Angler of the Year (AOTY) Outings

Angler of the Year events give DAS members the chance to get involved in different types of fishing. These events are great opportunities to enjoy friendly competition, while learning from some of the best DAS fisherman hosting events. In 2023, we have 14 events scheduled which encompass a variety of techniques to challenge everybody involved. Above all, these are intended to be fun events. They are designed to introduce new techniques and get members involved while doing what we love most, fishing in Michigan. We have implemented a few new rules intended to make events run smoothly.

Hope to see all of our members at some of these events.

We need people to be the chairperson for some of these events.

If you have any questions or ideas for our AOTY committee,

please contact Chairman Blaise Pewinski (248) 890-4517

If you would like to participate, or have questions about a specific outing, call the chairperson of the event.

Angler of the Year 2023 event registration

Please follow this format:

Registration will be done by TEXT entry.

See Schedule below for Event and Event Co-Ordinator

The Event Co-Ordinator has plenty to do and keep track of, texting provides a record of the participants intent to compete. The text is your agreement that you will show up & pay your entry fees.

Due to rising costs, entry into any Angler of the Year (AOTY) event costs a mandatory

$15/person to cover the cost of the shore lunch during the competition weigh-in.

That’s an increase of $5/person over previous years.

There is also an optional $10/person fee to enter the big ﬁsh competition.

If you do not wish to compete in the big fish pool, simply opt out of it in your text.

The text should be sent to the event coordinator prior to 4 pm on the day before the scheduled event.

All State and local rules apply.

All perch outings include an 8 inch minimum requirement to qualify at weigh-in.

Cancellations can be made by text also, prior to the starting time of the event.

Your entry text should include your phone number in case the coordinator needs to contact you.

In the case of individual events where no boat is involved, you only need to communicate your personal information. Where a boat is involved, you need to communicate the name of the boat and the names of all individuals who are with you. Also, where a boat is involved, all participants are responsible to pay the $15 entry fee as in any of our AOTY events.

In the events that involve a boat, all participants on the vessel

will either be in big fish pool, or all will opt out.

Also remember, that these AOTY events are for each person’s individuals points.

You must keep each person’s catch separate, or in some way individually identified.

Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

Sample AOTY event registration for an individual event:

“Dan Chisholm is entering the AOTY event on Jan 21 at Metro Beach. Phone number 000-000-0000

I would like to participate in the big fish pool”. (Entry fee will be $25).

OR: Dan Chisholm will participate in the AOTY event on Jan 21 at Metro Beach.

Phone number 000-000-0000. I am opting out of the big fish pool. (Entry fee will be $15).

Sample AOTY event registration for an event where a boat is involved:

Dan Chisholm will participate in the AOTY event on __/__ at St. Clair River Algonac

Phone number 000-000-0000. Sam Smith and Greg Jones will also be on my boat.

We opt out of the big fish pool. (Entry fee will be $45).

(If Dan, Sam, and Greg want to be in big fish pool the entry fee would be $75.)

Find out more

2023 AOTY Outing Schedule

Always visit the DAS Message Board AOTY Outing Forum for the latest details.

Sat., January 21 --- Metro Beach, Lake St. Clair (Perch)

Best 5 Perch by length
Event Co-Ordinator: Gaspare Aragona (248) 330-1774
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., January 28 --- Selfridge DNR Ramp, Lake St. Clair (Perch)

Best 5 Perch by length
Event Co-Ordinator: Dan Chisholm (586) 530-9171
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., February 25 --- Mitchells Bay, Lake St. Clair Ont., CAN (Perch)

Best 5 Perch by length
Event Co-Ordinator: Bob Paradise (586) 457-4073
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., March 25 --- Manistee, Manistee River (Steelhead)

Steelhead Challenge with Metro-West Steelheaders
Best 3 Steelhead by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Roger Paradise (586) 355-1121
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., April 22 --- Oscoda, Au Sable River (Steelhead)

Best 3 Steelhead by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Gary Gross (586)291-1290
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., May 13 --- Algonac, St. Clair River (Walleye)

Best 5 Walleye by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Tom Gorguze (248) 343-8397
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., June 10 --- St. Clair Boat Harbor, St. Clair River (Walleye)

Best 5 Walleye by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Rob Pinskey (810) 543-3191
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., July 15 --- Au Gres, Lake Huron (Walleye)

Best 5 Walleye by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Gary Gross (586)291-1290
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., September 9 --- Harley Ensign Ramp, Lake St. Clair (Perch)

Best 5 Perch by length
Event Co-Ordinator: Gaspare Aragona (248) 330-1774
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., September 30 --- Manistee, Manistee River (Steelhead/Salmon)

Best 3 Steelhead or Salmon by weight
Event Co-Ordinators: James Anderson (313) 330-3680

Laurie Gamblin (810) 730-2373

Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., October 14 --- Oscoda, Au Sable River (Steelhead/Salmon)

Best 3 Steelhead or Salmon by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Gary Gross (586)291-1290
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., October 28 --- Manistee, Manistee River/Pier/Beach (Steelhead)

Best 3 Steelhead
Event Co-Ordinators: Mark Wyrick (248) 568-6972

Anna Kulpa (586) 291-4555

Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., November 4 --- Manistee, Manistee River/Pier/Surf (Steelhead)

Fish-Off with Metro-West Steelheaders
Best 3 Steelhead by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Bob Paradise (586) 457-4073
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

Sat., December 9 --- Caseville, Pigeon River Pier/Mouth (Lake Trout)

Best 3 Lake Trout by weight
Event Co-Ordinator: Rob Pinskey (810) 543-3191
Visit the Message Board for the latest details in the AOTY Outings Forum

2023 AOTY Rules

1. All participating DAS members must be up to date on their DAS membership dues. A grace period of 1 month late is allowed. Example 6/21 expiration is good until 7/31/21.

2. To be eligible for AOTY points for an event you must contact the event chairperson and register your name and pay a $15 entry fee prior to the event start time or text to say you are participating and will pay the entry fee at the weigh-in. Even if you do not catch anything you must still pay the entry fee.

3. Each event will have a start and stop time posted by the event chairperson, along with meeting and weigh-in location posted before each event. Contact the event chairperson or look at the DAS web site/message board or monthly Fishin' Tales newsletter.

4. POINTS will be given to all event participants for AOTY. To determine your standing for the event, scoring will be: 5 points per fish, plus total weight of catch. The winner of the event based upon the scoring will be awarded one point. Two points will be awarded to the second-place finisher based upon their score and this continues for all participants. Twenty-five points will be assigned to all participants that did not weigh a fish. If an individual records less than five scores during the AOTY competition, fifty points will be scored for each event until five scores are counted.

5. Overall winner of AOTY will be determined by the individuals best five low scores for the year. For award recognition the DAS will recognize the top three anglers. The angler who earns first place will receive an embroidered jacket or a $100 gift card.

6. In events where boats are involved, all participants on the boat must be entered in the event. The same scoring method will be used for each individual regardless of the event. For scoring purposes it is imperative that each angler on the boat keep track of each fish they catch.

7. All events will have a voluntary $10 per person big fish pool. Each person must commit to the big fish pool by paying in advance or by notifying the chairperson that you will pay at the weigh-in prior to weighing your catch. Entry in the Big Fish pool is not mandatory to compete in any event. Big Fish will be determined by length or weight of target species per event. Big fish pool will be awarded as follows: first place fish 50% of Big Fish pool, second place fish 30%, and third place fish 20%. In case of a tie longest of the 2 or heaviest of the 2 will get paid out.

8. All events have a posted target species along with the maximum quantity of fish to be weighed or measured by length to determine the top catches of an event.

Any questions concerning rules or to offer outing suggestions please contact

the AOTY Committee Chairman: Blaise Pewinski (248) 890-4517