Toledo Bend Elite by the numbers

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Numbers tell a story … especially on the Bassmaster Elite Series, which is all about pounds and ounces, standings and Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points that can get you to the GEICO Bassmaster Classic. <p> Here are the important numbers from the Elite event on Toledo Bend Reservoir. <p> <em>All captions: Ken Duke</em>
Numbers tell a story … especially on the Bassmaster Elite Series, which is all about pounds and ounces, standings and Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points that can get you to the GEICO Bassmaster Classic.

Here are the important numbers from the Elite event on Toledo Bend Reservoir.

All captions: Ken Duke

1 – Toledo Bend ranks No. 1 on Bassmaster’s Top 100 bass waters list, and it certainly backed that up at the tournament. But the St. Johns River and Wheeler Lake both produced more bass at the scales, and the St. Johns produced bigger daily lunkers each day (including Cliff Prince’s 10-8 that should stand up as top bass of the year). Toledo Bend had a slightly higher average bass weight than the St. Johns — 3.03 pounds to 2.85 pounds (about 2 ounces).
1 – Toledo Bend ranks No. 1 on Bassmaster’s Top 100 bass waters list, and it certainly backed that up at the tournament. But the St. Johns River and Wheeler Lake both produced more bass at the scales, and the St. Johns produced bigger daily lunkers each day (including Cliff Prince’s 10-8 that should stand up as top bass of the year). Toledo Bend had a slightly higher average bass weight than the St. Johns — 3.03 pounds to 2.85 pounds (about 2 ounces).
2 – After the last Elite event on Wheeler Lake in Alabama, there were six anglers who had finished in the money in each of the first four tournaments. Now it’s down to two — Greg Hackney and Gerald Swindle. Unfortunately, there are still 10 anglers who have yet to cash a check in 2016, and four of them are rookies.
2 – After the last Elite event on Wheeler Lake in Alabama, there were six anglers who had finished in the money in each of the first four tournaments. Now it’s down to two — Greg Hackney and Gerald Swindle. Unfortunately, there are still 10 anglers who have yet to cash a check in 2016, and four of them are rookies.
8 – On the political scene, there’s lots of talk of “presumptive” nominees, and we all know how early the media likes to declare winners. Well, in the spirit of the political season, I’m not quite ready to declare Greg Hackney the presumptive Angler of the Year, but it’s getting close. If you think that’s jumping the gun (we’re about halfway through the season), hear me out. First of all, Hackney has the lead, and that’s no small thing. With the exception of years when there was a postseason to determine AOY, no eventual AOY has ranked worse than eighth after four events (Kevin VanDam in 2008) and eight of the 10 ranked first, second or third. More on Hackney’s chances on the slide for “45.”
8 – On the political scene, there’s lots of talk of “presumptive” nominees, and we all know how early the media likes to declare winners. Well, in the spirit of the political season, I’m not quite ready to declare Greg Hackney the presumptive Angler of the Year, but it’s getting close. If you think that’s jumping the gun (we’re about halfway through the season), hear me out. First of all, Hackney has the lead, and that’s no small thing. With the exception of years when there was a postseason to determine AOY, no eventual AOY has ranked worse than eighth after four events (Kevin VanDam in 2008) and eight of the 10 ranked first, second or third. More on Hackney’s chances on the slide for “45.”
10 – Take a look at the top 10 or so anglers in the AOY race and pencil them in for a Classic berth. Only once in Elite history has an angler ranked in the top 10 after five tournaments failed to qualify for the big dance. It happened to Pat Golden in 2011. He was eighth before things went wrong.
10 – Take a look at the top 10 or so anglers in the AOY race and pencil them in for a Classic berth. Only once in Elite history has an angler ranked in the top 10 after five tournaments failed to qualify for the big dance. It happened to Pat Golden in 2011. He was eighth before things went wrong.
17 — We’re about halfway through the Elite season, and there are still 17 anglers who have limited each day they’ve been on the water. With potentially tough stops ahead (Texoma and the Potomac River), that number will dwindle. It’s not unprecedented for an angler to limit each day on the water for an entire season, but it doesn’t happen every year. In fact, no one has done it since 2012.
17 — We’re about halfway through the Elite season, and there are still 17 anglers who have limited each day they’ve been on the water. With potentially tough stops ahead (Texoma and the Potomac River), that number will dwindle. It’s not unprecedented for an angler to limit each day on the water for an entire season, but it doesn’t happen every year. In fact, no one has done it since 2012.
21 — Toledo Bend represents KVD’s 21st career B.A.S.S. victory. That’s a record, of course, and it gives him a two-win margin over Roland Martin with 19.
21 — Toledo Bend represents KVD’s 21st career B.A.S.S. victory. That’s a record, of course, and it gives him a two-win margin over Roland Martin with 19.
45 — Of the top 10 anglers in this year’s AOY race, half (Gerald Swindle, Takahiro Omori, Steve Kennedy, Matt Herren and Randall Tharp) are older than 45. Greg Hackney will be 43 when the season ends. Chris Zaldain (fifth) and Justin Lucas (10th) will be 32 and 30, respectively. Hank Cherry (fourth) and Keith Combs (eighth) will be 42 and 40. Do the guys in the middle (Hackney, Cherry and Combs) have an edge? Probably. There’s a reason the last eight AOYs have been between 38 and 43 (and seven were between 40 and 43); they combined youth and experience. The oldest angler ever to win AOY was Roland Martin; he was 45 when he won his ninth title in 1985.
45 — Of the top 10 anglers in this year’s AOY race, half (Gerald Swindle, Takahiro Omori, Steve Kennedy, Matt Herren and Randall Tharp) are older than 45. Greg Hackney will be 43 when the season ends. Chris Zaldain (fifth) and Justin Lucas (10th) will be 32 and 30, respectively. Hank Cherry (fourth) and Keith Combs (eighth) will be 42 and 40. Do the guys in the middle (Hackney, Cherry and Combs) have an edge? Probably. There’s a reason the last eight AOYs have been between 38 and 43 (and seven were between 40 and 43); they combined youth and experience. The oldest angler ever to win AOY was Roland Martin; he was 45 when he won his ninth title in 1985.
700 — That’s how many professional level bass tournaments have been conducted by B.A.S.S., going back to the All-American on Beaver Lake in 1967 (which technically, was not a B.A.S.S. event since founder Ray Scott did not incorporate the company until 1968). This includes some tournaments that have been mostly forgotten, like the three fly-fishing tournaments B.A.S.S. held in 1975 and a couple of team tournaments.
700 — That’s how many professional level bass tournaments have been conducted by B.A.S.S., going back to the All-American on Beaver Lake in 1967 (which technically, was not a B.A.S.S. event since founder Ray Scott did not incorporate the company until 1968). This includes some tournaments that have been mostly forgotten, like the three fly-fishing tournaments B.A.S.S. held in 1975 and a couple of team tournaments.
1,911 — That’s how many days it’s been since KVD’s last B.A.S.S. win. It works out to 5 years, 2 months and 25 days since he won the 2011 Classic on the Louisiana Delta. It’s also the longest winless streak of his career. This is the year for breaking winless streaks, by the way. Rick Clunn and Takahiro Omori both ended droughts that were twice as long as VanDam’s.
1,911 — That’s how many days it’s been since KVD’s last B.A.S.S. win. It works out to 5 years, 2 months and 25 days since he won the 2011 Classic on the Louisiana Delta. It’s also the longest winless streak of his career. This is the year for breaking winless streaks, by the way. Rick Clunn and Takahiro Omori both ended droughts that were twice as long as VanDam’s.
8,926 – It’s the number of days between KVD’s first B.A.S.S. win and his win at Toledo Bend. That’s 24 years, 5 months and 8 days since he won the Georgia Top 100 on Lake Lanier on Dec. 7, 1991. It’s a lengthy span — sixth longest in B.A.S.S. history. Clunn established the longest stretch earlier this season at the St. Johns River. There’s 39 years, 4 months and 15 days between his first and most recent wins.
8,926 – It’s the number of days between KVD’s first B.A.S.S. win and his win at Toledo Bend. That’s 24 years, 5 months and 8 days since he won the Georgia Top 100 on Lake Lanier on Dec. 7, 1991. It’s a lengthy span — sixth longest in B.A.S.S. history. Clunn established the longest stretch earlier this season at the St. Johns River. There’s 39 years, 4 months and 15 days between his first and most recent wins.