View Full Version : AYA tourneys
luveyes
02-09-2009, 05:10 PM
Anyone fish the Angler Young Angler tournaments last year??
Wondering how the experience was for the kids and adults. Prizes, payouts, courtesy of boaters, and how well they seem to be ran. Website doesnt have alot of specifics as to payouts, rules, fish limits for the day (like FLW 6 or 8 in the box and weigh 5), etc.
I am going to fish the Perham MN tourney and maybe Devils Lake this summer and just wondering how I can better prepare the kids and myself.
Any info would be greatly appreciated...
FEDER
02-09-2009, 05:23 PM
I fished the AYA summer of 2008 at Grand Rapids with my son (13) and daughters male friend (15). This was the the first tournament that my son had ever done except the camp courage. As we were pulling out after the weigh in and such my boy said Dad this was great we have to do this again. We will be doing it again this summer.
This whole day was about and for the kids, parents or adults just get to come along. I would highly recommend to anyone reading this take part in a AYA near you, you will not be sorry.
Go with the idea of having fun, meeting new friends and watch the faces on the kids when they go on stage to collect prizes, nobody leaves without something.
Please give me a call if i can answer any more questions about the AYA.
1-218-255-3535
George Feder
luveyes
02-09-2009, 08:28 PM
Mr Feder,
Were you at the Fargo boat show a few weeks ago. If so I was one of the dozens that you spoke to. You seem like a real class act, and real benefit for the Ranger boat line... If only I had the bones to pick up the boat of my dreams.
I plan on the AYA this summer, and am looking forward to it as much if not more than the kids are.
Just looking for what to look for and expect with this series.
Chris K
02-10-2009, 02:16 AM
I have been to numerous different AYA events, and have organized a tournament in Lac La Biche, Alberta, when AYA had just five regional events. Today it has grown and will continue to grow because of fun of the events for all and the smiles it puts on everyones faces. Each event has their own individual rules for fish retention based on local regulations, and all other rules are designed to keep things simple and safe for everyone. There are no cash payouts, but prizes from national and local sponsors, as well as the opportunity for the event winners (and a 12 foot Lund, Mercury Outboard, and Shorelander trailer & a travel allowance for the national championship) to represent their tournament at the AYA National Championship, and compete for a trip to Disney. At our tournament in Lac La Biche, the community suport is incredible and everyone that participates comes away with prizes and big smiles on their faces at the end of the day. The goal is to keep things fun while enjoying competative sportfishing. There are lots of dads, uncles, moms, and family friends that really enjoy sharing the joys of fishing tournaments with children in their lives, and in this environment of a max of 50 teams per event of teams consisting of one adult and two youths 17 or under, it is possible. If a child has had enough fishing and wants to go play in the park instead, they can, or if they need to go to shore to the bathroom, as long as they check in with the weigh in station it fine. We try to make things as fun and accomidating as possible, and although it is a competition we want everyone to come in safe at the end of the day to enjoy the prize presentations and end of day BBQ. Go out, have fun, bring lots of snacks and drinks onboard, and teach your young partners all about what you do when you are on the water in a tournament. Hopefully they get hooked and you can enjoy fishing tournaments with them for years to come. Chris Kindraka
Anyone fish the Angler Young Angler tournaments last year??
Wondering how the experience was for the kids and adults. Prizes, payouts, courtesy of boaters, and how well they seem to be ran. Website doesnt have alot of specifics as to payouts, rules, fish limits for the day (like FLW 6 or 8 in the box and weigh 5), etc.
I am going to fish the Perham MN tourney and maybe Devils Lake this summer and just wondering how I can better prepare the kids and myself.
Any info would be greatly appreciated...
FEDER
02-10-2009, 07:10 AM
I was at the Fargo show in Rays Marine booth. Thank you for stopping by and talking with us.
I will be at the St. Cloud MN show this weekend, stop in and say hi, can talk in depth about the AYA. I think you will find once you do one AYA that you and kids will plan them as yearly event for the family.
1-218-255-3535
George Feder
Luveyes,
This will be our second year holding the Devils Lake AYA tourney, and would look forward to having you enter. Lots of fish and lots of places to fish. It will be held in July, dates to be anounced soon.
Steve
luveyes
02-10-2009, 12:11 PM
Reno,
I am hoping for the DL tourney as I consider it my home waters. Wont be able to commit until I know if my daughter is going on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic over the same time (I had heard DL tourney was the 11th of July).
Just found ou the Perham AYA tourney already has a wait.....Im 15th on the list. Really stinks. Definately a popular format if they have filled this early.
Reno,
I am hoping for the DL tourney as I consider it my home waters. Wont be able to commit until I know if my daughter is going on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic over the same time (I had heard DL tourney was the 11th of July).
Just found ou the Perham AYA tourney already has a wait.....Im 15th on the list. Really stinks. Definately a popular format if they have filled this early.Luveyes, give me a call if you'd like to discuss the Devils Lake AYA. I'm one of the directors. Our entry forms will be coming out in March, I'll want your address so I can send you one when we open it up to the public. Like you said, the events have the potential of filling fast.
If you want a feel for what it's like, I have a CD with pics (4 cd's), I could narate, but they'll convey the message.
Each regional event establishes their own specific rules, with a general guideline to follow. So one regional tourney rules may not represent another. Same for prizes. It may be hard to hear me say 'trust me' when it comes to prizes, but that's the description for now. That's done so we can continue to market the event, sign sponsors, and improve the experience and awards right up until tourney day. Last year, our prizes resulted in about a 4:1 payout, trust me, we'll make it worth your while. The first place prize is heavy, 2nd to 40th place prizes are comparable. 2nd to 10th is better than 30-40th prize, but not by a great deal. The goal is to have EVERY kid walk away smiling.
Your correct, July 11th is our date, July 12th is a prescheduled blow day. You'll need all day on the 10th too.
Our Spring classic is the same day as Perham's tourney, so I haven't been able to get involved with that one. Hoot's does a great job from what I've heard.
luveyes
02-11-2009, 05:49 AM
Burr,
What is needed on the 10th?? If I fish it I would plan on prefishing, but my daughter and the other child may not be able to make it to DL until late Fri eve (that is if my daughter is even in the country).
We arent doing this for the prizes, gifts, etc. They are just a bonus. The time in the boat, time together, sharing the tourney experience with my daughter, and having her school me pitching cranks are the real payouts.
PM me and I can get you my address for the touney info when it is sent out. With my wife dragging her feet about the missions trip, I fear I may miss the proverbial boat on the DL AYA the same as the Perham event.
I could always fish the Spring Classic with my daughter!!
Thanks,
Aaron Johnson
West Fargo
Our plans for Friday aren't fully decided yet. I'm just commenting off conversation from last year. We had a picnic, and setup a couple of Heiser's Games Galore games for the kids, and a few other things at the park when we had to declare a blow day on Saturday. It was during that process, we started to think having all those things going on the same day as the fishing, would just be too much. So I think there may be a good possibility a picnic, the obstacle course Games Galore, and maybe some other fun things for the kids could be scheduled from noon-1 pm until 4-6 pm - and possibly incorporate the rules meeting into the afternoon park setting, instead of the evening motel conference room setting.
It would still be nice to get the fishing in on Saturday, and have Sunday as a backup in case of bad weather. Declaring a blow day on Devils Lake is always a possibility, even for the most professional of professional competitors. With a kids tournament, we have to have a make-up plan going in, Sunday.
At the same time, I think the rules meeting really worked well last year. Remembering the reasoning for this event, kids don't have the opportunity to get involved in a competitive fishing event. We dressed the room, handed out grab bags, and the sight last year of an audience of 37 adults and 74 kids, paying attention to all the same things that happen at a rules meeting at any other tournament, that was pretty good last year. So, there's many things to consider before we set the schedule for this year.
Luveyes, ya, like you really need to prefish Devils Lake. You know it well enough to drive up and start fishing.
luveyes
02-12-2009, 05:49 AM
Burr,
Thanks for your responses.
Any problems if I sign up and then my daughter ends up out of the country; can I cancel with refund?? Maybe I could just steal a kid off a front lawn in DL as a replacement and just leave a note for the parents! I really dont want to miss out on this like the Perham tourney. Normally it wouldnt be a huge deal, but my daughter is 16 (cutoff is 17), and I want to use these AYA tourneys to get her excited about possible MWC, Casino, Chamber tourneys, etc in the future. All other tourneys I am interested in this summer (Full Throttle, etc) land on weekends I work (and it takes an act of God for me to get them off between Memorial and Labor Days). Sorry for the multiple ?.
I was in DL last year shorefishing the BLOW day with some buddies. Nearly 50 MPH gusts would keep any tourney off the lake.
luveyes
02-12-2009, 06:24 AM
Burr,
Sorry, 1 more ?. What was ther boat limit last year on DL? Weigh 5, 7, 10 for the day? Thanks.
Aaron
Luveyes, you can change partners right up until rules. I wouldn't anticipate an issue with refunding if we have a full field - but that would have to be discussed with all directors to be official. I'm just one.
We have discussed with who one is going to have a contest through a sponsor to identify the kids, so there's flexibility on when we lock in the names. You are correct in getting a confirmed entry will likely be the biggest challenge. We had 37 teams last year, our first, and the limit is 40.
The tournament limit was 8 fish, weigh the best 5. You'll be keeping your own fish. We had valet parking of the tow vehicle both loading and unloading, your tow vehicle and boat are driven up to the stage. So the fish stay in the livewell until weighing, when their done at the scale, they go back in your livewell, and drive away.