Fishing News - 2/22/02
From BASS
Omori In Familiar Position on Sam Rayburn
Last season's winner enjoys slim lead over second place Wharton
JASPER, Texas - February 22, 2002 - Takahiro Omori used a variety of techniques to put himself in familiar position on Sam Rayburn reservoir--the lead--following Friday's second round action in the Texas CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open presented by Skeeter. Omori enters the final round of competition with a two-day total of 34 pounds.
Omori, who claimed victory in last season's event on the famed East Texas fishery, has a slim two-ounce lead over second place David Wharton."It was a constant bite all day," said Omori, a native of Japan who now
resides in Emory, Texas. "I caught fish in both shallow and deep water, with the deep water better early in the day and the shallow better as the day went on. Six different lures worked for me, and I caught fish around bushes, grass and on points."Texas pros again dominate the field, claiming each of the top five spots and seven of the top 10. Wharton, who lives in Sam Rayburn has 33-14; Gun Barrel's Jason Barber is in third with 33-7; Matt Reed of Madisonville holds fourth with 31-13 and Mineola's Kelly Jordon is in fifth with 30-1. Wharton, who moved into second from fifth position after day one, is concerned about the cooler weather predicted for the area tonight-especially the low of 29 degrees.
"Less wind tomorrow would definitely be a help," said Wharton who is always a favorite on Sam Rayburn and who claimed victory here in 1987. "The cold predicted for tonight worries me, because I am fishing some shallow water. I'm covering a lot of water, but one shallow area I'm having some success in has a definite pattern that might be hurt. A really cold night might drop the water temperature six or seven degrees and could easily make those shallow fish stop hitting."
Jordon relied on the strength of one big bass to move him into the top five. He caught a 7-14 largemouth for his final fish of the day, which not only moved him up in the standings, but allowed him to claim the day's $1,000 big bass bonus.
"That big one was the last bite I had all day long and I caught him with about 1 1/2 hours left to fish," said Jordon. "The front that came in really shut my fish down. Today was tough, so I don't imagine tomorrow could be any tougher."
Overall, the entire field of 322 anglers found the fishing tougher on the day as well, with the total number of fish and limits down from the first day of competition. Only 37 limits were brought in compared with 80 on the first day and the total number of fish caught fell from 871 to 668. More than 60 anglers failed to bring in a single fish.
Anglers competing in the event are vying for a total purse of $250,000 with $51,000 going to the winner. Additionally, they are attempting to earn valuable points towards qualifying for the CITGO BASS Masters Classic to be held this July 25-27 in Birmingham, Ala.
The Texas CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open presented by Skeeter will air on ESPN2 March 23 at 10:30 a.m. (ET). Daily weigh-ins take place at Twin Dikes Marina at 2:30 p.m. Anglers launch beginning at 6:40 a.m.
Additionally, a free CastingKids event, presented by Chevy Trucks and
CITGO, will be held there Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This fun-filled national program encourages children to perfect the skills of casting, pitching and flipping. Local bass clubs conduct the events and provide instruction to all youngsters.By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide, B.A.S.S. is the world's largest fishing organization. The CITGO BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism, and
sportsmanship after more than three decades.Sponsors of the Texas CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open presented by Skeeter include: CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Chevrolet Trucks, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, Stowaway Batteries, Kumho Tires, Long John Silver's, Gore-Tex Outerwear, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Bass Pro Shops, Armstrong Industrial Hand Tools, GMAC/ B.A.S.S. Vehicle & Boat Insurance, B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa/First USA.
Associate Sponsors include: Bass Cat Boats and G3 Boats
The Texas CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open presented by Skeeter is presented
locally by the Jasper Chamber of Commerce (409-384-2762).B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.
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