant. 

Mike Gofron and Scott Duncan pitched light jigs and Gulp minnows around emergent weed beds in shallow bays.  Other anglers vertical jigged in the channel at the top of Lake George with jigs and artificial minnows.  Legendary and National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame Fishermen Gary Parsons first used the GULP 3” Fry with Mustad Slow Death hooks, which started a whole new trend for walleye anglers!  The designs have dramatically improved and artificial products are so realistic that more and more anglers are using them, and confidence in them continues to grow.

When anglers put in the time and effort required to learn how to use all the new artificial baits, tackle and equipment they become better anglers.  Keeping an open mind and being flexible is the key.  Artificial bait only tournaments simply provide another tournament option.  With this being the third annual AIM / Bay Mills artificial only Invitational tournament, AIM pros should be more confident than ever that artificial baits will fill their CRR score cards.  It’s a natural fit--- Artificial Bait!

Next Stop, Brimley, MI, Part One

The AIM Professional Walleye Circuit has chosen four awesome tournament sites for the 2012 season. Each site has been chosen with great consideration.  Choosing prime locations for prime time fishing should produce really exciting results.

Using AIM’s format of CRR (Catch, Record, Release) the sky is the limit for hige weights at each and every event!  Like all AIM Professional Walleye tournaments, the CRR format uses digital photo technology to verify each fish as it is caught and then recorded on an official scorecard. There are no longer the hassles of keeping fish alive in live wells or worrying about no-cull or slot restricted tournaments.  AIM tournaments bring back the fun of simply fishing for the biggest fish! Pro Anglers are able to 'weigh' their seven largest fish each day. They simply snap a photo, record it and then release those walleye back into the water. It’s a proven and effective method to help preserve our resources for generations to come. 

The first stop on the AIM Professional Walleye Circuit will be Brimley, MI from May 31-June 2, 2012.  This will be AIM’s first Bay Mills Resort and Casino’s CAN/AM (Canadian/American) Invitational; a great opportunity to showcase the area fishery which literally forms the border between the United States and Canada. 31 Canadian anglers will be competing against 31 American anglers, with each angler hoping for the chance to bring home the first place prize of $40,000.00!

Each angler on the winning team will also receive a bonus payout from the Bay Mills Resort and Casino.  The competition will be tough, as both teams will have the extra incentive of holding the Title for the year and wiill work very hard to bring home the win! 

(Interview with 2011 Bay Mills Champ,  Brett King) 

Each and every angler has the potential of catching huge limits of walleye.  Fishing the CAN/AM event this year will be the 2011 first place winner at Brimley, MI---American Pro Angler Brett King!  Brett took first place cranking up big limits on Lake George.  Brett also won the overall title of Angler of the Year and with last years win, this made him an awesome choice to captain the USA Team at Brimley, MI.  Can Brett bring home another first place title?  Here is what the 'King' has to say:

1.    Brett, you are one of the two American Captains for AIM’s first ever International Bay Mills CAN/AM (Canadian/American) Invitational ---how did you and Mark Martin go about gathering the top professional American anglers to compete against the teams that Canadian Captains Joe Giuliani and John Butts have gathered for this very first CAN/AM event?

Brett:  There is not a lot to build on this question, I guess we gave priority entry to the Bay Mills participants from last years event as we thought that was only fair.  From there we have an “in order of entry” waiting list that we are going by which we have had a few selections from already.  No matter how you do this you will never please everyone that’s for certain, but this was kind of discussed in the early planning meetings that this would be how we chose our team and believe me we have plenty of talent on the roster!

2.    You took home the first place title while fishing up at the AIM Bay Mills and Casino tournament in 2011 last year.  Are you nervous for this upcoming 2012 event, knowing all “eyes” are on you to see if you can earn back to back titles at Brimley, MI?

Brett:  I think a better choice of words for me would be “very determined to repeat”, but I also realize that is very hard to do.  So many factors play into winning one of these events and this body of water that time of year makes it even more challenging.  I will be ready though and I would love to be the first angler to have 3 AIM wins, not to mention back to back huge cash paydays!

3.    You took the win cranking Lake George. What are your thoughts about AIMS special format 'artificial bait only' tournament?

Brett:  I am very comfortable with the artificial only twist on this event.  I fish open water river walleyes all year long out of a boat and for at least half of the year I do not fish with bait at all so that is a comfort zone for me.  As for Lake George, I don’t remember fishing Lake George last year...

4.    What did you spend your winnings on and do you think you can bring home back-to-back wins?
Brett:  Oh, the winnings!  Well, considering the year I had fishing and then selling the School Bus Company my wife and I owned in August, let’s just say that Uncle Sam loves me this year.  As for the cash, it was so cool to have, yet I was very nervous to have it and felt relieved to get it to the bank.  In all seriousness we paid some bills, did a lot of work to our home and had a very big bash at our house to celebrate the Bay Mills win and the angler of the year title.  We look back and kick ourselves for not taking that trip we have always wanted to go on, but I guess that will be motivation for the next one.  Let’s face it $40,000.00 is a lot of money, but it just does not go as far as you think it would.

5.)    AIM is a very unique tournament organization which is owned by stockholders, the majority of which are Professional walleye anglers.  What is the best way for a new angler to get involved in the sport of competitive walleye fishing?

Brett:  AIM is a very unique organization and I am proud to be part of it. Young anglers coming in?  Well I guess I can say I had a direct influence on two potential future stars coming into the mix for 2012 and in my opinion they did it the right way.  Justin Schneider wanted to make the move into professional angling so he did what I would advise others to do.  He took the chance, dove in, called up Joe Okada during the off season in 2011, and asked Joe about the idea of traveling with our group for the 2011 season.  Not only did he do that to get a first hand look at how we operate, but he also fished as a co-angler with many different pros throughout the year so he could really see how the game was played and what he was up against.  I think if you asked him today he would agree if you inspire to get into competitive fishing, at the very minimal fish as a co-angler first.  I think if you asked Robert Cardenas, who will also fish AIM in 2012, he would confirm as well that by fishing both AIM and the FLW as a co, it was money well spent.  If I could do it all over again, I know I would not even think twice about fishing as a co versus the costly school of hard knocks that I went through. 

(Interview with Joe Giuliani) 

Canadian Captains Joe Giuliani and John Butts have a strong contingency of anglers to compete against the American teams that Captains Brett King and Mark Martin have gathered together for this event.  (Interviews with USA Captain Mark Martin and Canadian Captain John Butts will be in Part Two of this article, along with an interview with 2010 winner Jim Carroll.) Let’s see what Joe Giuliani has to say about the new experiences he’s encountered getting ready for such an exciting AIM Can/Am event:

1.    Joe, you and your brother John, both of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario have fished many major tournaments and this will be your first AIM event.  What has been the most exciting tournament you have fished in recent years and why?
Joe:  Two come to mind, first would be the MWC that my brother and I won here on the St. Mary’s River last summer because we don’t get to fish together that often with our busy lives.  Second would be the 2008 PWT St. Mary’s River that showcased some of the top Pro’s in the industry.  It was the first time I fished individually as a Pro.

2.    How was it working with the AIM staff and the community leaders of Brimley, MI in organizing and bringing such a major walleye tournament together for both the American anglers and the Canadian anglers?

Joe:  First I’d like to thank Joe Baron, Mark Martin, Rod Mills, John Butts, and the Bay Mills Resort and Casino staff (Mark and Connie) for making it all very easy.  Everyone is on the same page and has passion for our sport.  I know the CAN/AM will be successful because of it and I am very proud to be part of this team.

3.    What drew your interest in being a captain for the first ever AIM CAN/AM event?

Joe:  I was very honored to be asked to be Team Captain of Team Canada.  It was very humbling.  Taking on this role has allowed me to have input into recruiting Team Canada, which was no small task due to the talent of many great anglers from across Canada.  We will be competing against the best in the industry and for me to have a say in selecting the Team was a big responsibility.  We wanted anglers with a combination of great skills and great character to represent our country.

4.    Joe, you are known to be one of the top anglers on the Saint Mary’s river system.  What techniques do you feel will produce some of the top weights?
Joe:  The last couple of years the AIM tournaments in Brimley have been won in the same location running boards with cranks.  Jigging in key spring areas will bring you some big fish also.
 
5.    Who would you consider to be some of the anglers to watch on the Canadian team?
Joe:  I think any member of Team Canada is capable of doing really well.  I think the locals have the river experience and some of the guys who fished the NOWT (North Ontario Walleye Trail) here last year should do well such as Denis Martin, Luc Audette and Matt Guacci.  John Butts and Terry Bernath also fished the first Bay Mills Invitation and have experience on the river. 

Bay Mills Resort & Casino is located in Brimley, Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior. Anglers have access to Lake Superior, the Saint Mary's River system, plus downstream from the international locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.  With Bay Mills Resort & Casinos' sponsorship, awesome cash prizes and bonus payouts, this will make the AIM Professional Walleye Circuit, Bay Mills Can-Am Invitational the most lucrative walleye tournament in 2012.

Fishing on an International level will add additional excitement to the sport of walleye fishing for both the anglers and the fans.  Who will bring home the top prize at Brimley, MI this year?  For some anglers the real question  just might be which Country will grab the very first AIM Can/Am title!