TULSA, Okla. — There are two Oklahoma anglers competing in this week’s Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors who both look and sound authentically Oklahoma.
From their long, tall frames to their deep Southwestern drawls, everything about them says they are from the Sooner state.
But if you scan the list of participants, you’ll find another Okie — one you’d never assume calls Oklahoma his home without first hearing his backstory.
His name is Kenta Kimura, and he made his way to Afton, Okla. — his home for 10 months out of every year — from his native country of Japan more than a decade ago. While he doesn’t know much about Barry Switzer, Brian Bosworth or anything else associated with the Crimson and Cream, he knows plenty about Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, where this week’s Classic competition will be held — and that places him squarely among the favorites to earn the event’s $300,000 first-place.
“I call this my home away from home,” said Kimura, who first came to the United States to pursue a pro fishing career in 2010. “I made my way here (to Oklahoma) because one of my buddies moved up here, and I pretty much consider this home base now.”
That home base positions him about 20 minutes from Grand Lake, and his local knowledge has shown at past B.A.S.S. events on the 41,779-acre fishery.
During a 2019 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Grand Lake presented by SEVIIN, Kimura placed fourth, just 5 1/2 pounds off the winning mark of Minnesota pro and current Elite Bob Downey. In a 2021 Open, Kimura placed second, again roughly 5 pounds off the pace of winner Nick LeBrun.
Though both were solid finishes, Kimura laments what could have been.
“I was leading both times on Day 1, but just didn’t fish right the next few days,” he said. “That’s one thing about this lake, is that it can change so quickly, and you have to always change with it or you’ll get left behind.”
Those solid finishes in major B.A.S.S. events have caused many to place Kimura among the handful of anglers they believe have a true chance to win the Classic this week. But he’s quick to point out those events took place at different times of year under very different conditions.
“Everybody asks me if I’m gonna win this one, but my biggest tournament success here has come during the fall,” he said. “During the springtime I’m usually going somewhere else to fish on the Elite Series. So, I don’t have a lot of experience on this lake this time of year.
“I’ll have to figure some things out just like everybody else.”
Plus, he says Grand is just as fickle as other lakes around the country during the hard-to-figure month of March.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the fish all went to the beds or, if it turns into a scoping tournament, with fish a little further offshore — either could happen,” Kimura said. “That’s why you have to keep an open mind and understand that you may have to fish three different days like three different tournaments.”
Kimura isn’t sure if he’ll get the same Okie ovation as guys like Jason Christie and Luke Palmer when his boat is pulled into the arena at the BOK Center for Friday’s Day 1 weigh-in. Although this is his “home away from home,” besides becoming very fond of steak, he hasn’t integrated himself much into the local culture.
But no matter how he’s received by the Oklahoma crowd, he’s looking forward to another chance at a big win on Grand — and certainly to sleeping in a familiar bed during a major event for a change.
“Everyone thinks I have so much advantage, but I really don’t — especially against the guys in this tournament,” he said. “They will come in here and find some little something that no one has thought about, and that’s what will win it.
“The main thing for me is I get to sleep at home for one tournament this year, and that’s big. As soon as the schedule came out last year, all that was on my mind was making this Classic through the Elite Series.”
Despite qualifying for the Classic two years in a row and enjoying massive success on the Elite Series and the Opens circuit, Kimura said he desperately needs that one big win to boost his career. So far, his only victory with B.A.S.S. came during an Open on the James River in Virginia in 2022. The win paid $52,500 — and while that’s nice, it’s a far cry from the $300,000 first-place prize available this week.
He has an idea in his mind of what it will take to make a Classic win happen.
“I think someone probably needs 19 1/2 a day to win this week,” he said. “Probably someone will catch 22 pounds on Day 1, 19 pounds on Day 2 and then 18 pounds the final day — something like that. It’s so hard to catch 20 pounds on this lake. It could take 60 or more, but that would surprise me.
“I just need to win a big one — whatever that is. Hopefully it’s this Classic, but I feel like that’s almost too much to ask for.”
