O'Bryan reels in first fishing title

By Sharon Graves

The Carrollton News-Democrat

CARROLLTON – Kaoru O'Bryan of Crestwood took top honors Saturday in Carrollton in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, catching four fish for a total weight of 11.1 pounds.

O'Bryan has come in second nine times in similar tournaments, watching a lead vanish in the last minutes of a weigh-in.

But Saturday as he stood on the stage with tournament director Dave Maxfield, handing him a trophy and a check for $3,878.00, O'Bryan looked relieved.

"I practiced for two and a half days in Louisville last week around docks and I found a 14-mile creek past a gravel pit on the Indiana side that I caught several fish in," O'Bryan said. "I went to the creek and decided I'd make one pass through it. I ended up catching my four fish there and thought I'd get my limit before 8 a.m. and not even go to Louisville."

The single big fish of the day at 4.4 pounds belonged to O'Bryan and $581 was included in his winnings for being the winner while using a Ranger Boat.

Winning the top spot in the boater division, O'Bryan garnered 200 points in the Buckeye Division of the BFL and his current standings have him in 19th place overall.