AIM 2009 Tournament Format
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Anglers Insight Marketing Announced 2009 Tournament Format.

Plymouth, WI – December 5th, 2008- Anglers Insight Marketing LLC™ (AIM™) announced today the format for their “AIM Pro Walleye Series™” tournaments to be held during the 2009 season.


Anglers Insight Marketing (AIM) will conduct a series of 4 Pro-Am walleye fishing tournaments in 2009. The AIM Pro Walleye Series will host fields of 100 of the top walleye fishing professionals and 100 Co-anglers at each tournament.

Scott Matheson, the President and CEO of Anglers Insight Marketing reports, “The AIM Pro Walleye Series tournaments will all be three day events. The full field of 100 boats (Professionals and Co-anglers) will fish the first two days. The Professional provides the boat, all the fishing tackle and bait for the day. Each day the Co-angler will be paired with a different Professional and have the opportunity to learn individual strategies and cutting edge presentations. The top ten Professionals – based on cumulative weight over the first two days – will fish the third day of the tournament with one of 10 Co-anglers who were randomly drawn during the rules meeting prior to the event.”

Anglers Insight Marketing is also announcing paybacks of not less than 100% of Pro entry fees which will ensure a minimum of $150,000 in prize monies with a full 100 boat field. “From the start, one of the objectives of AIM was to build a platform that meets the financial needs of the professional anglers. A key commitment has always been to pay back at least 100% of their entry fees, and our plan is to exceed these paybacks as our base of sponsors continues to grow.” reports Scott Matheson.

Pro Angler entry fees for the 2009 AIM Pro Walleye Series have been set at $1,500 per event. For anglers who are not AIM owners or “Life Members” there will also be a $250 membership fee per event. The planned payout schedule for the Pro entrants is expected to be released at the Anglers Insight Marketing Annual Meeting on January 2, 2009 in Milwaukee WI.

Co-angler entries have been held to just $250 per event which will help attract a broader base of new Co-anglers to the sport. Co-anglers will not be competing for prizes based upon their placement in the event, but instead will be awarded prizes at a random drawing to be held at the weigh in during the second day of the event.

The AIM Pro Walleye Series will also incorporate other innovations, including a new “Catch, Record, Release” format (CRR). The concept is to have the Pro and the Co-Angler measure the length of each walleye caught before immediately releasing the fish. The lengths will be logged and photos will be taken to validate measurements. At the “weigh-in”, the lengths will be converted to weights and counted in the cumulative total for the pro. The photos and weights of walleyes will be displayed both on stage and on the AIM website to give viewers an idea of the quantity and quality of fish caught by the anglers.

“CRR will bring us back to the head-to-head competition that this sport needs” emphasizes professional walleye angler Gary Parsons, “It will eliminate the guesswork that slot limits and culling restrictions have brought to walleye competitions. We’ll be back to fishing on great bodies of water where the angler who catches the biggest fish – wins!” Catch, Record, Release will also eliminate the concerns by local anglers and fisheries managers of excessive fish harvest or mortality of released fish.

Further information about AIM as well as up-to-the-minute updates about tournaments can be found at the AIM web site: [url]www.aimfishing.com[/url].


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.

# # #

For more information, contact:
Scott Matheson
President and CEO
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC
PO Box 110
Plymouth, WI 53073
Office: 920-526-3399
[email]smatheson@aimfishing.com[/email]


- END -

Nardon tivating
 

Okay,

So no fish will be seen by the "fans" at the weigh-ins, unless there is a television program where there are camera operators in the boats. Its a formula that will be used to calculate "weight" not the actual weight. Sounds like the math enthusiasts in the audience will really enjoy this toe-to-toe battle, whoopdee doo!

Based on the language regarding sponsors its obvious there are none.

Co-anglers won't fish for money, but random prizes that have nothing to do with how well they've done.

Where does the co-angler entry fee money go? Since these prizes will most likely be donated by some entity, what will AIM do with this cash?

I thought by now we'd see something worthwhile coming out of this. You know, like the bass guys at the PAA who have a TV show airing on two networks and a championship airing on CBS. Plus, a three tournament series with payouts posted, incentive programs for the anglers, etc.

Bad move
 

HUGE misstep IMHO.

But then I wasn't asked.

I like the $250 co angler fee. I believe this will attract interest. Seems like everything is going up these days like the MWC entry fees the last couple of years. Prizes are nice but most co anglers want to get out with the Pros and learn a few things plus have a few days of great fishing. Should attract younger kids into the sport who want to feel the excitement of participating in a tournament and meeting some of the well known Pros.

The CRR is certainly a new direction. I understand Gary Parson's quote as being the biggest fish caught will be the one's counted with no guessing which one's you want to keep. So if you go through 40 fish, I assume you record the one's that are the biggest and they are the one's counted for the day?

My comment on this is shouldn't the girth be measured also to get a better idea of the weight. Skinny long fish don't weigh as much as the one's that are like footballs?Too bad they can't use scales in the boat that are all the same make (ie Berkley, good for sponsorship) so the fish could be weighed and a picture taken also in cases where there may be a close call. Would be a tiebreaker kind of thing.


I like the idea of CRR but wonder how crowds will respond to seeing no actual fish up on stage but just pictures? May not create as much interest for people to turn out although I understand the concept.

aim
 

Personally I give this format about one year to change. People want to see FISH. If you are going to have CRR then you are going to have to have an observer in each boat. A 1/8th inch here or there could make the difference in 1st or 2nd place. And the probability of a co-angler forking up $250 just to fish with one of the 100 best pros in the industry just does not seem to great an idea. What do the 10 co's get for being drawn to fish in the finals? It sounds to me like the $250 co fee will be added to the pro's pot of gold so that they can payout more than 100%. IMHO

Definately in a new direction.

I guess not everyone will be happy. If the grass is greener on the bass side, go fish it.

I kinda like it.

People should be around, as all the listed tournaments now coincide with established community events. A 3 day tourney is nice too. As a businessman, I'd be more prone to support that as opposed to a 1 day fling.

With the PWT and FLW, all I had to get my family to go was looking at the fish. I hate to say it, but it really is a poor spectator sport if your not "into" walleye fishing. I know with my family, they'll go now with no problem because something else is already going on.

Pretty good marketing angle to promote catch and release. I'd guess the pro should be happier not having to worry about dead fish penalties. Now you can fill your livewell with ice and use it as a cooler!

I agree that there should be an "earned" prize for the co's. Maybe 1st place earned and raffle for the rest. The fee is good though, for 2 days fishing guaranteed. Cheaper than a 4 hour charter on my boat!!

The pro side is a little spendy, but I guess either you're a pro or not.

The sponsors should come now, as it's easier to sell a product once it's out of the wrapper.

Having fished as a co angler more than once I fail to see that the co angler with the most skill or luck wins. The luck that wins is drawing the pro's who are going to win or place high(aka lottery). $250 for two days of fishing is a deal. I think the catch and release is an interesting concept, but don't know how well it will work.

it'll work
 

Thanks for the info Jim.
Good to see +100% payout on the pro side.
As someone who's fishes the AM side not totally jazzed about the 2 day format, but for $250 can't complain. Not much reward in the am payouts, but no risk either.

I've got to hand it to these guys for taking the risk to put their names and finances behind this circuit. I couldn't stomach that kind of venture.

Interesting
 

$250 clearly a good deal for a co-angler for two days of gaining experience. If I am reading this correctly, 10 of the co-anglers will fish 3 days, if they are lucky enough to win in the radom hat draw.

The $250 membership per event, seems steep on the pro-side, but it would appear that the vast majority of the pros are allready investors.

The rest is interesting, but...time will tell

are a hundred spotters cheaper than a scale? honer system? wow good luck to them!