As founder of the new nonprofit organization, Kentucky Pro Bass Warriors, Kaoru O’Bryan is no stranger to the fact that fishing is much more than a hobby, it is a passion and that is a great source of therapy and healing to soldiers returning back to the civilian life. “We take Wounded, Active Soldiers and Veterans out fishing once a month.” He says about the organization that he spends much of his time supporting and promoting.
With humble beginnings in his passion for fishing, Kaoru recalls bluegill as his first fish around the age ten, since then he has come a long way in the competitive sport of bass fishing. Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky and fishing in that area, he had this to say about his hometown, “I love living in Louisville. Great people and close to a lot of lakes, and the cost of living is good.”
Kaoru has been fishing tournaments since 1986 winning many team events along the way. He advanced quickly fishing national events back in the nineties in the Redman events, and fished seventeen BASS invitational. He won the Southern Division in 2002 as a team and placed 3rd as a Bass event at Lake of the Ozark back in April of 1994. More recently he has fished the PAA, BFL’s and the Kentucky BASS Federation winning 4 national events and 1 Federation Championship event. With his prior accomplishments he hopes to return to tournament fishing as a professional in BASS opens toward the Elite or in the FLW tour.
Kaoru says that he prefers lakes such as Kentucky and Barkley Lake and also the Ohio River as he tries to best his largest bass to date that was an 8lb jig fish. “I like to use moving baits such as a Buzz bait, splash-it, crank bait or spinner bait as a search bait. Once I locate bass than I can slow down and throw plastics or jigs”. My newest personal best largemouth came about 4 years ago at Ky Lake it was a 9.8 toad.
He shared one of the toughest lessons that he has learned in his fishing is to fish slower when he should. He also says that one thing he has learned is to stop second guessing himself. “Just go with your instincts and gut feeling.” He says. This must pay off for him as he has reached some impressive milestones with a 3rd place finish in the BASS at Lake of the Ozark, and won the state federation championship in 2013.
Kaoru is a motivated competitor and this is part of his drive in tournaments, “I like the competition. I played all types of sports so I am competitive – plus I love to fish and it’s my passion.” He says. With his saying, “One fish at a time”, Kaoru continues to follow his dreams as a professional tournament angler.
Kaoru also was the owner of his Remodeling Company, Kaoru O’Bryan Remodeling LLC for several years doing Home Remodeling from Room Additions, Basements, Baths, Kitchens and more. I moved to Ky Lake in October of 2018 and now live at Ky Lake and live there full time. I had on planed on fishing full time in 2019. But unexpectedly I had to have Open Heart Surgery on March 5th 2019 which came as a major shock in my fishing career and looking for some help with my career with some companies and to help me reach my goal of doing this again as full time job. I love to help promote companies and their products, I think having my own business has heled since I had to sell my self to get jobs. Also have a Professional Web Site with Pro Site Unlimited.