Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 27, 2023
Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)
Meet Your AWWS Rivers Division Team of The Year:
Rob Lampman, Tom ‘Tuna’ Beck, Win That Yamaha Kicker
They worked to be consistent all season, and it paid off for Robert “Rob” Lampman and Tom “Tuna” Beck, who won the inaugural AIM Weekend Walleye Series Rivers Division Yamaha Motor Corp USA Team of The Year, earning them a berth in the 2024 AIM National Championship Shootout, and the title of Original Rivers Division TOY champions.
“These two showed up at every tournament with that goal in mind and they did it going away, finishing in 7th at the championship. That assured them that coveted first AIM title, that new T9.9 Yamaha kicker, and that chance at the $100,000 gold ring that is that Warrior Boat-Yamaha engine-Garmin electronics package that will go home with the Shootout winner in June,” said Denny Fox, AIM national tournament director.
“Ending an AIM season in late October on a river, the Mississippi, that began on a river, Wisconsin’s Fox on the first weekend of April is memorable, and it’s especially memorable for Rob and ‘Tuna’,” he added.
“They did it in a Mercury 300 Pro XS-powered boat, finishing seventh at the championship, earning about 53 points more than the second-place team.”
“After Day one, we were in 12th place, and on Day Two we caught a few more. We were one place out of the money but placed first in Team of The Year,” Lampman said. Quite a consolation prize, a Shootout spot, and that Yamaha T-9.9 kicker worth a cool $4,000.
“I’ve already paid Tom half so I’m going to put it on my boat and sell my old kicker,” Lampman said. He used one word to describe their season-long hunt for the TOY title: consistency.
“That and giving a lot of thought to each event and where our places would put us. And luck. You’ve gotta have a little of that in there. And just coming up with good plans throughout the year.”
They placed fourth at Genoa in April, first at Redwing, second at Clinton, and they took another fourth at Dubuque. The top three scores and championship count for TOY points.
“We cashed a check in all four tournaments, so that was a good deal. I would have to go back to just the other day at the championship. It was probably our toughest due to the weeds. In any of the three pools we could go to, 9, 10 or 11, you’d probably get 25 pounds a day, but with all the weeds and Saturday’s wind, we struggled to get our five a day, and that’s what kept us in the hunt,” Lampman said. He’s got his eye now on going for that Warrior boat next spring.
“It’s hard to get excited about something when you don’t know where it’s going to be but we’re looking forward to going. It’d be nice if it was close to home, but if it isn’t, we’re still going. That was our major goal all year long, and it worked. This is the first time we’ve won money out of every tournament. And it’s a title you can’t hardly lose,” he said. He’s also looking forward to the 2024 season’s first Rivers Division stop, April 7 out of Guttenberg, IA.
“Guttenberg is in pool 11 and that’s where we went to get our fifth fish each day. Each day when we locked back up to Prairie du Chien, we only had four fish on our card,” he added.
Second place in TOY points went to Dayne Smith Jr. of East Moline and partner William Stiner of Moline, and that consistency game worked well for them, too.
“I think at Red Wing we finished fifth. We got a fourth at Clinton and second at the championship,” Smith said.
“It’s incredible,” he said, to qualify both with a high championship finish and TOY levels. Since they also finished second at the championship, that finish bests TOY, so another team moves up based on points standings to qualify for next year’s Shootout.
“I just started tournament fishing three years ago. I like fishing the AIM River Series. I grew up on the Mississippi and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon,” he said.
Finishing and qualifying in third place in TOY were Taylor and Rick Steffens of Fairfax, IA, with Connor Steffens their third team member. In fourth for TOY are Ryan Beeman of De Soto, WI and Galen Bremmer of Avoca, WI. Because they also finished fifth in the championship, that means yet another team moves into a Championship Shootout slot based on TOY points.
In fifth for TOY are qualifiers Clayton Freiburger of Dubuque and Robert Freiburger of LaMotte, IA.
Rounding out the Invites to the Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout because of those teams double-qualifications, the following also made it into next year’s Shootout: 6th Place Team of the year Joe Okada of Cambridge, WI and Guy Engebretson of Wausau took 4th in the championship so we went down thru 8th place TOY; 7th place TOY is Kyle Brantner and Joe Newcomb of Pepin, WI, and rounding it out in 8th place TOY is Brad Seidel of Genoa and Matt Thompson of Stoddard, with Chad Osthoff as alternate.
Fan Nation, that’s all she wrote for AIM’s 2023 season, and what a great one, including our first-ever Rivers Division contests, and crowning two original division champions. Want to get in on the fun? Think you’ve got what it takes to be competitive?
You bet you do.
In early 2024, registration opens for the entire 2024 qualifier season in AIM’s four divisions. Learn how to get in on the fun at aimfishing.com. And watch this space soon for the announcement of where the 2024 Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout will launch in early June. What are you waiting for?
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, Navionics, Power Pole, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Off Shore Tackle, Gemini Sport Marketing, Moonshine Lures Shiver Minnow, JT Outdoors Products, McQuoids Inn, Rosemore Outdoor Gear, Outdoor Authority fish house rentals, Island Bar and Grill, Bait Box on the Rock, Oconto County WI, Odyssey Battery.