coming to america
AN OCEAN OF DETERMINATION
Every dream needs a starting point . Koike ’ s was an email address .
He ’ d known he wanted to become a professional angler for years , even writing it as his future career for his elementary school yearbook at age 12 , despite not being “ conscious of America .” But it wasn ’ t until he was a teenager that the dream became a goal .
“ When I am 15 years old , I created the email address of Americandream601123 ,” says Koike . “ I have been using this address for 20 years since then . It ’ s my starting point .”
For Omori , the magazine articles and chance encounters in Japan with the likes of Gary Yamamoto , Rick Clunn and Denny Brauer fueled the dream . But his living in a small tent on an island on Lake Kawaguchi so he could fish every day is what served as his starting point .
Once taking those different – yet significant – steps , they both officially set out on the paths to their same goal : becoming professional anglers in America . Even then , they had to proceed with tact .
“ Nothing happened just by thinking ,” says Koike . “ It was necessary to act specifically .”
With no safety net once making the move to the U . S ., Japanese anglers have to be even more deliberate than their American counterparts . They have to be more thorough . They have to have a plan .
Omori famously created a 15-year plan before ever fishing a single tournament in the U . S .
“ If I look back at this plan now , it was always in the back of my mind like some kind of force ,” Omori explains . “ Because of that plan , incredible things were happening in real life .”
Still , the best-laid plans can all be undone without the determination to execute them and overcome obstacles . And rest assured , there have been plenty of obstacles for both Omori and Koike .
MEETING THE CHALLENGES
Besides trying to move to the U . S . amidst a pandemic , Koike has to go back to Japan regularly because of ESTA restrictions . As for Omori , he lived in a borrowed 1985 Chevy Suburban for the first three years he lived in the U . S . and admits he never made any profit fishing for the first decade of his career .
“ To [ make the move from Japan to chase this dream ], you have to do it because you love to fish ,” Omori says . “ It has to be a passion ; in your DNA . You have to be able to stay positive no matter what , so you don ’ t want to give up when you ’ re broke down on the side of a highway traveling to the next tournament after bombing the last one .”
Aside from the economics and logistics , Omori feels this point of determination ( or lack thereof ) is the biggest driver behind why more anglers from Japan don ’ t make the transition . They have the competitive drive and talent potential , and they want to prove themselves at the highest level . But it takes something more to go out on such an unstable branch with no safety net below .
It ’ s something Koike feels he has , and it ’ s why he came over ; why he ’ s looking to follow in the footsteps of his heroes like Omori and Fukae .
“ Thanks to them opening the way for me , I feel that I am now able to challenge myself in America ,” Koike admits . “ I respect them very much . Their performance in America has always excited Japanese bass anglers .
“ My goal is to win Angler of the Year and big titles . However , they are not the ultimate goals . Make a name for myself and make it in the fishing business . That might be the ultimate goal . I have a moderate sense of tension and fun . I ’ m not afraid .”
PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE PHOTO BY JACOB FINE PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE
46 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021