Todd Riley Wins AIM Angler of the Year Title
Category: npaa
Sep 8th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Sep 8th, 2009 at 12:00 AM
I finally realized my dreams, Todd Riley said after winning the AIM Championship and Angler of the Year titles in early September. The veteran professional walleye angler with hundreds of tournaments under his transom actually achieved two long-term goals. Riley, a pro from Amery, Wisconsin won the AIM Walleye Championship on Lake Winnibigoshish and was named Angler of the Year.
The National Professional Anglers Association walleye pro has been close to winning both titles in the past on the FLW and PWT tours. From 1999 to 2008, he fished all PWT tournaments, placed in the top 10 a total of 15 times, qualified for nine Championships, and won more than $200,000. He won a FLW tournament, adding another eight top 10 finishes, qualified for every Championship, and won $250,000, since 2000.
The AIM Championship was worth $65,000, in the form of fully-rigged Lund 2075 boat with a 300-hp Mercury Verado. Riley established the new AIM benchmark for a tournament, 102.51 pounds on Lake Winnibigoshish. His victory eclipsed tournament weights from traditional “big-fish factories” like Saginaw Bay and Green Bay.
Between the 2008 and 2009 fishing seasons, Riley suffered the fate of professionals in many sporting venues. As the economy slumped, his sponsors were forced to reduce their financial support. While that portion of his annual income was not cut completely, it would have impacted his plans to fish the AIM Walleye Series circuit and the FLW Walleye Tour. His top industry sponsors remain MinnKota and Humminbird, both products that he said made both titles possible.
“I hatched a plan and went out and sold it,” he said. The fishing tackle and marine industry marketing experts kept telling me to take the message to the “grassroots.” With that as his goal, Riley set off by knocking on doors of individuals and businesses, and accomplished his sponsorship objective. “My boat-wrap is an American Flag with the names of more than 100 people,” he said. “These names represent four generations in some cases; others are family businesses; some are veterans; some are kids. Together, these 100 signatures on my boat represent 400 people who allowed me to fish this season, and the results prove this off-season campaign worked wonders.”
Riley also conducts numerous seminars and presentations for his “grassroots” sponsors, and has had as many as 200 at one event. “I send them photos from tournaments, and keep in touch with these friends from Michigan, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin via email. I probably have more framed pictures in offices, kids’ bedrooms and on mantles than any other pro,” he said.
Riley is like many of the successful NPAA members who support the efforts of this non-profit organization that is focused on growing the sport of fishing and increasing the professionalism of its members. Cody Roswick, NPAA executive director said, “All anglers who want to become involved are encouraged to join.” NPAA supporting partners are also dedicated to helping grow the sport of fishing. They include Northland Fishing Tackle, Navionics, Mercury Marine, Evinrude Outboards, Lund Boats, Ranger Boats, Off-Shore Tackle, Fin-Tech Tackle, Bartness Fishing Products, Berkley, Walleye’s Inc., Greater Insurance Services, Masters Walleye Circuit, AIM Walleye Series, and FLW Outdoors. To learn more about the NPAA member and view association news (and to join) go to: www.npaa.net