2018 Bassmaster Elite Lake Martin Day 3: Takahiro Omori Continues Lead with 32-11lbs!

Omori needs only one more day 
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Crankbait and current key to Tak's dominance.
(Photo: BASS)

While fishing Saturday’s semifinal round of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin presented by Econo Lodge, Takahiro Omori caught a bass that had two crankbaits in its mouth.
 
One was a chartreuse colored bait that Omori had lost on an underwater tree branch Friday, and the other was the red bait he fished with most of the day Saturday.
 
In 287 events with B.A.S.S., Omori said he’s never had anything like that happen before. But it’s been a charmed tournament for the Japanese-born angler turned Texas resident.
 
Omori utilized one tiny spot on Lake Martin for the third straight day Saturday, landing a five-bass limit that weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces. He’ll now lead the field into Championship Sunday with a three-day weight of 45-8 and a chance to claim his seventh career victory.
 
“That crankbait is just a once-in-a-lifetime story,” Omori said. “I think maybe what happened is that it got hung up and the fish ate it before. Then it ate the other bait today.
 
“Maybe that’s a sign that everything is going right.”
 
Omori has been traveling up the lake each day to a small nondescript spot that can’t be easily accessed. He has to trim his outboard up to get through some extremely shallow water and then use his Power-Pole shallow-water anchors to hold his boat in place while making continuous casts to an area about twice as wide as a bass boat.
 
So far, it’s been worth the trouble.
 
Omori landed 18-2 during Thursday’s first round and followed that with 14-9 Friday. He’s left with the fish still biting each day, and he’s hoping the spot has one more good day left in it.
 
“We won’t know until tomorrow,” he said. “I just plan to work on my tackle tonight, get a good night’s sleep and go right back there in the morning.”
 
His lead is anything but rock solid, with four anglers within about 6 pounds of the lead.
 
Rookie Roy Hawk caught five bass that weighed 12-10 Saturday and pushed his second-place total to 41-6. He said he might be even closer to the leader if it hadn’t been for one missed opportunity.
 

2018 Bassmaster Elite Lake Martin Day 2: Takahiro Omori Leads with 32-11lbs!

Single spot soars Japanese angler into lead
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Crankbait the key to Omari's lead.
(Photo: BASS)

Since the Bassmaster Tournament Trail hasn’t visited Lake Martin for a major event in more than 15 years, the belief coming into this week’s Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin presented by Econo Lodge was that veteran local anglers with recent experience on the fishery had a chance to dominate.
 
But after two days, the top of the leaderboard includes a guy from Japan, a rookie from Arizona and a longtime pro from Washington State.
 
So much for local domination.
 
Takahiro Omori, a Japanese angler who now lives Texas, caught 14 pounds, 9 ounces and jumped from second place into the lead with a two-day weight of 32-11. He’s followed by newcomer Roy Hawk of Arizona (28-12), who is fishing his first-ever Elite Series event, and Washington angler Luke Clausen, who joined the Elite Series last year after a long and successful career on the FLW Tour.
 
Omori said most of his fish came early — and from one magical spot.
 
“I don’t want to tell anybody about that spot because I’ve got to go back tomorrow,” Omori said. “It’s a really good spot, but it’s about all I have.”
 
In the interest of saving fish for the final two days of the tournament, Omori left his best area well before lunchtime and went looking for something else similar.
 
“After I left that spot, I started practicing,” Omori said. “I tried to find another place to fish, and I couldn’t find it.
 
“I still have to be open-minded because this time of the year, anything can happen.”