Schilling takes AIM Championship, Brett King is JJ Keller Angler of the Year
Category: article
Sep 17th, 2011 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Sep 17th, 2011 at 7:34 PM
Chad Schilling literally ‘powdered’ the Oahe walleyes again on day three jigging up another AMM CRR weight over 35 pounds, to take the win on his home waters with over 111 total pounds. He was confident going into the event he could hold his own against the rest of the AIM field with a strategy of staying local. His wish was to fish a longer day avoiding the long runs many of the rest of the field were making. He traveled less than twenty miles fishing an area bridge, and had the entire spot to himself.
Chad had only looked at the pillars he was fishing briefly leading up to the event, hoping to avoid pointing his spot out to any of the rest of the field. The strategy paid off with his first Professional Angling Championship winning a Lund 2075 powered by a Mercury 300 Verado and fitted with a Mercury Pro Kicker, custom Lund trailer and travel cover. The rig is valued at over $60,000.00.
He won today wearing his wife’s pink lip gloss.
No, that wasn’t part of the plan, or some sort of superstition Pro fishermen live…it was actually a complete accident. Chad grabbed the wrong lip balm tube this morning after a completely sleepless night, and much to his Co Angler’s delight, continued to apply the bright pink gloss all day, oblivious to the fact he was…well…sort of glowing, and completely missing the correct application of the gloss for the effect it was intended to offer.
Brett King was leading the JJ Keller Angler of the Year race coming in to the Championship, and had a tough and very personally disappointing day yesterday, placing him well back of Ross Grothe and Robert Blosser until he came to the stage today. Robert and Ross both had respectable days, but Brett King crushed the ‘Eyes today CRRing 30.61, enough to regain yesterday’s lost points and take home the AIM JJ Keller Angler of the Year trophy and a check for $10,000.00.
Texan Kevin Audrain took second qualifying for the Championship through the AIM Sanctioned Series. He spoke of the lack of water in his home state due to severe drought, and how fishing here in South Dakota was a treat; especially with all the walleyes he boated every day. Kevin was using a gaudy spoon he said he’d usually not have used, but the walleyes were all over it here so he kept that as his top presentation.
The top ten at the AIM International Championship:
Chad Schilling
Kevin Audrain
Robert Blosser
Mark Brunbaugh
Ross Grothe
Brandon Carpenter
Dan Plautz
Brett king
Scott Duncan
Keith Kavajecz
AIM’s Championship host town, Akaska, South Dakota, again offered unexcelled hospitality, incredible fishing, and superior volunteer work.
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.
Additional AIM Marketing Partners:
Bay Mills Resort & Casino, Lund Boat Company, Mercury Marine & MotorGuide, Yamaha Marine, Crestliner Boats, JJ Keller Fishing Team, The Reel Shot, Navionics, Oahe Wings & Walleyes, John Butts Outdoors, Luck E Strike Lures, National Fleet Graphics, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Pier of d’Nort piers, Reef Runner Lures, Hatcams, The Judge Tournament Ruler, Rite in the Rain Paper, Come By Chance Resort, G2 Angling, M419 Guide Service