Is FLW Walleye In Trouble

[Totally Lost]

Okay, what am I missing here.

Included in all of this yapping about AIM, at this time a company that hasn't run anything, I keep reading about the catch-and-release weigh-ins being a failed model.

The PWT closed down due to internal business issues, not because of weigh-ins with fish. Do any of you remember the size of the championship crowds at Bismarck or the first PWT championship in Houghton?

The FLW Walleye Tour is doing well, even in tough economic times, they have a weigh-in with fish and TV and a website. The BASS Elite Series is super popular with all of the bells and whistles and weigh-ins, so are the FLW Tou and Series, the Stren Series and the one day events that FLW puts on. All with weigh-ins.

So please, all of you who say that that model doesn't work please show the proof. Unless of course you have no proof.

[thump55]

I have an old Sears lawn tractor. It still works fine, but it is not the best. Things can still work and not be the best.

[Toolman]

In the midst of all this talk of AIM and whether it's ideas for a new walleye tourney circuit are good or bad, or whether it will succeed or fail, keep in mind that the FLW dumped several other "successful" circuits for '09. In a year or two, with the uncertain economy, AIM might be the only "Big Time" game around. How ironic would that be?

As far as I'm concerned, if you aren't (or won't be) fishing either circuit why would you even care-time to shut up already. If you fish another circuit and just feel like bashing the other guy for fun you might just want to can it for awhile because you never know when you might be counting on them for a place to play. There's my $.02 and it only cost you about 30 seconds. ;-)

Tim

[Muleskinner]

This is a quote from young Parson's from the walleye fan interview.
"The PWT went away and the FLW's payouts have been dropping every year"
Last I knew the FLW increased it's payouts. Why the bantering from the AIM guys?

[guest]

TL

Great question

Why doesn't Kevin Van Dam fish the FLW bass series? Because he makes a lot of money from his sponsors before he even puts his boat in the water.

I own a business in Fond du Lac, WI. Any self respecting business man in my shoes is going to have a Merc on the back of his boat. I rub elbows at local functions (fundraisers, grocery store etc.) and have a great working relationship with them. I am an investor in AIM and will be marketing my company (Natural Stone Veneers Int'l) in these tournaments. In the FLW I could not wear my NSVI jersey, hat or any other marketing for my own interests. Maybe some day I'll be in Kevin's shoes but until than I'll keep my day job.

Please don't view this as a bash on the FLW, I have nothing but respect for Sonny and the whole crew. I would not be the person I am today without them. Their League format gave me the opportunity to get my butt kicked for a fraction of the cost that the tour would have. They have a great business model, but it does not fit my business model at this time. I still plan on fishing some of their local tourneys if time allows.

Fish on!
Jesse Buechel

[Totally Lost]

Actually KVD no longer fishes FLW because there is no need for him to do it. His finances are set for now. Same goes for Skeet Reese. Also, due to scheduling conflicts nobody can fish both the FLW Tour and BASS Eite Series. On top of that the new FLW rules no longer allow you to cherry pick a Tour event anyway in the bass arena.

Quite a few of the other big name BASS Elite guys fish the FLW Series events and the Stren events when they can. Iaconelli, Hackney, Jordon, Swindle to name a few.

There was no bashing from me regarding AIM. I hope it works out.

I just think too many folks are trying to throw the baby out with the bath water because the PWT failed. They see that failure and try to equate it to format. That's foolish. The basic format has been working for 40 years since Ray Scott started BASS.

I'm not pro or anti the AIM format. I have no idea how it works since its never been done by AIM.

[WormDunker]

Nothing wrong at FLW that I have seen. Granted, they didn't fill all the fields last year but they were awfully close. If you look at the numbers I think they aveaged about 137 boats per event. Thats not to bad considering gas prices and all. And the statement that " FLW dumped several other "successful" circuits for '09", I would think that if they were successful they would still be around. I went to the FLW web site and looked at the numbers. There were severale tournaments cancelled because of lack of entries in two of the salt water programs.

FLW works hard for the anglers and does a pretty good job of it in the long run. The anglers have every opportunity to fly their sponsors colors for three days at the tour. Only on day four are the anglers required to wear sponsor compliant or FLW clothing. As far as boat wraps or logos the only thing they don't allow is tobacco and alcohol. From your statement, "In the FLW I could not wear my NSVI jersey, hat or any other marketing for my own interests" I think you may have read the rules wrong Jessie.

As far as payouts, the FLW pays 30% of the field and their payback is pretty good with a no entry fee championship that pays 100K to win with no contingencies. If any paybacks go down it is the the manufactures contingency money not FLW's payback. I think people don't realize that FLW just handles the contingency for the manufactures. That is performance money and is shown as such, that is why they show it in the payback schedule as Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha, etc; bonus money.

I just hate to see anyone make statements that are not accurate or "I heard .....". It causes grief for everyone most of the time.

Dunker

[He He]

Your comparing apples to oranges.

You have AIM the soon to be Pro Elite series,
And you have the FLW, an Owners tournament series.

The Flw is a great Owners circuit, and hopefully, AIM will be a grat Pro Elite circuit.

[Totally Lost]

Okay He He now you're starting something. AIM will never be the equivalent of the BASS Elite Series until the AIM anglers qualify through the ranks like every BASS Elite Series pro did.

As far as I can tell there is no infrastructure set up at this time to qualify anglers to fish top walleye level events. ALL of pro walleye fishing, at this time, is whoever can afford it can fish it. Some have first dibs becasue they finished in the top 50 like FLW Walleye Tour, but there is no qualifying necessary. Any shmoe can plunk his or her bucks down and fish against the FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year if there is an opening available. Or, if you want to take a stab at AIM, when and if the events take place, you can plunk your money down and have a go at Parsons and Kavajecz.

Again, not an AIM bash, but reality.

[Nope]

[QUOTE=He He;1067915
The Flw is a great Owners circuit.[/QUOTE]

Anyone can enter the FLW. It doesn't matter what you run.

[guest]

he he

TL is right. I have been at the Classic the last few years and hope that AIM can be something close to the classic in time. Egypt wasn't built in a day. There are two different business plans with the same end result--- get people to go fishing and enjoy the outdoors!

Let's keep this post as a non bash please.

Fish on!

Jes

[Seedtree]

Its over.

For reassurance, put up a pix of your deal against any pix of American people in the 21st century.

C ya.

[mbrandt]

TL

I am an investor in AIM and will be marketing my company (Natural Stone Veneers Int'l) in these tournaments. Fish on!
Jesse Buechel

Jesse, The next time your on This Old House you need to mention both WC and AIM. LOL

I enjoyed your work on the 2 projects I have seen.

[WAZ]

He He, isn't AIM the owners circuit? The anglers own it.

[guest]

Thanks mbrandt

I didn't make this last shoot. I was at the FLW in Escanaba and they backed our shoot up by a week. Trips like that are an absolute blast!