The Opens Door

TALK ABOUT FIRST impressions. Kyoya Fujita fished his first U.S. tournament April 14-16 and left the St. Croix Bassmaster Northern Open presented by Mossy Oak Fishing at the James River with a 10th-place finish.

Understandably, this quiet newcomer with a boyish grin and an unmistakable air of competence was known only to a cluster of Japanese photographers, but we get the feeling he’ll quickly establish a U.S. fan base. To kickstart that process, we spoke with Fujita following his Bassmaster debut. (Special thanks to Daiwa R&D Director Satoshi Ito for his interpretation.)

Born in Saitama, Japan, Fujita makes his home in Yamanashi, Japan. The soft-spoken