It's shaping up to be a different year for Alton Jones. After he watched the Louisiana Delta Bassmaster Classic from the sidelines – he finished in the bottom half of the Elite Series points last year – Jones rebounded with back-to-back Top 10 finishes in Florida. The second was nearly a win when he led 3 days of the St. Johns Bassmaster Elite Series, but suffered a wind blowout the final day.
That 3-day lead was important nonetheless, as he pocketed 15 total points (5 per day) in addition to his final 3rd-place point total. And the finishes put him atop of the Toyota Tundra BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) race.
A few interesting tidbits:
> His Florida success isn't too surprising – he's one of the better sight-fishermen in the sport.
> The last time Jones led the AOY race was in 2009, following the third event at Wheeler. He started that season in near identical fashion – 2nd at Amistad, 10th at Dardanelle. He ended 2009 at 3rd in the AOY race, after which his slump set in (2010).
> If he had a choice of venue, next week's Pickwick Elite stop might be at the bottom of his list. In two Elite Series events there the past decade, he placed 78th and 77th (although nearby Wheeler's been a much better venue for him).
> The back-to-back Top 10s have helped Jones in the BassFan World Rankings. He's still a long way from the Top 10, where he used to be a regular fixture, but he's currently ranked 34th after starting the year at 49th.
