Tokyo native reeling in plaudits as he makes his mark as a B.A.S.S. angler

03/11/2001

By Ray Sasser / The Dallas Morning News

YANTIS – After winning one B.A.S.S. Tournament and finishing second in another to pocket $100,000 in two weeks, Takahiro Omori is making a name for himself in America.

THE BOOK ON TAKAHIRO OMORI Place and year of birth: Tokyo, Japan; 1970 Occupation: Professional bass fisherman, lure designer, magazine columnist Best thing about America: Wide-open spaces and straight roads Worst thing about America: Everything is good about America Miss most about Japan: Japanese food, especially sushi Favorite American food: barbecue Favorite American music: Country western (Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain and Trisha Yearwood). They help me pass long hours on the road Favorite television show: The Weather Channel Favorite bass lake: Lake Fork Personal best bass: 11 pounds, nine ounces from Lake Fork Favorite fishing style: Spinnerbait in the shallows To prepare for a tournament: Study maps, watch fishing videos and read fishing magazines I drive a: Ford conversion van on the highways, a Ranger 518 VX with a Yamaha outboard on the water B.A.S.S. Tournaments fished: 93 First place: 2 Second place: 2 Top 10: 12 In the money: 30 Career winnings: $270,850 FLW Tournaments fished: 34 Top 10: 1 Career winnings: $51,793.

Omori, a Tokyo native, smiles shyly as he acknowledges being the first Japanese angler to win two B.A.S.S. (Bass Angler Sportsmans Society) Tournaments and standing on the threshold of winning the coveted B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title.

In Japan, says Harley Smith, Omori already is a national hero. Smith and Omori each write a monthly column for Basser, circulation 250,000, which is the Japanese equivalent of Bassmaster magazine.

"If Takahiro-san wins B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, they'll go nuts in Japan," predicts Smith, a Florida resident.

How does Omori, a 30-year-old who grew up fishing in small ponds around Tokyo, outfish a field of home-grown bass pros on a lake like Sam Rayburn? At 114,000 surface acres, the biggest lake in Texas represents more bass water than was available to Omori in his entire country.

"The Japanese pros are known for their concentration and technical prowess," says Smith, who has written a decade's worth of columns for Basser. "They study everything. They are quiet, introspective and extremely observant. No wasted thought, no wasted movement."

At the Louisiana Top 150 Invitational on Feb. 22-25 at Toledo Bend, Omori was in 23rd place after the first competition day, eight pounds behind the leader. He moved to fourth place after the second day, still nearly 6.5 pounds out of first. Omori made a last-day charge, finishing one pound, two ounces behind the winner, Dean Rojas of Arizona.

Two that got away

Two weeks after the tournament, Omori recalls two good bass that he hooked and lost, two fish that would have given him the win and $61,000 more in prizes. "That's part of the game," he says with a shrug.

Nine years ago, Omori came to America to become a tournament pro. That's a daunting task, even for a native angler who can rise through the local tournament ranks, knows the language, is familiar with the culture and has family and friends to cheer and support his efforts.

Just ask any hotshot fisherman with the nerve to plunk down hundreds of dollars in entry money, then pull a bass boat across three states to a lake he's never seen and take on a field that includes legendary pros, some of whom have their own television shows, all of whom are backed by sponsors with deep pockets.

Courtesy Steve Price Since coming to America nine years ago to compete as a pro bass fisherman, Takahiro Omori has $270,850 in career winnings. Perhaps more importantly, he has gained the respect of his bass fishing peers. In Japan, the 30-year-old is considered a national hero.

Most fishermen who try to make it as tournament pros don't last long before reality sets in or the money runs out.

"Takahiro is the most dedicated tournament fisherman I've ever seen," says Joe Axton, owner of Axton's Bass City at Lake Fork. "It's a 100 percent commitment on his part. He has no social life to speak of. When he sleeps, I think he even dreams about tournaments."

When Omori first came to America, he knew just a few words of English. Ann Lewis, former publicist for B.A.S.S., recalls how difficult it was to interview the promising young angler, who won his first tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri in 1996.

"He would hardly say anything," recalls Lewis. "I think it was because he did not want to say the wrong thing. Takahiro is a terrific person and one of the nicest people I've ever known."

Thanks to an intensive English course at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Omori now speaks fluent English. He has held a permanent visa for four years. After five years, Omori will be eligible to apply for American citizenship.

Line of lures

Not only is his tournament career taking off, Omori has a successful line of fishing lures that he has designed and fine-tuned. T.O. Lures are made in Oklahoma, and they're selling well in Japan.

Courtesy Steve Price Takahiro Omori won his first B.A.S.S. Tournament in 1996 in Missouri.

"I need to win more tournaments before the T.O. Lures will make a wave in America," admits Omori, who has learned the product sales value of tournament titles.

In addition to his B.A.S.S. success, Omori is leading the Ranger Cup Challenge, a team competition among pros who run Ranger Boats. Ranger Team members earn points, based on their standings in several pro tournament circuits. The Ranger Cup comes with $50,000.

"Takahiro's been in the lead for three weeks," says Ranger public relations man Cliff Shelby. "He's a remarkable young man with an impressive resume."

Omori also has performed well on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. He has twice qualified for the FLW Championship tournament and is ranked 13th in the 2001 standings. He's earned over $51,000 in FLW paychecks.

"Takahiro has done a marvelous job of coming here from a foreign country and establishing himself in a difficult sport," said FLW publicity director Brian Sayner. "Japan is a hotbed of bass fishing. In fact, we're bringing four or five Japanese pros over for an FLW Tournament later this year in sort of an exchange program. It's a big deal. When American bass pros travel to Japan, they're treated like rock stars."

If Takahiro Omori continues his current pace, Japan won't have to look to America for fishing idols. They'll have a a bass fishing star of their own.