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 2025, 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, continue reading below.

If the information you are looking for is not below, please call the Co-Ordinator of the Event.

Angler of the Year 2025 event registration

Please follow this format:

Preferred method of registration will be done by E-mail ( scroll down to Entry Form in WHITE

or just Pick the Go To Entry Form Below button below).

Complete the Entry Form with all Required information and hit the SEND button.

If you would rather text your entry directly to the particular Event Co-ordinator, you can do so by looking up their number in the schedule below and texting using the entry form as a guide for what info to supply. Probably will be much hit easier to just fill out the entry form and hit the SEND button!

In any event, do so by 4:00pm on the day before the scheduled event.

See Schedule below for Event and Event Co-Ordinator

The Event Co-Ordinator has plenty to do and keep track of, e-mail provides a record of the participants intent to compete. The e-mail 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 weigh-in. The Entry fee is waived for Youth Members (17 & Under).

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

All entrants opting to participate in the big fish competition must pay the $10 fee.

All State and local rules apply. All perch outings include an 8 inch min. requirement to qualify at weigh-in.

Cancellations should be made by texting, prior to the starting time of the event.

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 will opt out.

Also remember, that these AOTY events are for each person’s INDIVIDUAL points. You must keep each person’s catch separate, or in some way individually identified. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

Go To Entry Form Below

2025 AOTY Outing Schedule

Date Location and Species Event Organizer

Sat., January 11 Metro-Beach (Perch) TBD

Best 5 by length (min. 8")

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Sat., January 25 Selfridge Ramp LSC (Perch) Gaspare Aragona

Best 5 by length (min. 8") 248-330-1774

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Sat., February 15 Saginaw Bay (Walleye) TBD

Best 5 by weight

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Sat., March 22 Manistee River (Steelhead) Roger Paradise

Best 1 by weight 586-354-1121

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Sat., April 26* AuSable River (Steelhead) Rabih Abdallah

Best 3 by weight 313-412-9111

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Sat., May 3 Algonac SCR (Walleye) Tom Gorguze

Best 5 by weight 248-544-0958

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Sat., May 31* St. Clair SCR (Walleye) Rob Pinskey

Best 5 by weight 810-543-3191

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Sat., July 12 Au Gres (Walleye) Bob Ksionzek

Best 5 by weight 586-531-9198

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Sat., September 13 Selfridge Ramp LSC (Perch) Gaspare Aragona

Best 5 by length (min. 8") 248-330-1774

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Sat., September 27 Manistee River (Salmon) James Anderson

Best 3 by weight 313-330-3680

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Sat., October 11 Au Sable River (Salmon) Kevin/Karen Longley

Best 3 by weight 248-240-7576

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Sat., October 25 Manistee RSP (Steelhead) Mark Wyrick/Anna Kulpa

Best 1 by weight 248-568-6972

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Sat., November 2 Manistee RSP (Steelhead) Bob Paradise

Best 1 by weight 586-457-4073

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Sat., December 6 Caseville RSP (Lake Trout) Rob Pinskey

Best 3 by weight 810-543-3191

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*Date changed from what was originnally published

Email Your AOTY Outing Entry Form

*All fields below are required, if applicable. FYI: $15 Entry Fee, Optional $10 Big Fish Pool Fee

Outing Date & Name (e.g.: 01/11 Metro Beach)*

Angler's Name(Captain, if using Boat)*

Status (M=DAS Member, Y=DAS Youth Member(child of DAS Member 17 years old and under) or G=Guest)*

Email*

Angler's (Captain if using Boat) Mobile Phone No.*

Boat Name (If Using for Outing, Make one up if you have to)

Big Fish Pool (Yes/No) (If group fishing from boat either all are Yes or all are No)

If fishing from your boat, Angler #2 Name (Indicate Status M, Y or G after name)

If fishing from your boat, Angler #3 Name (Indicate Status M, Y or G after name)

If fishing from your boat, Angler #4 Name (Indicate Status M, Y or G after name)

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2025 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