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Omori Leads Day 1 of
Classic
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Takahiro Omori came to the U.S. from Japan in 1992 to live
out his dream of becoming a professional bass fisherman.
Some 12 years later, he’s a step closer to the ultimate dream of all
professional fishermen — a victory in the Bassmaster Classic.
Omori, 33, caught the heaviest limit of the first day of the 34th Classic
with five Lake Wylie bass that weighed 16 pounds, 2 ounces.
"Since I was 15 years old, I dreamed about fishing in the Classic," said
Omori, a Japanese citizen who lives on Lake Fork near Emory, Texas. "This is
just the first day, but it’s a dream come true."
Omori has some stiff competition close on his heels, including last year’s
Classic champion Mike Iaconelli of Runnemeade, N.J., who is three ounces
back at 15-15. Dean Rojas of Grand Saline, Texas, is third with 15-8, and
Bassmaster Tour all-time money leader and past Classic champion Denny Brauer
is fourth with 15-7.
Omori seized the lead on the first day, which featured partly cloudy skies
and warm temperatures, by moving around Lake Wylie in search of bass in
shallow water.
"I just move along a little bit here and there," he said. "I’m just being
open-minded."
Omori, who was born in Tokyo, caught his first bass at the age of 9. He came
to the U.S. in 1992 to pursue a professional fishing career, paving the way
for a wave of Japanese pros that have joined him here over the past decade.
Bass were introduced to Japan in 1925, and bass fishing has a large fan base
in the country. Visiting U.S. pros and returning Japanese pros often are
mobbed by throngs of adoring fans.
"They would go nuts," Omori said when asked how Japanese fans would react to
his success in the Classic.
Omori is the first Japanese pro to lead the Classic and only the second
non-American fisherman to lead it. Gerry Jooste of Zimbabwe led the first
day of the 1997 Classic on Alabama’s Lake Logan Martin.
Rojas, Brauer and Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., who is in fifth place,
didn’t divulge their specific tactics, but the three anglers are fishing in
the same general area of the lake, about "two-thirds of the way" up the
Catawba River impoundment, where they’re concentrating on shallow cover such
as boat docks and laydowns in muddy water.
"It’s pretty muddy up there," Rojas said, "but the fish don’t seem to care."
 Meanwhile,
Iaconelli used a two-pronged approach to make it into second place, the same
spot he held after the first day of last year’s Classic in New Orleans,
where Iaconelli went on to win. He switched back and forth between deeper
off-shore structure and shallow water.
"Having more than one pattern is the key to winning," Iaconelli said. "Ireally
believe this is the type of tournament where you have to do multiple
things."
Iaconelli’s deeper water produced the heaviest bass of the first day, a 7-4
largemouth that ranks as the fifth-heaviest bass caught in the Classic’s
34-year history
"I have mixed feelings because I had the kind of weight I wanted, but not
the number of bites," Iaconelli said. "But I know there are some quality
fish in there, and you don’t come to the Classic to catch five little
knuckleheads. If I only get four or five bites a day, I’ll take those kind
of bites."
Iaconelli said he fished the deeper water, targeting bass on off-shore
structure, during periods of lower light conditions, such as early in the
morning and when the sun went behind clouds. He headed for shallow water and
fished cover when the sun was bright.
"The only thing I have to do now is adjust my timing," Iaconelli said. "My
timing may have been a little bit off [Friday]."
The second day of fishing starts at 6:30 a.m. local time today. ESPN and
ESPN2 will provide live tournament updates throughout the day Saturday, and
Saturday’s weigh-in will be televised from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Central on ESPN.
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Takahiro Omori |
Emory, TX |
5 |
16-02 |
| 2 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, NJ |
4 |
15-15 |
| 3 |
Dean Rojas |
Grand Saline, TX |
5 |
15-08 |
| 4 |
Denny Brauer |
Camdenton, MO |
5 |
15-07 |
| 5 |
Tommy Biffle |
Wagoner, OK |
5 |
15-02 |
| 6 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
5 |
13-07 |
| 7 |
Jason Quinn |
Clover, SC |
5 |
13-04 |
| 8 |
Aaron Martens |
Castiac, CA |
5 |
13-03 |
| 9 |
Mark Tucker |
Saint Louis, MO |
5 |
12-13 |
| 10 |
Marty Stone |
Linden, NC |
5 |
12-06 |
| 11 |
Thad Takes |
Center Point, IA |
5 |
11-14 |
| 12 |
Chad Brauer |
Osage Beach, MO |
5 |
11-00 |
| 13 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
5 |
10-13 |
| 14 |
Dustin Wilks |
Rocky Mount, NC |
5 |
10-12 |
| 14 |
Stacey King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
5 |
10-12 |
| 16 |
Brent Chapman |
Shawnee, KS |
4 |
10-07 |
| 17 |
Russ Lane |
Prattville, AL |
5 |
10-05 |
| 18 |
Steve Sennikoff |
Forney, TX |
5 |
10-04 |
| 19 |
Kelly Jordon |
Mineola, TX |
5 |
9-15 |
| 20 |
John Murray |
Phoenix, AZ |
5 |
8-15 |
| 20 |
Mark Kile |
Tonto Basin, AZ |
4 |
8-15 |
| 22 |
Harold Allen |
Shelbyville, TX |
4 |
8-12 |
| 22 |
Skeet Reese |
Auburn, CA |
3 |
8-12 |
| 24 |
Edwin Evers |
Mannsville, OK |
5 |
8-03 |
| 25 |
Mike McClelland |
Bella Vista, AR |
4 |
6-15 |
26. Jay Yelas Tyler, Texas 4 6-14
Day 1: 4 6-14
27. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 3 6-09
Day 1: 3 6-09
28. Jeff Boyer Auburn, Wash. 3 6-01
Day 1: 3 6-01
29. Lee Bailey Hebron, Conn. 2 5-11
Day 1: 2 5-11
30. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 3 5-05
Day 1: 3 5-05
31. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 3 5-04
Day 1: 3 5-04
31. Davy Hite Prosperity, S.C. 2 5-04
Day 1: 2 5-04
33. Randy Blaukat Lamar, Mo. 3 4-13
Day 1: 3 4-13
33. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 2 4-13
Day 1: 2 4-13
35. Paul L Elias Pachuta, Miss. 2 4-09
Day 1: 2 4-09
36. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 2 3-12
Day 1: 2 3-12
37. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 1 3-09
Day 1: 1 3-09
38. Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 2 3-08
Day 1: 2 3-08
38. Art Ferguson III Saint Clair Shores, Mi 2 3-08
Day 1: 2 3-08
40. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 2 3-04
Day 1: 2 3-04
41. Bink Desaro Boise, Idaho 2 3-03
Day 1: 2 3-03
42. William Pippen Crossett, Ark. 1 2-15
Day 1: 1 2-15
43. Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, N.C. 1 2-12
Day 1: 1 2-12
44. Tim Horton Tuscumbia, Ala. 1 2-11
Day 1: 1 2-11
45. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 1 2-05
Day 1: 1 2-05
46. Tim Carroll Owasso, Okla. 1 1-11
Day 1: 1 1-11
47. Jim Bitter Fruitland Park, Fla. 2 1-10
Day 1: 2 1-10
48. Ben Matsubu Hemphill, Texas 1 1-03
Day 1: 1 1-03
49. Brett Hite Phoenix, Ariz. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
49. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
49. George Acord Lancaster, Pa. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
49. Scott Suggs Alexander, Ark. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
49. Chuck Economou Redington Shores, Fla. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
From FishFactory.com
By Trey Reid
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