Japan’s Yui Aoki defines the word upstart. He finished 10th at his first-ever Bassmaster Open on Sam Rayburn, won the second Open on Kentucky/Barkley lakes and nabbed 26th at Norfork Lake. He currently holds second place in the Open’s Div. 2 Angler of the Year standings.
Thanks to his victory at Kentucky/Barkley lakes, Aoki will receive an invitation to the 2026 Bassmaster Classic after competing in the final event of the Div. 2 series at Leech Lake in August.
“Of course, I’m very happy to have qualified for the Classic,” Aoki said. “But now that I’m in, I’m aiming for nothing less than the win.”
Before the 25-year-old ventured to the U.S. from Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, he had won 30 professional bass tournaments, including Japan’s equivalent of the Bassmaster Classic.
Growing up, Aoki and his parents often dunked live bait into the ocean and rivers for table fare. He first became aware of bass fishing during his second year in high school.
“I watched a video of Daisuke Aoki [no relation] winning a tournament, and it really moved me,” Aoki said. “That video was also how I first learned about bass tournaments.”
Japanese angler Daisuke Aoki fished professionally for 20 years. He won a Bassmaster Southern Open at Douglas Lake in 2021 and competed as an Elite Series pro in 2022.
The video inspired Aoki to pursue bass fishing. He began competing in tournaments during his senior year in high school. His passion for the sport motivated him to pursue bass fishing professionally.
After graduating from high school, Aoki enrolled at Japan’s Human Academy, which has a two-year Fishing Sports College. The courses are specifically designed for aspiring bass tournament professionals. Most of the school’s training takes place on Lake Kawaguchi.
“We learned the basics such as casting, boat handling, how to use electronics and how to build a career as a professional angler,” Aoki said. “In the winter, we stayed in the classroom and carved wood to make lures and studied the basics of bass fishing.”
While attending the academy, Aoki bought his first bass tournament rig, a 12-foot aluminum boat. He later stepped up to a 14-aluminum boat and then to a Bass Cat Cougar.
When he’s not traveling to the Bassmaster Opens in America, he stays in Harker Heights, Texas, which is where Texas Boat World, one of his sponsors, is located. Suguru “Jackie” Takauji, a mechanic at Texas Boat World, helped Aoki get settled in America.
“Jackie has been really helpful and supportive,” Aoki said. “Whenever I run into trouble navigating life in the U.S., I can always call him for advice and support.”
One of his biggest challenges in America is the language barrier. He hopes to soon become proficient enough with English to carry on conversations with fans and other anglers.
Aoki’s number one goal is to qualify for the Elite Series. His sponsors include Daiwa, Texas Boat World, SDG Marine (Japan), DSTYLE (Japanese lures), Yaso Koso (a Japanese health supplement company), Center Field (a Japanese tackle shop) and SLP Works.
