Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats LLC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 15, 2018
Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)
Luck? Maybe, But Skill And Luck Is A Winning Combo
For Jacobs, Landsiedel At Devils Lake Qualifier
Sometimes, a little bit of luck comes in handy when fishing a big tournament. Usually, however, along with it comes a generous helping of knowledge about where to fish and how, and how to recognize and seize an opportunity. That’s not luck. That’s skill, and that’s what won it for Lonnie Jacobs and fiancé Janine Landsiedel at the final AIM Weekend Walleye Series Warrior Boats–Woodland Marine Open North Dakota qualifier of the season Sunday.
“They knew what it meant to find a spot during pre-fishing, and to leave it alone until Sunday,” said Denny Fox, AIM national tournament director. “That’s what won them the $4,000 they took back to their home in Turtle Lake. In fact, our first three spots were filled by Turtle Lake folks.”
After two other disappointing AIM tournaments this year, Jacobs said everything went right on Devils after a 25-minute run in their Verado-powered boat to a spot they’d found on the lake’s east side near Jerusalem, ND.
“Luck was on our side. We had only one go-to spot we found. We never fished in that spot before and on Friday Janine and I checked it, made one pass and had a double, a 22 and a 26-incher. It was the only place we could find decent fish,” Jacobs said. They’d stumbled on a $4,000 jackpot, in other words, which often happens. The skill, however, is getting them to eat. They left the sunken humps in 19 to 26 feet of water and didn’t return until that half-hour ride Sunday. Luck? Or, knowing what to do? We think the latter.
“We pulled in Sunday morning and to say the least they were still there. We got them to go immediately and by 9 a.m. we had our five weigh fish. We pulled in at 7:28 and by 7:35 we had a 21,” he said.
Then came a 21-1/2, and their biggest, a 30-3/4. Janine got that one on a Lindy rig harness and a night crawler. They rigged with crawlers and leeches to get all 30.15 pounds they needed to clinch.
They’ll also be gunning for a chance to redeem those earlier showings with a win at the upcoming North Dakota championship at Indian Hills Resort and Campground on Lake Sakakawea.
“We fished a casino derby there last weekend and Janine boated seven of the 10 weigh fish so she carries herself quite well. She doesn’t gloat. ‘We’re a team,’ she said. We had two rough AIM events but I think we’re going to move up with this win. If we have a good championship we’re going to make a run at Team Of The Year,” he predicted.
“We had steady action until 9 a.m.,” he said. They left and came back, but it was the early bite that did it.
“We left a little early because the wind came up hard out of the southeast and we gave ourselves 45 to 50 minutes to get back, and didn’t want to ruin our good weight. We felt we were on the bubble, right up there, but there’d been some really good fish coming out of the east shore and we thought we needed one more good one to solidify it. But we felt we were there for second, and we were right, we only won by .31 pounds,” he said.
In that second slot with 29.84 pounds and earning $2,000 were Alan Lick, of Sawyer, and his father, Carvel, of Turtle Lake. It was Carvel’s first fishing tournament, Alan said, partnering in Alan’s Yamaha-powered craft.
“He had a great day,” Alan said of his father. “He definitely won the netting award when one came unbuttoned and he was able to get It before it swam away.
They too were on the lake’s east side. “About as far as you can go east on Devils Lake,” Alan Lick said. They concentrated on a rocky extended point, using bare Rapala Jigging Raps.
“We were running around popping different points and happened to hit a 26-1/2 incher there on Friday so we knew there were some good fish there. Our best fish Sunday was 29-3/4 inches. Every fish on our card came from an area the size of a football field, just vertical jigging them,” he said.
This is Alan’s second year fishing AIM. “I absolutely recommend it. Everybody appreciates the whole C-R-R (Catch-Record-Release™) format, and not having to decide which fish to bring in, especially this time of year when it gets warm,” he said.
Coming in third with 26.46 pounds were Mitch and Morgan Lang of Turtle Lake, winning $1,500. In fourth place with 24.28 pounds were Edward Prekutowski, Moorehead, and Dave Randash, Mandan. In fifth place and winning $1,000 with 23.93 pounds were Cory Christensen, West Fargo, and Ernie Barnhard, Mandan.
AIM’s championship events continue all this month, with upcoming tourneys in Minnesota starting this Friday, and North Dakota following. Catch the previews and on-water action at AIM’s Facebook site. For info on all AIM events, go to aimfishing.com.
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, LLC.
AIM Supporting Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Garmin, Navionics, Power Pole, Worldwide Marine Insurance, AirWave Pedestals, Off Shore Tackle, Vibrations Tackle, Pro Chattrr, Gemini Sport Marketing, Treeland Resort, Anglers Avenue, Moonshine Lures Shiver Minnow, JT Outdoors Products, Fox River Lures and Rods, Bismarck Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau