Company News
Yamaha Pro Angler Ross Grothe Claims Second AIM® Weekend WalleyeTM Series Team of the Year Title
Posted 9/15/2023
BEULAH, N.D.— September 15, 2023— Ross Grothe and his son Roger Grothe are the 2023 AIM® Weekend WalleyeTM Series Team of the Year (TOY). The pair clinched the title on Lake Sakakawea with 40.48 pounds and a ninth-place finish on the second day of the final AIM Weekend Walleye tournament of the season.
On Father’s Day 2016, Grothe first won his first AIM tournament in the Minnesota Division and went on to capture AIM Weekend Walleye Series TOY with his son Reid. This season, while fishing with son Roger in the North Dakota Division, he made an amazing two-peat feat, first winning the Father’s Day AIM tournament on Lake Sakakawea, then claiming the 2023 TOY.
“This is one tournament where I had a little more stress on me. We ended up losing three fish that would have made a world of difference. We just kind of spun out. We’d either catch one or lose one and we came in one fish short of five that day,” said Grothe. “We gathered our thoughts and prepared like we would any other day, and on the way to the launch we decided to go have fun.”
They moved from 19th to ninth, securing the TOY win, and a spot in the 2024 AIM Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout through points.
“I attribute it [winning] to doing our own thing and not worrying about what others are doing. I included my son Roger, who’s now 13, on our strategizing, and it’s been super rewarding as well,” said Grothe. “Roger caught one of the last fish of the day, a 24-1/2-incher. I looked at him and said, ‘You just won Team of The Year!’”
The pair took home a Yamaha T9.9 outboard with power trim for winning Team of the Year. In addition, they received $5,000 in Yamaha Power Pay bonus money.
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.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Engine Systems, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
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REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.
© 2023 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not
On Father’s Day 2016, Grothe first won his first AIM tournament in the Minnesota Division and went on to capture AIM Weekend Walleye Series TOY with his son Reid. This season, while fishing with son Roger in the North Dakota Division, he made an amazing two-peat feat, first winning the Father’s Day AIM tournament on Lake Sakakawea, then claiming the 2023 TOY.
“This is one tournament where I had a little more stress on me. We ended up losing three fish that would have made a world of difference. We just kind of spun out. We’d either catch one or lose one and we came in one fish short of five that day,” said Grothe. “We gathered our thoughts and prepared like we would any other day, and on the way to the launch we decided to go have fun.”
They moved from 19th to ninth, securing the TOY win, and a spot in the 2024 AIM Warrior Boats National Championship Shootout through points.
“I attribute it [winning] to doing our own thing and not worrying about what others are doing. I included my son Roger, who’s now 13, on our strategizing, and it’s been super rewarding as well,” said Grothe. “Roger caught one of the last fish of the day, a 24-1/2-incher. I looked at him and said, ‘You just won Team of The Year!’”
The pair took home a Yamaha T9.9 outboard with power trim for winning Team of the Year. In addition, they received $5,000 in Yamaha Power Pay bonus money.
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.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Engine Systems, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
###
REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.
© 2023 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not