Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2025

Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122

Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)

This preview for Sunday’s AIM Weekend Walleye Series Warrior Boats Open qualifier on Minnesota’s Leech Lake could be a prime example of “what he said” about Sunday’s other qualifier on Wisconsin’s Petenwell: weather, which will swing from the mid-80s Wednesday to the mid-50s on Sunday, and how it may help some and hinder others, could very well be right up on the podium with the winners.

“Leech is always a wind lake,” said Denny Fox, national tournament director. “A walleye chop is always best here, and after a couple of sporty days prior, it looks like we may get it, but what the previous days will add to the mix especially for teams trying to figure out where to go for this opener of the Minnesota Division, will be interesting. “Besides Leech, AIM’s Wisconsin Division will be on Petenwell the same day, while other teams are gearing up for a little event May 30-31 in Duluth, the AIM Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout, our biggest event of the year.”

One of those trying to figure out where to go on Leech only a week after the statewide opener is Tyler Wolden of Carlos, Minnesota, partnered with Nate Leininger of Miltona. They won the 2023 Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Minnesota Team of the Year and are hoping to repeat it. Wolden will be on Leech Thursday or Friday, but as he said, the water will turn nasty just in time for most teams to hit it pre-fishing. “We have a pretty big cold front coming. With these current 80-degree days the water’s been warming up. Saturday’s high is 43 (NOAA predicts 49, but who’s counting),” he said, so that is the wrench in the mix.

“It’s hard to say. What we see is really cold openers, and then the next week it’ll be nice. I don’t think water temperatures will plummet. What I think could happen is it will keep the shiner bite going. I think the minnow bite’s still going on,” he said. And what about the area many anglers rely on for fewer, but bigger, fish, Walker Bay? “Walker Bay’s getting tougher and tougher every year. This is my 11th season with AIM and what we’ve seen is five years ago the lake was where everything was at. Last year we noticed there’s a bigger class of those fish out there. That’s what we’ll have to figure out,” Wolden said.

“Are there winners in the big lake or do we have to grind it out in Walker Bay because it’s harder to fish. There’s ebbs and flows in every system and we notice when a class of fish on the main lake is larger, Walker Bay is tougher. The lake fish are more willing customers. They’re easier to catch sometimes. We’ll have to try everywhere,” he said, even if there’s 10- to 20-mph winds leading into Sunday, when it’s predicted to flatten out to a nice Leech chop of five to 10 mph. Those shiner minnows may be looking mighty good by Sunday, he said. And with the cold front rocketing in, Wolden’s predicting the mid to high 30-pound range to win this one.

Pat McSharry of Bemidji, about 45 minutes from Leech, also has his eye on the wind. He’s fishing Sunday with Jared Vanasse, also of Bemidji, and McSharry said the biggest challenge for them both pre-fishing and tournament day is fishing everywhere you want to try. His highest AIM Leech finish? Fourth. “The wind doesn’t look too bad Sunday, but it will be really windy Thursday, Friday and Saturday so that’s definitely going to make it challenging. You’ll probably have to stick to areas that are fishable. I don’t necessarily think that will be a horrible thing. I’ve found a northwest wind actually gets the fish biting pretty good,” McSharry said.

“It gets tough when it gets super calm. A little wind helps a lot and too much makes it hard to fish some areas. don’t mind a little bit of cooler conditions. I think it will be good. The weather will keep people from doing what they want but I think we’ll see a good tournament,” he said. Early in the season also means a choice of choices. “I think there’ll be some live bait happening with bobbers, leeches, creek chubs. And I also do really well there on a 3/8-ounce VMC tungsten jig and Crush City The Mayor paddletails by Rapala. They hold up well but they’re soft enough to still get really good action, and walleyes like’em.

“It’s so broad out there, but shallow, six to 12 feet will be where we’ll spend a lot of time, and also some of the deeper gravel areas as well. I’d say 75 percent of the lake is in play, so that’s a lot of water to cover. We’ll start pre-fishing Friday,” he said. And with that expected wind, most teams will just have to depend on history and instinct, and a roll of the dice.

Scott Seibert of Oak Grove will be in their 400 Verado-powered boat with his son Kody from Ramsey. They were on the water last weekend, and Scott’s been fishing Leech the last 30 years. They did well but were they the right fish? “We caught a lot of 17- to-20-inch fish and our biggest was 23. This time of year, I don’t think we’ll see a lot of big fish. A lot of 24s or 25s, maybe. I think a lot of teams will head to Walker Bay,” Scott Seibert said.

There are bigger fish there, but there’s not as many, but you’ve got a better chance of catching a 27-inch-plus,” he added. There’s that roll-of-the-dice factor. “It’s going to be sketchy but we’ll be scoping out Walker, but it could be too early. “We caught the majority of our fish on the main lake in seven to 11 feet of water, shallower and warmer in the high 50s and low 60s. It’s pretty warm for this time of year. A lot of opening days are ice and snow. It wasn’t like that,” he said. However, he’s predicting a typical tournament opener. Cold front and all.

“It’s going to shut the fish down. I can see downsizing our baits, changing up our presentations. We’ll be sharpshooting fish. That’s what we did last weekend. A lot of them came up, looked at the bait, turned away and went down. I think a lot will be holding tight to the bottom,” he said.

“We have to prepare. Have your arsenal ready to go. Jigs and a crawler, leech or spottail shiner. A slip bobber, Northland Puppet Minnows, and throw whatever you can to find whatever they want to bite,” he said. “We’ll probably fish the whole lake, but we’ll probably sneak into Walker Bay a couple of times because the fishing will change daily. What’s not there Friday might be there Sunday.”

Wind. Spring swings. What would you choose? Where would you go? Will Walker Bay produce again? Or, is going to the main lake, which may be a lot less known due to the predicted pre-fishing winds, the place to be? Those are just a few of the questions filling the minds of the teams who will be heading onto Minnesota’s third largest lake on Sunday.

Before that, the team registration and rules meeting begins at 8 p.m. Saturday. Teams assemble for boat inspection starting at 5:30 a.m. at the host Horseshoe Bay Lodge. First wave takes off at 7 a.m., followed by the second at 7:15. Teams must check in starting at 3 p.m. The awards ceremony will take place at the resort.

Log in for updates on AIM’s Facebook pages throughout the day Sunday to follow all the action on Leech, and in Wisconsin on Petenwell. Good luck and stay safe, all teams! See the Petenwell preview for what may go down at that event.

Come on, teams, what’cha waiting for? Time to jump in and have some fun by competing in an upcoming qualifier. Sign up for all AIM divisional qualifiers at aimfishing.com. 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, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Off Shore Tackle, JT Outdoors Products, McQuoids Inn, Rosemore Outdoor Gear, Adventure Recreational Finance, Oconto County WI., Forever Barnwood, The Bighorn Store