Japanese and U.S. Anglers Closeout Successful
International Bass-fishing Tournament
Japanese Pros impress American Anglers at Lake Mead event
LAS VEGAS, Nev. ---6/16/00-With over 100 Japanese electronic and print media
documenting their countrymen's and the American anglers every move, the
two-day Japan Bass (JB) Pro Association World Series Lake Mead Challenge tour
stop was ruled a success. Two Japanese pros, Morizo Shimizu and Kenichi
Inoue, each took top honors in their two divisions fishing on Callville Bay.
The inaugural event organized by Mercury Marine of Japan and
the U.S.,
was the first-ever international fishing tournament of its kind. A shared
weight tournament format, the 60 American pros from the WON Bass tournament
circuit and their 60 Japanese counterparts, worked together as a team each
day. The two divisions of anglers drew new partners for the second and
final
round. Winners were determined by total weight at the end of two days of
fishing. The $186,400 purse was split 50/50 between the two divisions of
competitors.
Shimizu, Osaka, Japan, jumped to the lead from his second
place/first
round spot with shared catches of 13.27 and 11.60 lbs. for a 24.87 total to
win his division and $20,000.
John Morrow, Placentia, Calif. was the top American winning
$10,000 for
second place with consistent catches of 12.08 and 12.52 lbs. Derek
Yamamoto,
Tempe, Ariz., Ben Matsubu, Phoenix, and Aaron Martens, Castaic, Calif.,
rounded out the top five positions in that same division.
Also in that division, first round leader Tim Klinger,
Boulder City, Nev.
fell to 6th place with 8.10 lbs. of fish after sharing a weight of 14.53 lbs.
with first day partner Kenichi Inoue.
In the other division, Inoue, Tokyo, Japan, held on to finish
at the top
with a two day 24.24 lb. total for the $20,000 first prize.
Jim Walker, El Cajon, Calif., was the highest finishing
American in
fourth place in Inoue's division. He collected a $6,000 check.
Mike Reynolds, Modesto, Calif. and Walker each won $1,000 for
daily Big
Bass honors; Reynolds with a 4.30 lb. fish and Walker with a 4.10 lb. bass.
Temperatures of 110 degrees on Thursday and 106 on Friday was
the only
set back to almost full limits of fish caught and released both days.
Shimizu, a nine-year pro who fished the U.S. Open last year,
credited his
American partners with teaching him several techniques to help him to his JB
win.
JB tournament organizers ruled the event a huge success and
announced
plans to return to the U.S. with a World Series pro tour stop next year.
The tournament was taped for television playback in Japan and
Korea.
###
First Division: Top 20 places/total weight for two days/earnings
1 -- Morizo Shimizu, Osaka, Japan, 24.87 lbs.
$20,000
2 -- John Morrow, Placentia, Calif, 24.60 lbs. $10,000
3 -- Derek Yamamoto, Tempe, Ariz., 23.02 lbs. $8,000
4 -- Ben Matsubu, Phoenix, Ariz., 23.00 lbs. $6,000
5 -- Aaron Martens, Castaic, Calif., 22.94 lbs. $5,000
6 -- Tim Klinger, Boulder City, Nev., 22.63 lbs. $4,000
7 -- Steve Redding, Irvine, Calif., 22.16 lbs. $3,000
8 -- Gary Yamamoto, Mineola, Texas, 21.89 lbs. $2,500
9 -- Don Payne, Modesto, Calif., 21.55 lbs. $2,300
10 -- Bob Simmons, Long Beach, Calif., 21.42 lbs. $2,200
11 -- Jim Jared, Dolan Springs, Ariz., 21.28 lbs. $2,100
12 -- Mike Folkestad, Yorba Linda, Calif., 21.25 lbs. $2,000
13 -- Jack Gadlage, Logandale, Nev., 21.05 lbs. $1,900
14 -- Mike Reynolds, Modesto, Calif., 20.92 lbs. $1,800
15 -- Jun Shoji, Japan, 20.72 lbs. $1,700
16 -- John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz., 20.62 lbs. $1,600
17 -- Tosihumi Kikumoto, Japan, 20.45 lbs. $1,500
18 -- Yukihiro Sawamura, Japan, 20.36 lbs. $1,400
19 -- Jim Reese, Ukiah, Calif., 20.30 lbs. $1,300
20 -- Katsuhiko Kubo, Japan, 20.16 lbs. $1,200
Second Division: Top 20 places/total weight for two days /earnings
1 -- Kenichi Inoue, Tokyo, Japan, 24.24 lbs. $20,000
2 -- Sachinori Takaku, Japan, 23.59 lbs. $10,000
3 -- Tsuguhiko Komori, Japan, 23.02 lbs. $8,000
4 --Jim Walker, El Cajon, Calif. 22.81 lbs. $6,000
5 -- Masaya Masuda, Japan, 22.32 lbs. $5,000
6 - Kazunori Okuma, Japan, 21.82 lbs. $4,000
7 -- Dennis Kolender, Henderson, Nev. 21.81 lbs. $3,000
8 -- Yuki Hirose, Japan, 21.78 lbs. $2,500
9 -- Shingo Watanabe, Japan, 21.31 lbs. $2,300
10 -- Gabe Boliva, Ramona, Calif. 21.18 lbs. $2,200
11 -- Kuniaki Shimizu, Japan, 21.13 lbs. $2,100
12 -- Tadayki Kawagoe, Japan, 21.09 lbs. $1,950
12 -- Takashi Chiba, Japan, 21.09 lbs. $1,950
14 -- Reiko Kawase, Japan, 21.02 lbs. $1,800
15 -- Kazunori Hirasawa, Japan, 20.85 lbs. $1,700
16 -- Naoto Kawaguchi, Japan, 20.72 lbs. $1,600
17 -- Keiichi Hayashi, Japan, 20.52 lbs. $1,500
18 -- Ryosaku Kuroki, Japan, 20.35 lbs. $1,400
19 -- Ken Morioka, Chatsworth, Calif. 20.26 lbs. $1,300
20 -- Tom Phillips, Corona, Calif. 19.96 lbs. $1,200
Provided by:
Pete
Johnson
Johnson Communications, at
480-951-3654