Given his stature in the BASS world and his season-opening CITGO Bassmaster Tour win on Lake Tohopekaliga in January, Texan Takahiro Omori would have to be considered one of the pre-tournament favorites in the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, on the same waters.
That would be the case if the 2004 Classic champion is in Kissimmee, Fla., for professional fishing’s Big Show.
The Japanese pro has not qualified for the 36th Classic, even as routes to the world championship are quickly being taken by other anglers. But this week, Omori is in Prattville, Ala., for his last shot at the Classic through the CITGO Bassmaster Open Championship on the Alabama River.
Actually, Omori has two opportunities to qualify for the 2006 Classic:
• By finishing in the top five in the Open Championship
• If one of the top-five finishers already has qualified for the Classic. BASS would then work down the CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, where Omori stands 33rd and is the highest-ranked angler not already qualified for the Classic.
“I fished this river once, three years ago,” Omori said of the Alabama River. “I led the first day and caught 20 pounds. But it was 10 feet high. It will be different this time.”
It is a surprise that Omori is even in the championship, considering that he skipped one of the three tournaments in both the Central and Southern Open divisions. Fishing just two tournaments, Omori grabbed 25th place in the Central Open standings and the final slot for the championship.
“I was not expecting to make the Open Championship just fishing two (tournaments),” said Omori, who finished first and third in the two Central Opens he fished. “So I’m happy. The only reason I fished the Opens was to keep myself sharp. I would have had five months with no tournaments.”
Looking ahead, Omori downplayed talk of being among the pre-Classic favorites. He points out that he failed to make the top-50 finals in the recent CITGO Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Tohopekaliga. But fishing fans recall that he won the Tour opener in late January by targeting pre-spawn bass with a lipless crankbait — a pattern likely to be effective during the Classic in February.
CHIPPING IN. Noreen Clough, BASS Conservation director, and Dean Kessel, BASS vice president of operations, were reappointed to the Department of the Interior's Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council for a two-year term representing recreational fishing interests. The Council is actively involved in nationally significant recreational fishing and boating issues and will continue that involvement with Clough and Kessel’s assistance.
The Council provides advice and assistance to the Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure conservation, restoration, and enhancement of the aquatic resources that support and increase recreational fishing opportunities nationwide. The Council also increases public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating.
HOLIDAY GIFT. In time for the holiday gift-giving season is a low-cost gift any bass enthusiast would appreciate: the BASS Daily Planner & Fishing Guide.
The guide does more than help an individual keep track of daily appointments. It's also a great tool for logging information from fishing trips. The planner includes valuable tips to make fishing trips more successful, plus information like moon phases, peak fishing times and best fishing days of the week. And it’s a book that’s perfect to give to an angler, with its beautiful black leatherette and gold-stamped cover with a full-color inlaid photograph.
The BASS Daily Planner & Fishing Guide can be purchased for $14.95 by calling 1-877-BASS-USA.
WEIRDEST CATCH. In Davy Hite’s case, it wasn’t the species that struck his crankbait that was weird; it was the manner in which he upgraded his catch.
“I was bringing in a smaller bass on Lake Murray when a bigger bass ate it, which I was glad to see,” said the two-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “The smaller fish wasn’t even a keeper. The fish that ate it was about 5 pounds.”
DID YOU KNOW? The bass fishing section of the CITGO Web site provides valuable information on local fishing waters. Important fishing details like weather, moon phase, lake conditions and fishing charts are available at www.mycitgo.com.
PRO BIRTHDAYS. 2004 CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle becomes 36 on Dec. 17, while Chris Baumgardner of North Carolina turns 45 the next day.
IF I HADN’T BECOME A BASS PRO … Connecticut pro Terry Baksay would likely be working in the field of psychology. His college degree is in industrial psychology.
THEY SAID IT. “A smaller field is a big step. Now guys can make history. You will see an angler get on a roll like (Kevin VanDam) did last season with the Elite 50s and then the Classic. Now that's a story to be told. That's why KVD has a loyal fan following. He's the man. He's a great, great angler. But he won the tournaments in a smaller field when a guy has the chance to dominate, make a run at it.” 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler Gerald Swindle, in praise of the groundbreaking Elite Series format.
News exclusives, audio and video clips of bass fishing's biggest stars, loads of discounts and more are all part of BASS Insider, an exclusive membership, now available at www.bassmaster.com.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
To join BASS or for more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
Advertising