Team Grothe Goes Dam To Dam For Win At AIM Weekend Walleye Series Opener
May 20th, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified May 20th, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Hastings, Minnesota, May 17, 2015-21-year professional walleye angler Ross Grothe teamed with his 8-year-old son Reid to claim top honors at 2015 AIM Weekend Walleye Series season opener out of Hastings, Minnesota. In over two decades of professional competitive angling, Grothe has never risked the bad karma that often comes with foreshadowing a victory. He did this time, however, and Team Grothe knocked it out of the park.
“Going into blast off, I knew we had the winning fish located, but making them bite during tournament hours was the challenge,” Grothe says. “The evening before I told my wife I knew we had it in the bag barring any major catastrophes, and I’m not the kind of guy to say something like that without the necessary confidence.”
“We decided to lock up from Pool 3 and run the Yamaha powered Ranger north of Hastings,” he continues. The long ride was very comfortable thanks to the Smooth Moves suspension seats I’m using this year. We were, quite literally, ‘swinging for the fences.’ It paid off and my son’s first victory was graced with a $4,000 paycheck!”
Grothe was fishing a small area where a feeder creek was dumping sediment into the Mississippi River after several days of rain, which attracted the entire food chain. The plankton drew in the baitfish, which in turn attracted the predatory walleyes-among other species. The team pitched 1/4 -ounce chartreuse VMC Moon Eye jigs tipped with a white, 3-inch Berkley Ripple Shad, perfectly imitating the available forage that was keyed on bait-rich waters that were on the rise. The pattern produced a 5-fish limit that weighed 36.65 pounds on AIM’s “Catch, Record, Release” program.
Being able to identify every characteristic of this specific location through the use of Grothe’s Optima Battery powered Lowrance HDS Gen3 combined with Navionics mapping and St. Croix Rods allowed for precise boat control and pinpoint casting.
“I’ve been very blessed throughout my career, but to win this event with my young son is-without a doubt-the highlight of my professional fishing career,” he says. “My family support system is the best in the world. Without their love and devotion, this dream wouldn’t be possible. For that, I’m very thankful.”
To watch a video of Team Grothe claiming the win, click here.