Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 3, 2024
Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)
Epic AIM Walleyepalooza Continues As Teams Gather For Rivers Division Weekend Championship at Hager City
Fan Nation, you’ve never seen anything like this in the 10-year history of the AIM Weekend Walleye Series.
Having both a Rivers Division qualifier event in Hastings, MN, AND the two-day Rivers Division championship back-to-back on the same weekend from Hager City, WI, only about 24 miles apart will ultimately decide which teams from this division will hit the water in the 2025 Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout next June, AND, who will win Yamaha Motor Corp. USA division Team Of The Year.
“This weekend is definitely one for the books. Due to high water on the river in spring and summer, it’s shaping up to be huge decision time for all teams on the water Saturday and Sunday,” said Denny Fox, AIM national tournament director. “Any team aiming for a berth in the Rivers Division Championship Saturday and Sunday must compete in three out of the four division qualifiers. We had two events in April and May, then flood water left teams high and dry and postponed one of our four qualifier tournaments. That’s why we’re doubling up this weekend to finish our 4 qualifying events and then the championship.
“We’re calling this final weekend event for 2024 the AIM Walleyepalooza, so let’s get the second act of this party started.”
Chance Zimpel of Boscobel, WI will be with Kyle Lund from Soldiers Grove, WI in both the Friday qualifier, which will enable them to be in the two-day championship starting Saturday. They’ll be in a Mercury 150 Optimax-powered rig, with Garmin LiveScope in the mix aboard. They’ve been fishing since Monday morning, and they’re liking what they’ve seen so far, but could be liking it more. They were on shore for a bit, attending to a trolling motor issue.
“lt’s been a decent bite. We haven’t put any hawgs in the boat, but we’re seeing a solid low 20-inch average. We’ve been having success with night crawlers. We haven’t tried minnows yet but that will come into the playbook too, and we’ve had mild success so far on plastics,” Zimpel noted. But the majority of their fish are still taking crawlers as they fish wing dams and current seams on a relatively sluggish river. Water temps are falling, however, which could trigger a switch to plastics.
“This morning (Tuesday), the water was 67. It’s cooled almost two degrees since yesterday. It’s a chilly breeze right now,” Zimpel added. Since he feels they’re out of contention for TOY, they’re swinging away at both the qualifier and the Championship.
We’re in the middle of the pack for Team Of The Year. We’re going to swing for it,” he said, saying it’s too early in pre-fishing to develop a pattern. “We fished Pool 3 yesterday and might try Pool 2 Wednesday. I’m feeling that the mid-30s for the championship is going to do it,” adding that he personally hasn’t seen or held a river ‘eye big enough to get there yet.
“This is my first adventure up this far on the river. I call pool 9 (near Genoa, WI) my home water, and don’t get too far north of La Crosse, so this is pretty new to me, but I would say this fishes similar. A little shallower water and narrower channel, and quite a few more wing dams than we’re used to, so it’s definitely been a lot of moving and trying different spots,” he said.
“We fished both the Guttenberg (Iowa) and Genoa (Wisconsin) qualifiers. We did really well in Guttenberg and had a problem with our camera. We had to take a zero with 25 pounds on our card. In Genoa we finished in the middle of the pack,” he said. Entering Friday’s event gets them into the Championship.
The father-son team of Mike Schommer Jr., and Mike Sr., both from Prescott, WI, also will be at both the qualifier and the Championship in their 250 Merc Verado powered platform. They’ve been out and they’re ready.
“I’ve been out quite a bit,” Schommer Jr. said, and they’re echoing what Zimpel said. “The bite’s been pretty consistent and good for numbers,” he added, but what about the sizes need to score on AIM’s Catch-Record-Release™ cards? The weather may tell the tale there.
“This warm weather threw it off quite a bit, and now this cold today has got’em in a bit of a funk, but prior to this the whole month of September has been excellent. Usually it’s a pretty tough month, but a lot of 18- to 22-inch fish were pretty common. Right now with the cold front, they’re thrown off a little but I see it getting real good by Thursday, Friday and the weekend.
“Water temperatures have dropped a few degrees. We’re still catching fish but we’re not getting the sizes right now. I think it’s going to be a really good bite for the events Friday and for the Championship. It’s going to be about 80 tomorrow (Wednesday), but consistent cool nights will make this really good,” Schommer said. So far, they’ve checked out Pools 4 and 3, and were heading to Pool 2 Wednesday.
“For the most part, Pool 3 is my home water. The water is pretty low and there’s not a whole lot of current. I checked some backwater stuff and there’s very little current and it looks a little dirty, so it will probably be rock piles and wing dams” for both events, he said.
“We’ve been using live bait, crankbaits, plastics and hair jigs and pretty much everything has caught fish. There’s no rhyme or reason. If they’re on the wing dams and you put it in front of them, they’re going to bite. For the Championship, I’d say you’d have to have 23 to 25 pounds each day. It could change in a hurry but I’m just not seeing a lot of big fish being caught. They’re getting a few here and there, but it doesn’t seem like you could pile on them.”
Okay folks, time to walk the walk. Here are the specs for the 2024 Rivers Division Championship, in Pools 3 and 4, Saturday and Sunday. The online team rules and registration is at 7 p.m. Thursday. Boat inspections take place starting at 5:30 a.m. Saturday at Mr. Sippi Marina and Campground in Hager City. Teams will get the “go” starting at 7 a.m. both days and they must be back at the launch starting at 3 p.m. both days. Sunday’s awards ceremony will take place at the Bluffs Bar and Grill in Hager City. Good luck, all teams!
Want to have an absolute blast and enroll in Walleye University—aka AIM Weekend Walleye Series—in the 2025 season? You’ll have fun and you’ll learn more than you ever expected. For information go to aimfishing.com, and follow the fun at both events this weekend at AIM’s Facebook page.
You know you want to. You know you can.
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™) is a unique tournament organization created and owned by many of the most accomplished and recognizable professional walleye anglers, along with others who share the mission of advancing competitive walleye fishing and making it sustainable into the future.
AIM is committed to marketing excellence on behalf of its tournament competitors, the tournament host communities, and the brands that partner with it. AIM is also committed to maintaining healthy fisheries across the nation by the development of the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release™ format which is integral to its dynamic events and unparalleled consumer engagement. For more information about AIM™, AIM Pro Walleye Series™, AIM Weekend Walleye Series, AIM sponsors and AIM anglers, visit www.aimfishing.com.
AIM Presenting Sponsors: Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A. and Warrior Boats inc.
AIM Supporting Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Garmin, Power Pole, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Off Shore Tackle, Gemini Sport Marketing, JT Outdoors Products, McQuoids Inn, Rosemore Outdoor Gear, Outdoor Authority fish house rentals, Adventure Recreational Finance, Oconto County WI., Forever Barnwood