A new kind of fishing tournament is going on now across Iowa. It’s called the “AMI Des Moines Grandmasters Cup,” and it allows people to fish any public waters in the state of Iowa, whenever they want, for any of six species of fish. Top fish will win anglers prizes like an all expense-paid Canadian fishing trip, $500 Scheels All Sport shopping spree, or fishing tackle from Berkley.
Anglers buy an official measuring tape for $25. It’s a one-time cost for the whole season, and official measuring tapes are available at the Scheels All Sport store in West Des Moines or at www.RecycledFish.org. Next, anglers register online at AnglingMasters.com/DesMoines. Then they fish!
Their catch of six eligible species: largemouth Bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, crappie or northern pike, are photographed on the measuring tape, then the fish can be released. Catch photos and details are uploaded to the Angling Masters website where they are juried.
Fish are awarded a score based upon the Angling Masters Fish Calculator, which uses an algorithm to rate how difficult it is to catch different species of fish by size. It allows a walleye angler to compete against a bass angler, or to compare a crappie and a catfish.
“Angling Masters International is a groundbreaking social networking fishing website,” says Dave Abbott, AMI Founder and CEO. “It is unique in the industry and provides a level playing field for multi-species online fishing derbies, in addition to its social networking platform.”
Daily, weekly, and annual winners receive recognition – and prizes. Daily “Catch of the Day” winners enter a fish-off for a $500 Scheels Shopping Spree. Weekly winners (best three fish) automatically win a Berkley Tackle Pack, AMI T-Shirt and Fishing Hat, and are entered into a fish-off for a guided fishing trip for two in Canada.
“We are excited about this kind of fishing contest,” says Teeg Stouffer, Executive Director of Recycled Fish, a national non-profit conservation organization. “It creates excitement for fishing, but it does it in a way that has less impact on our waters. Rather than having a bunch of people come to one lake at one time, this spreads out the fishing pressure, and doesn’t require fish to be transported in livewells and taken through the weigh-in process. They can be caught, measured, and released immediately, right where they are caught.”
Anglers can fish every day, once a week, or just one time between April 16 - Sept. 2. Fish-Off evens are held during the month of September.
The AMI Des Moines Grandmasters Cup is made possible in partnership with Des Moines Parks and Recreation and through the support of Angling Masters International, Scheels, Berkley and The Iowa Sportsman. A portion of proceeds benefit Recycled Fish.
Recycled Fish is the national 501(c)3 non-profit organization of anglers living a lifestyle of stewardship both on and off the water, because our lifestyle runs downstream.
Angling Masters International (AMI) is a social networking website designed specifically for the fishing community. It provides a level playing field for multi-species online fishing derbies.
