Fishing News
Archives

Back To

Back To Kansas Angler Online Edition

Back To Swim Tail® Lures

The Original Action Tail

Contact Us

Zeiners Bass Shop

Kansas Angler

Swim Tail Lures

Kansan Brent Chapmen finishes in 14th
2002 BassFan.com World Rankings Round-Up

The 2001-02 BASSMASTER Tour and 2002 FLW Tour seasons are over. Likewise, all chances of tour pros moving up or down in the BassFan.com World Rankings are over until 2003 -- which is a short 3 1/2 months away.

Before the pros head down to Florida and again start working their way up (and down) the rankings, here's a look at the current Top 10 in the world plus a few more notable "ups and downs" of 2002.

The 10 Best in the World

Following are the Top 10 anglers in the world after the 2002 season.

1) Kevin VanDam (Mich.) -- VanDam continues to outfish everyone in pro fishing. He has been the No. 1 fisherman in the world for more than an entire year, and because the BassFan.com World Rankings is based on a rolling 2 years of data, it means he has outfished every other pro for three straight years. Unless he has a remarkably off year, and someone else steps up to his level, he will remain the best bass fisherman in the world.

2) Mark Davis (Ark.) -- Davis is the No. 2 angler in the world on the strength of his finishes on the BASSMASTER Tour alone. If he also fished the FLW Tour and did as well, he could give VanDam a run for the No. 1 spot. It will be interesting to see what VanDam's schedule will be next year (whether he will fish both tours or not) and how this affects his ranking vis-a-vis Davis. Davis started the season in 3rd, behind Rick Clunn.

3) Aaron Martens (Calif.) -- Martens started last August in the No. 2 slot, then dropped as low as 12th this year and has now climbed back to No. 3. How he accomplished that is interesting. Martens fished poorly (for him) on the BASSMASTER Tour this year, but made the BASSMASTERS Classic via the Western Opens, and his 2nd-place finish at the Classic helped his ranking. As long as ESPN/B.A.S.S. continues to let Tour pros fish the Opens and allows Classic qualifying via the Opens, this scenario can still occur. And despite missing one FLW Tour event to fish a Western Open, he still made the FLW Championship and had a good finish there. Next season: Even with two California events on the BASSMASTER Tour, displacing Davis at No. 2 will be tough because Davis also fishes well in clear, deep lakes.

4) Larry Nixon (Ark.) -- Nixon, No. 4, continues to be one of the best anglers in the world. This season he fished well on both tours, was in the hunt for B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year and at one time was ranked No. 2 in the world. He started the season ranked 11th. The way he's been fishing, don't look for him to fall in the rankings next season.

5) Rick Clunn (Mo.) -- Clunn did not fish well this year (for him), but got better near the end of the year when the behind-the-scenes political issues involving the Professional Anglers Association and ESPN/B.A.S.S. calmed down. He also didn't make the Classic for the first time in his career, yet his overall consistently high finishes vs. his competitors over the past 2 seasons keep him in the Top 10. Next season Clunn will be working on a new fishing style/mental approach, the fruits of which could help him rise again in the rankings.

6) Mike Wurm (Ark.) -- Wurm has consistently finished high for years, including this year, hence his No. 6 ranking. Wurm started out ranked 12th this season. Look for him to remain in the Top 10.

7) Clark Wendlandt (Texas) -- Wendlandt got hurt a bit in World Ranking points this year by failing to make the Classic. He started the season 6th in the world and at one point was 3rd, but ended up in 7th. To date Wendlandt has never been out of the Top 10 in the world, and should remain there next season.

8) Alton Jones (Texas) -- Jones steadily worked his way up the rankings with some good finishes this season, especially under tough conditions. He winds up 8th in the world, and started the season in 15th.

9) Dean Rojas (Texas/Ariz.) -- Rojas overcame a short psychological slump this season, and did well enough on the FLW Tour (3rd in the points) to overcome his less-good finishes on the BASSMASTER Tour. Rojas started the season in 20th.

10) Tim Horton (Ala.) -- Horton (10th) and Davis are the only pros in the Top 10 of the BassFan.com World Rankings who fish only the BASSMASTER Tour. It's probable that if Horton fished the FLW Tour and also had good finishes there, he would be ranked higher than some of his peers. But that speculation might be unnecessary with next year's expanded BASSMASTER Tour schedule (see below). Horton also finished last season ranked 10th in the world.

<b>Other Top Pros</b>

> Jay Yelas (Texas) had a tremendous year -- basically the year VanDam had last season -- earning FLW Angler of the Year and then winning the Classic. In the past few seasons Yelas had fished better in the Opens (not counted in the rankings) than on the BASSMASTER Tour. But this year he fished well on the BASSMASTER Tour and extremely well on the FLW Tour (his first year fishing it in a while), and ends the season ranked 12th in the world. He started the season ranked 29th.

> A similar story, though without the accolades, can be told about <font color=blue><b>Brent Chapman (Kansas). He had his best year ever on the BASSMASTER Tour, fished the Classic and the FLW Championship, and finished 3rd at the latter. At the end of last season he was ranked 52nd in the world, and now is 14th.

> Davy Hite (S.C.) was ranked 67th in the world after last season. The reason? A couple of "intentionally" poor years: after winning the 1999 Classic, he focused more on promotional appearances than fishing. But this year he got serious -- in a big way. He led the B.A.S.S. points race from start to end, had two wins and a few more Top 10s along the way, and is now ranked 19th in the world. If he fishes well again next year, as he should, look for him to jump up the rankings even further. Also, by comparison Yelas fished well on both tours this year and fished both championships, whereas Hite missed this season's FLW Championship.

Other Changes vs. Last Season

Notable Ups

> Bud Pruitt (Texas) started off the season in 24th, cracked the Top 10 once and ends up in 13th.

> Roland Martin (Fla.) started the season ranked 53rd in the world and ended 29th.

> Gary Yamamoto (Texas) started in 100th and ended up 34th.

Notable Downs

> Todd Faircloth (11th -- Texas), Takahiro Omori (21st -- Texas), Paul Elias (16th -- Mississippi) and David Walker (15th -- Tennessee) started the season in the Top 10, but ended out of it.

> Skeet Reese (Calif.) started the season in 14th, but ended the season in 58th. That fall partly reflects the fact that the BassFan.com World Rankings initially included results from the BASSMASTER Opens (Invitationals), in which Reese did well. But Reese also fished only the BASSMASTER Tour this year and failed to make the Classic.

> Mike Iaconelli (N.J.) started the season in 19th, but fell to 33rd. Though Iaconelli seems to be regaining the hot stick he had a few years ago, this season it was seen only sporadically.

> Peter Thliveros (Fla.) started in 21st and ends at 38th.

> Shaw Grigbsy (Fla.) started the season 42nd and ends at 89th.

Looking at Next Year

The biggest factor that will affect tour pros and their rankings next season is the expansion of the BASSMASTER Tour regular season to 10 events, six of which (formerly the whole season) are compacted into just 3 months. Also, like FLW Tour events, BASSMASTER Tour events will now have a cut after the second day of competition.

So all tour-level events should favor pros who can get on patterns early, and 9 of the 16 possible tournaments (both tours combined) will favor pros who are better at early-spring fishing techniques like sight-fishing.

Then there's the schedule itself: nine tournaments in 3 months, several of which are back-to-back; and 16 total events in 6 months, including two in California for pros who plan to fish the BASSMASTER Tour. Some dual-tour pros will shine with the added fishing and hectic schedule, and others will see their fishing suffer, though perhaps only temporarily.

Also, until the final registration lists are in for both tours, no one will know whether some pros who have fished both tours will instead fish only one, and vice versa.

The more tournaments a pro fishes, the better his chances of being ranked higher or lower in the BassFan.com World Rankings. In other words, more events fished means more opportunities for good or bad finishes. In the past this has favored the better pros, who fished well on both tours. But with some two-tour pros doubtless dropping one tour next year, and others struggling with the new rigorous schedule, it will be interesting to see how the pros and rankings are affected.

As a final note, because the rankings are over 2 rolling years, some effects of next year's schedule will be seen next year, but the full effects won't be seen until 2004 -- assuming the schedules stay the same.


FINAL END-OF-SEASON RANKINGS

Rank Name Hometown BFWR Points
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 156.44
2 Mark Davis Mt. Ida, AR 136.98
3 Aaron Martens Castaic, CA 131.035
4 Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 129.902
5 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 126.56
6 Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 122.379
7 Clark Wendlandt Cedar Park, TX 121.37
8 Alton Jones Waco, TX 120.238
9 Dean Rojas Lk. Havasu City, AZ 119.386
10 Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 118.564
11 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 117.455
12 Jay Yelas Tyler, TX 117.341
13 Bud Pruitt Spring, TX 116.476
14 Brent Chapman Shawnee, KS 116.158
15 David Walker Sevierville, TN 115.723
16 Paul L. Elias Pachuta, MS 111.548
17 David Fritts Lexington, NC 110.818
18 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 110.121
19 Davy Hite Prosperity, SC 109.762
20 Gerald Swindle Hayden, AL 108.346
21 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 107.326
22 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 107.288
23 Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 107.156
24 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 106.071
25 Joel G. Richardson Kernersville, NC 103.64
26 Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, NC 103.285
27 John Sappington Wyandotte, OK 102.246
28 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 101.253
29 Roland Martin Clewiston, FL 100.999
30 Randy Blaukat Lamar, MO 100.534
31 Randy Howell Trussville, AL 97.914
32 Chuck Economou Redington Bch., FL 97.121
33 Michael Iaconelli Woodbury Hts., NJ 96.443
34 Gary Yamamoto Mineola, TX 95.86
35 Kevin Wirth . Crestwood, KY 93.787
36 George Cochran Hot Springs, AR 91.296
37 Pat Fisher Stone Mntn., GA 90.362
38 Peter E. Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 89.494
39 Marty Stone Linden, NC 88.727
40 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 87.449
41 Mickey Bruce Buford, GA 86.475
42 Dustin Wilks Raleigh, NC 86.19
43 Carl Maxfield Summerville, SC 86.106
44 Tom Mann Jr. Buford, GA 85.969
45 Kim Stricker Howell, MI 85.906
46 Dion Hibdon Stover, MO 85.323
47 Todd Auten Gastonia, NC 85.146
48 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, TX 85.05
49 Greg Hackney Oak Ridge, LA 84.095
50 Guido Hibdon Gravois Mills, MO 82.448
51 Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 82.038
52 Rick Lillegard Atkinson, NH 81.462
53 Craig Powers Rockwood, TN 80.595
54 Bill Chapman Salt Rock, WV 80.195
55 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 79.788
56 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 79.126
57 Dan Morehead Paducah, KY 79.065
58 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 77.843
59 David Dudley Lynchburg, VA 76.683
60 Pete Gluszek Franklinville, NJ 75.729
61 Jimmy Millsaps Canton, GA 74.821
62 Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, NC 74.779
63 Mark Rose Marion, AR 74.263
64 Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, NJ 73.94
65 Edwin Evers Mannsville, OK 73.919
66 Terry Baksay Monroe, CT 73.866
67 Koby Kreiger Osceola, IN 73.379
68 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 73.347
69 Tony Couch Buckhead, GA 72.96
70 Keith Williams Conway, AR 72.895
71 Rob Kilby Hot Springs, AR 72.883
72 Chet Douthit Clewiston, FL 71.917
73 Dalton Bobo Northport, AL 71.232
74 Sam Swett Covington, LA 70.649
75 Keith Green Arkadelphia, AR 70.276
76 Mark Pack Mineola, TX 69.888
77 Curt Lytle Suffolk, VA 69.743
78 Steve Daniel Clewiston, FL 69.07
79 Dale Teaney Williamsburg, OH 68.745
80 Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 68.176
81 Wes Thomas Hanover, IN 67.762
82 Marty Fourkiller Cyril, OK 67.404
83 Alvin Shaw State Road, NC 67.079
84 Tom Burns Carbondale, IL 66.851
85 Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 66.319
86 Guy H. Eaker Cherryville, NC 66.168
87 Jim Tutt Longview, TX 65.379
88 Andy Morgan Dayton, TN 64.495
89 Shaw E. Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 64.143
90 Ron Shuffield Bismarck, AR 64.082
91 Mark Tucker Kirkwood, MO 64.06
92 Basil E. Bacon Springfield, MO 63.956
93 O.T. Fears III Sallisaw, OK 63.675
94 Chad Brauer Osage Beach, MO 63.628
95 Lendell Martin, Jr. Nacogdoches, TX 63.438
96 Ken Cook Meers, OK 63.415
97 Mike Auten Benton, KY 63.075
98 Donald Eaton Covington, GA 62.895
99 Frank Ippoliti Mt. Airy, MD 62.312
100 Chip Harrison Jr. Bremen, IN 62.007

September 19, 2002 - Following is how the BassFan.com World Rankings change after the FLW Championship on Cross Lake. The delay in sending these was due to the FLW Championship bracket format, and a consequent delay by the league in posting the 1-48 final standings.

Bear in mind that because they are championships, the FLW Championship and BASS Masters Classic are weighted more than regular-season tournaments. Following the text is the full Top 100 chart.

Top 10 Changes

Because most of the Top 10 pros in the world fished the FLW Championship, significant shifting occurs.

> The Top 2 anglers stay the same, though Kevin VanDam (No. 1) increases his points margin over No. 2 Mark Davis to almost 20, a huge spread. Davis did not fish the FLW Championship, and the fact that he was not displaced is a testament to how well he has fished on the BASSMASTER Tour.

> Aaron Martens, now No. 3, flips spots with Larry Nixon, who is now No. 4. This is the highest Martens has been ranked since the BassFan.com World Rankings debuted in August 2001 (Martens debuted 2nd).

> Rick Clunn regains 3 spots and is now 5th. Mike Wurm jumps 6 spots into 6th.

> In part because of his poor finish relative to other Top 10 anglers, Clark Wendlandt drops to No. 7.

> Alton Jones debuts in the Top 10 at 8th, and Dean Rojas climbs one spot to 9th.

> Tim Horton, who does not fish the FLW Tour, drops to 10th.
_____

Other Significant Movement

> Jay Yelas moves into 12th, and Brent Chapman jumps 7 places into 14th.

> David Fritts, who did not fish well at the FLW Championship, hits what may be his lowest ranking ever: 17th.

> FLW Championship winner John Sappington moves from 36th to 27th. Runner-up Gerald Swindle climbs from 26th to 20th.

> Georgia's Pat Fisher registers the biggest jump: 51st to 37th.

> Greg Hackney continues his steady climb up the rankings, and moves from 57th to 49th.

> Indiana's Wes Thomas pops up on the rankings at No. 81, and North Carolina's Alvin Shaw debuts at No. 83.

The BassFan.com World Rankings will not change until the next Tour-level event, which is in January.

BASSFAN.COM WORLD RANKINGS
(all fields are separated by 5 spaces)

Rank Name Hometown BFWR Points
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 156.44
2 Mark Davis Mt. Ida, AR 136.98
3 Aaron Martens Castaic, CA 131.035
4 Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 129.902
5 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 126.56
6 Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 122.379
7 Clark Wendlandt Cedar Park, TX 121.37
8 Alton Jones Waco, TX 120.238
9 Dean Rojas Lk. Havasu City, AZ 119.386
10 Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 118.564
11 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 117.455
12 Jay Yelas Tyler, TX 117.341
13 Bud Pruitt Spring, TX 116.476
14 Brent Chapman Shawnee, KS 116.158
15 David Walker Sevierville, TN 115.723
16 Paul L. Elias Pachuta, MS 111.548
17 David Fritts Lexington, NC 110.818
18 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 110.121
19 Davy Hite Prosperity, SC 109.762
20 Gerald Swindle Hayden, AL 108.346
21 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 107.326
22 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 107.288
23 Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 107.156
24 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 106.071
25 Joel G. Richardson Kernersville, NC 103.64
26 Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, NC 103.285
27 John Sappington Wyandotte, OK 102.246
28 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 101.253
29 Roland Martin Clewiston, FL 100.999
30 Randy Blaukat Lamar, MO 100.534
31 Randy Howell Trussville, AL 97.914
32 Chuck Economou Redington Bch., FL 97.121
33 Michael Iaconelli Woodbury Hts., NJ 96.443
34 Gary Yamamoto Mineola, TX 95.86
35 Kevin Wirth . Crestwood, KY 93.787
36 George Cochran Hot Springs, AR 91.296
37 Pat Fisher Stone Mntn., GA 90.362
38 Peter E. Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 89.494
39 Marty Stone Linden, NC 88.727
40 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 87.449
41 Mickey Bruce Buford, GA 86.475
42 Dustin Wilks Raleigh, NC 86.19
43 Carl Maxfield Summerville, SC 86.106
44 Tom Mann Jr. Buford, GA 85.969
45 Kim Stricker Howell, MI 85.906
46 Dion Hibdon Stover, MO 85.323
47 Todd Auten Gastonia, NC 85.146
48 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, TX 85.05
49 Greg Hackney Oak Ridge, LA 84.095
50 Guido Hibdon Gravois Mills, MO 82.448
51 Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 82.038
52 Rick Lillegard Atkinson, NH 81.462
53 Craig Powers Rockwood, TN 80.595
54 Bill Chapman Salt Rock, WV 80.195
55 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 79.788
56 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 79.126
57 Dan Morehead Paducah, KY 79.065
58 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 77.843
59 David Dudley Lynchburg, VA 76.683
60 Pete Gluszek Franklinville, NJ 75.729
61 Jimmy Millsaps Canton, GA 74.821
62 Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, NC 74.779
63 Mark Rose Marion, AR 74.263
64 Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, NJ 73.94
65 Edwin Evers Mannsville, OK 73.919
66 Terry Baksay Monroe, CT 73.866
67 Koby Kreiger Osceola, IN 73.379
68 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 73.347
69 Tony Couch Buckhead, GA 72.96
70 Keith Williams Conway, AR 72.895
71 Rob Kilby Hot Springs, AR 72.883
72 Chet Douthit Clewiston, FL 71.917
73 Dalton Bobo Northport, AL 71.232
74 Sam Swett Covington, LA 70.649
75 Keith Green Arkadelphia, AR 70.276
76 Mark Pack Mineola, TX 69.888
77 Curt Lytle Suffolk, VA 69.743
78 Steve Daniel Clewiston, FL 69.07
79 Dale Teaney Williamsburg, OH 68.745
80 Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 68.176
81 Wes Thomas Hanover, IN 67.762
82 Marty Fourkiller Cyril, OK 67.404
83 Alvin Shaw State Road, NC 67.079
84 Tom Burns Carbondale, IL 66.851
85 Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 66.319
86 Guy H. Eaker Cherryville, NC 66.168
87 Jim Tutt Longview, TX 65.379
88 Andy Morgan Dayton, TN 64.495
89 Shaw E. Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 64.143
90 Ron Shuffield Bismarck, AR 64.082
91 Mark Tucker Kirkwood, MO 64.06
92 Basil E. Bacon Springfield, MO 63.956
93 O.T. Fears III Sallisaw, OK 63.675
94 Chad Brauer Osage Beach, MO 63.628
95 Lendell Martin, Jr. Nacogdoches, TX 63.438
96 Ken Cook Meers, OK 63.415
97 Mike Auten Benton, KY 63.075
98 Donald Eaton Covington, GA 62.895
99 Frank Ippoliti Mt. Airy, MD 62.312
100 Chip Harrison Jr. Bremen, IN 62.007


July 28, 2002 - Following is a quick overview of how some Classic finishers moved in the BassFan.com World Rankings, followed by the Top 100.

Significant shifts occur in the Top 25 of the BassFan.com World Rankings due to the results of the BASSMASTERS Classic, which ended today. Bear in mind that because the Classic is a championship, Classic finishes are given more weight than finishes in standard tournaments. But no bonus points are given to the top finishers.

Top 10 Movement

> Kevin VanDam and Mark Davis remain No. 1 and No. 2 in the world. VanDam's points lead over Davis is still large, though it shrinks by a few points because of their relative finishes in the Classic. Davis' margin over the No. 3 angler increases.

> Due mostly to their high finishes in the Classic, Larry Nixon and Aaron Martens move up 4 and 5 place respectively, making them ranked 3rd and 4th in the world.

> Tim Horton moved up 5 places into 6th, and Todd Faircloth moves up 9 places into 7th. Bud Pruitt climbs 8 places into 9th.

> Those who didn't fish the Classic -- Clark Wendlandt, formerly No. 3 in the world, drops to 5th. Rick Clunn, formerly 4th in the world, falls to 8th. Dean Rojas falls from 5th to 10th. Mike Wurm's poor Classic finish relative to those near him in the points helps him fall from 6th to 12th.

Top 25 Movement

> Winning the Classic helps Jay Yelas climb 7 places, to 14th. (Anyone surprised that Yelas didn't move up more has to remember that he only had 1 more point than Aaron Martens, 2 more points than David Walker, etc. While winning the Classic is a significant achievement, the hype surrounding the Classic does count in the rankings formula.)

> David Walker's 3rd-place finish helps him move from 14th to 11th.

> Davy Hite moves up three places, to 15th.

> Though he did reasonably well at the Classic, Alton Jones actually falls one place, to 13th. (Remember that how an angler finishes over a rolling 2 years determines points. An angler's ranking then is determined by how many points he has vs. other anglers' points.)

One Tournament Left

B.A.S.S.-only anglers are done for the season, but pros who qualified for the FLW Tour Championship in September have a chance to move up or move down in the rankings, depending on how they finish there.


BassFan.com World Rankings (Top 100)

Rank Name Hometown BFWR Points
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 148.440
2 Mark Davis Mt. Ida, AR 136.730
3 Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 123.402
4 Aaron Martens Castaic, CA 120.285
5 Clark Wendlandt Cedar Park, TX 118.620
6 Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 118.314
7 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 117.205
8 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 116.310
9 Bud Pruitt Spring, TX 116.226
10 Dean Rojas Lk. Havasu City, AZ 115.636
11 David Walker Sevierville, TN 115.473
12 Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 114.129
13 Alton Jones Waco, TX 111.738
14 Jay Yelas Tyler, TX 109.841
15 Davy Hite Prosperity, SC 109.512
16 David Fritts Lexington, NC 109.068
17 Paul L. Elias Pachuta, MS 108.048
18 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 107.038
19 Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 106.906
20 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 106.121
21 Brent Chapman Shawnee, KS 104.658
22 Joel G. Richardson Kernersville, NC 103.390
23 Roland Martin Clewiston, FL 100.749
24 Randy Howell Trussville, AL 97.664
25 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 97.326
26 Gerald Swindle Hayden, AL 96.596
27 Michael Iaconelli Woodbury Hts., NJ 96.193
28 Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, NC 96.035
29 Randy Blaukat Lamar, MO 96.034
30 Gary Yamamoto Mineola, TX 95.610
31 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 95.571
32 Tom Biffle Wagoner, OK 95.503
33 Kevin Wirth . Crestwood, KY 93.537
34 George Cochran Hot Springs, AR 91.046
35 Chuck Economou Redington Bch., FL 90.871
36 John Sappington Wyandotte, OK 90.246
37 Peter E. Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 89.244
38 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 87.199
39 Mickey Bruce Buford, GA 86.225
40 Dustin Wilks Raleigh, NC 85.940
41 Carl Maxfield Summerville, SC 85.856
42 Tom Mann Jr. Buford, GA 85.469
43 Todd Auten Gastonia, NC 84.896
44 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, TX 84.800
45 Marty Stone Linden, NC 83.477
46 Kim Stricker Howell, MI 83.406
47 Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 81.788
48 Rick Lillegard Atkinson, NH 81.212
49 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 79.538
50 Guido Hibdon Gravois Mills, MO 79.448
51 Pat Fisher Stone Mntn., GA 79.112
52 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 78.876
53 Dan Morehead Paducah, KY 78.815
54 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 77.593
55 David Dudley Lynchburg, VA 75.933
56 Pete Gluszek Franklinville, NJ 75.479
57 Greg Hackney Oak Ridge, LA 75.095
58 Craig Powers Rockwood, TN 74.595
59 Jimmy Millsaps Canton, GA 74.571
60 Dion Hibdon Stover, MO 74.323
61 Mark Rose Marion, AR 74.013
62 Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, NJ 73.690
63 Edwin Evers Mannsville, OK 73.669
64 Terry Baksay Monroe, CT 73.616
65 Koby Kreiger Osceola, IN 73.129
66 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 73.097
67 Tony Couch Buckhead, GA 72.710
68 Chet Douthit Clewiston, FL 71.667
69 Bill Chapman Salt Rock, WV 71.445
70 Rob Kilby Hot Springs, AR 71.383
71 Dalton Bobo Northport, AL 70.982
72 Sam Swett Covington, LA 70.399
73 Keith Green Arkadelphia, AR 70.026
74 Curt Lytle Suffolk, VA 69.493
75 Steve Daniel Clewiston, FL 68.820
76 Keith Williams Conway, AR 67.395
77 Marty Fourkiller Cyril, OK 67.154
78 Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, NC 67.029
79 Tom Burns Carbondale, IL 66.601
80 Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 66.069
81 Guy H. Eaker Cherryville, NC 65.918
82 Mark Pack Mineola, TX 64.888
83 Andy Morgan Dayton, TN 64.245
84 Shaw E. Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 63.893
85 Ron Shuffield Bismarck, AR 63.832
86 Mark Tucker Kirkwood, MO 63.810
87 Basil E. Bacon Springfield, MO 63.706
88 Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 63.426
89 O.T. Fears III Sallisaw, OK 63.425
90 Chad Brauer Osage Beach, MO 63.378
91 Lendell Martin, Jr. Nacogdoches, TX 63.188
92 Ken Cook Meers, OK 63.165
93 Mike Auten Benton, KY 62.825
94 Donald Eaton Covington, GA 62.645
95 Frank Ipploiti Mt. Airy, MD 62.062
96 Dale Teaney Williamsburg, OH 61.995
97 Chip Harrison Jr. Bremen, IN 61.757
98 Ben Matsubu Mineola, TX 61.749
99 Johnny McCombs Mount Olive, AL 61.579
100 Jim Tutt Longview, TX 61.129

May 19, 2002 - Following are the highlights of how the BassFan.com World Rankings changed after the Old Hickory FLW, as well as a few notes on the BassFan.com Rookie of the Year Race, which is now between three anglers (from Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia). The full World Rankings table is at the bottom.

WORLD RANKINGS CHANGES

Top 10 Movement

On the strength of yet another Top 10 finish, No.1-ranked Kevin VanDam increases his lead over No. 2 Mark Davis.

Less than half a point separate the anglers ranked 4th through 6th. After Old Hickory, Mike Wurm leapfrogs Larry Nixon into 4th (Wurm's highest ranking yet) and Rick Clunn falls to his lowest spot yet on the rankings, 6th. Larry Nixon remains ranked 5th.

In part on the strength of good recent finishes, Dean Rojas moves into the Top 10 for the first time, in 7th. Aaron Martens also climbs back into the Top 10. This is the first time two western pros have ever been in the BassFan.com Top 10.

Though the points for Tim Horton, a B.A.S.S.-only angler, remain basically unchanged, he falls to 10th. This also applies to Todd Faircloth, who falls out of the Top 10 to 14th.

Paul Elias (11th) falls out of the Top 10 for the first time.

Top 25 Movement

Davy Hite moves from 18th to 16th, his highest ranking yet.<br>
Gary Klein moves up from 16th to 13th.<br>
Kernersville, N.C.'s Joel Richardson debuts in the Top 25 at 21.<br>
Brent Chapman moves into the Top 25, at 24th.

Other Movement

Osceola, Ind.'s Koby Kreiger jumps from 95th to 69th.
Texas' Mark Pack jumps from 93rd to 79th.
Mt. Olive, Ala.'s Johnny McCombs debuts at 83rd.
Old Hickory winner Basil Bacon debuts at 85th.
Maryland's Frank Ippoliti debuts at 94th.
Dayton, Tenn.'s Andy Morgan debuts at 98th.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RACE

Can Davis Or Crews Catch Scalish?

With just one tournament to go in the FLW Tour season, the race for BassFan.com Rookie of the Year (ROY) is between three anglers. FLW rookies Harmon Davis (Marlow, Okla.) and John Crews (Jetersville, Va.) are the only anglers who can beat B.A.S.S. rookie Frank Scalish.

Davis finished 67th at Old Hickory, which means he has to finish 25th or better at Lake Champlain to win ROY.

Crews put himself in the race by finishing 44th at Old Hickory, but needs a 3rd or better at Champlain to beat Scalish in the points race.

Who will become the first ROY the sport of bass fishing has ever seen? We'll find out in June.

BASSFAN.COM WORLD RANKINGS

Rank Name Hometown Points
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 140.939
2 Mark Davis Mt. Ida, AR 125.463
3 Clark Wendlandt Cedar Park, TX 115.935
4 Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 111.419
5 Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 111.318
6 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 111.154
7 Dean Rojas Lk. Havasu City, AZ 108.457
8 David Fritts Lexington, NC 107.825
9 Aaron Martens Castaic, CA 106.563
10 Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 105.998
11 Paul L. Elias Pachuta, MS 105.654
12 David Walker Sevierville, TN 105.075
13 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 103.061
14 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 102.788
15 Bud Pruitt Spring, TX 101.460
16 Davy Hite Prosperity, SC 99.254
17 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 99.024
18 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 98.222
19 Alton Jones Waco, TX 97.891
20 Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 97.285
21 Joel G. Richardson Kernersville, NC 95.274
22 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 94.580
23 Gerald Swindle Hayden, AL 94.348
24 Brent Chapman Shawnee, KS 93.836
25 Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, NC 93.348
26 Randy Blaukat Lamar, MO 93.347
27 Roland Martin Clewiston, FL 92.632
28 Randy Howell Trussville, AL 91.008
29 Jay Yelas Tyler, TX 90.846
30 John Sappington Wyandotte, OK 90.665
31 Michael Iaconelli Woodbury Hts., NJ 90.463
32 Chuck Economou Redington Bch., FL 88.128
33 Mickey Bruce Buford, GA 88.015
34 Peter E. Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 87.240
35 Carl Maxfield Summerville, SC 85.399
36 George Cochran Hot Springs, AR 84.825
37 Tom Biffle Wagoner, OK 84.789
38 Tom Mann Jr. Buford, GA 83.209
39 Marty Stone Linden, NC 83.202
40 Gary Yamamoto Mineola, TX 81.717
41 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 80.934
42 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 78.459
43 Kim Stricker Howell, MI 77.938
44 Rick Lillegard Atkinson, NH 77.883
45 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 77.176
46 Jimmy Millsaps Canton, GA 77.051
47 Dan Morehead Paducah, KY 76.653
48 Guido Hibdon Gravois Mills, MO 75.748
49 Pete Gluszek Franklinville, NJ 75.063
50 Mark Rose Marion, AR 73.905
51 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, TX 73.883
52 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 73.832
53 Craig Powers Rockwood, TN 73.666
54 Dustin Wilks Raleigh, NC 73.644
55 Terry Baksay Monroe, CT 73.508
56 Keith Green Arkadelphia, AR 73.245
57 Tony Couch Buckhead, GA 72.952
58 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 72.680
59 David Dudley Lynchburg, VA 72.598
60 Todd Auten Gastonia, NC 72.562
61 Dion Hibdon Stover, MO 71.511
62 Chet Douthit Clewiston, FL 71.250
63 Pat Fisher Stone Mntn., GA 71.195
64 Greg Hackney Oak Ridge, LA 70.991
65 Dalton Bobo Northport, AL 70.566
66 Sam Swett Covington, LA 69.724
67 Edwin Evers Mannsville, OK 69.402
68 Kevin Wirth . Crestwood, KY 69.363
69 Koby Kreiger Osceola, IN 69.033
70 Curt Lytle Suffolk, VA 68.866
71 Marty Fourkiller Cyril, OK 67.907
72 Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 67.721
73 Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, NJ 67.674
74 Steve Daniel Clewiston, FL 66.708
75 Tom Burns Carbondale, IL 66.185
76 Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 65.652
77 Guy H. Eaker Cherryville, NC 65.501
78 Rob Kilby Hot Springs, AR 64.302
79 Mark Pack Mineola, TX 64.240
80 Donald Eaton Covington, GA 64.087
81 Bill Chapman Salt Rock, WV 64.041
82 Ken Cook Meers, OK 63.901
83 Johnny McCombs Mount Olive, AL 63.762
84 Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, NC 63.641
85 Basil E. Bacon Springfield, MO 63.571
86 Shaw E. Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 63.476
87 Ron Shuffield Bismarck, AR 63.415
88 Mark Tucker Kirkwood, MO 63.393
89 Keith Williams Conway, AR 63.220
90 Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 62.929
91 Chad Brauer Osage Beach, MO 62.918
92 Lendell Martin, Jr. Nacogdoches, TX 62.771
93 Mike Auten Benton, KY 62.408
94 Frank Ippoliti Mt. Airy, MD 62.112
95 Jim Bitter Fruitland Park, FL 61.791
96 Terry Segraves Kissimmee, FL 61.625
97 Ben Matsubu Mineola, TX 61.332
98 Andy Morgan Dayton, TN 60.958
99 Mike McClelland Springdale, AR 60.288
100 Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 59.911


If you are interested in printing the full rankings, they can be found at www.BassFan.com.