Omori captures second BASS win

2005 CITGO Bassmaster Central Open ― Norfork Lake

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. - It takes a skilled angler to win two BASS tournaments in one year. Takahiro Omori put himself in that coveted category with a commanding 4 pound, 10 ounce win over Louisiana's Craig Dowling in the CITGO Bassmaster Central Open at Norfork Lake on Saturday winning more than $50,000 in cash and prizes including a new Triton boat with a Mercury outboard.

"This feels great to win two BASS tournaments in the same year," said the 35-year old Texan, who also won the 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Tour stop at Lake Toho in January. "That is very tough to do, so I feel very good about that."

Omori spent all three days fishing the same creek, located just minutes away from the launch location. He concentrated on shallow pockets of water, 5 five feet in depth using a Lucky Craft BDS2 crankbait and a Zoom Baby Brush Hawg. Additionally, Omori was using 20 pound fluorocarbon Sunline coupled with a 7 foot Daiwa spinning rod.

The crankbait enticed the bigger bites, which were rare considering the tough fishing conditions. However, Omori landed a 3-8 bass with the crankbait on the final day which would have been good enough to win the tournament by itself.

Although Omori brought in a solid bag (7-10) on the final day, his closest competition wilted as Brad Hallman, second place after Day 2, failed to weigh in a fish. Hallman slipped all the way back to sixth place.

"The fishing has been real tough," Oklahoma's Hallman said. "I got pretty lucky my first day out here, but yesterday, I had trouble and I felt like my areas were drying up. I figured I better concentrate on new water today, but I just couldn't find that hot stretch."

Taking over second was Louisiana's Dowling. Despite falling short of winning his first BASS tournament, he was pleased with his second-place finish.

"It has been a great week," Hallman said, who threw Yamamoto hula-grubs and cut-tails all week. "I guess my luck finally ran out today, but I couldn't be happier."

Rounding out the top five on the boater side are Louisiana's Jeremy Guidry (21-15), Texan David Wharton (20-5) and Arkansas's Doug Garrett (18-15).

Garrett was the only Arkansas angler to finish in the top five on the boater side. He moved up from his 11th place position after Day 2 with a 7-pound, 2-ounce catch on the final day.

Anglers from the Natural State fared a bit better on the non-boater side as two finished in the top five. Winning a prize package that includes a Triton boat valued at $25,000 is Texan Dwight Dickerson with a three day total of 14 pounds, 8 ounces.

Finishing behind Dickerson are Texan Rusty Harvey (13-1), Arkansas's Bob Snyder (12-10), Arkansas's Jeary Wheeler (11-13) and Mississippi's Dennis Mcdaniel (11-3).

The last of the three Central Open tournaments will take place on the Red River in Natchitoches , La., Nov. 9-11, 2005.

The top 25 boaters and non-boaters in the CITGO Bassmaster Central Open point standings advance to the CITGO Bassmaster Open Championship on the Alabama River in Prattville, Ala., Dec. 1-4, 2005. The top five finishers in the Open Championship will move on to the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic Feb. 24-26 on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla. and compete for a $500,000 top prize.

Location and Field
Norfork Lake
Mountain Home, Ark.
Oct.13-15, 2005

Launch
Lake Norfork Marina
19 CR 825
Henderson, Ark. 75653

Weigh-in
Lake Norfork Marina
19 CR 825
Henderson, Ark. 75653

Day Three Purolator Big Bass
Boater: Chad Brauer, Osage Beach, Mo., 4-1
Non-Boater: Dennis Mcdaniel, Roxie, Miss., 4-1
Purolator Big Bass of tournament: Homer Humphreys, Jr., Minden, La., 4-14
Nathan Borque, Prairieville, La,, 4-14

Local sponsors
Local sponsors include the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bassmaster Open Series sponsors
CITGO Petroleum Corp., Toyota, Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops and Cialis (tadalafil).

BASS Communications -Oct. 15, 2005

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Posted by DODGE at October 15, 2005 06:00 PM in Tournament (BASS)