The conclusion of the recent Oneida Bassmaster Elite Series marked the end of the 2009 tour season. Although the Top 12 in the Bassmaster Elite Series will fish the newly created BASS Championship Week in September, those events will not affect the BassFan World Rankings.
Below is a look at the final 2009 edition of BassFan World Rankings, as updated after Oneida.
VanDam Unstoppable
Kevin VanDam ends the year ranked No. 1 again – a familiar spot for the most dominating angler of the modern era.
VanDam's 26-point lead is simply massive.
In the 8 years since the Rankings were first published, VanDam has finished the season ranked No. 1 all but once (2005).
His accomplishments this year include a win at Smith Mt. Lake, two 2nds (Dardanelle and Kentucky Lake) and an 8th at Amistad. Another way to look at it is he finished within the Top 10 in 50% of the Elite Series events this year, and finished 1st or 2nd 38% of the time.
He leads the Toyota Tundra BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) race heading into Championship week.
He also leads all anglers in the career winning list, and is quickly closing in on the $4 million mark.
Battle For 2nd
FLW Tour pro Brent Ehrler and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Skeet Reese have flip-flopped each other at 2nd throughout the year. Ehrler finishes the year ranked 2nd, with Reese 3rd. The battle has generated quite a bit of controversy among BassFans, most of whom write to say Reese should be ranked 2nd.
Although the Rankings formula is statistical, and cannot be manipulated by human hand, the controversy is notable because it mirrors the ongoing discussion of which tour is more difficult – the Elite Series or FLW Tour.
That's for the public to decide, but Ehrler's accomplishments can't be understated. The FLW Tour fielded 200 boats in 2008, and roughly 150 boats this year. Across both years and the eight regular season events that currently count toward Ehrler's rank, he's recorded three Top 10s, plus five more finishes of 15th or better.
Reese displayed similar power. Across the 21 regular-season events that count in his rank, Reese scored five Top 10s, plus four finishes of 17th or better. Again, however, those must be measured against 100-odd boats (vs. 150 to 200 for the FLW Tour).
Reese, of course, added a Classic win to his scoresheet this year.
Ultimately, the World Rankings are nearly impossible to predict, and relative finishes are a poor measure because anglers are also affected by how they fare against other ranked anglers.
Rest of the Top 10
Brent Ehrler and Skeet Reese have battled for the No. 2 spot most of the season, but Ehrler claims the spot in the end.
Other Notable Movement
There was significant movement outside the Top 10 in this final edition.
End-Of-Year World Rankings: Top 100
(To view the full BassFan World Rankings, click here).
1. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- Nitro/Mercury -- 228.345
2. Brent Ehrler -- Redlands, CA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 202.429
3. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- Champion/Mercury -- 201.510
4. Alton Jones -- Waco, TX -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 197.892
5. Luke Clausen -- Spokane, WA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 193.137
6. Clark Wendlandt -- Cedar Park, TX -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 191.149
7. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 191.067
8. Michael Iaconelli -- Voorhees, NJ -- Bass Cat/Yamaha -- 190.057
9. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, AL -- Triton/Mercury -- 182.555
10. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, AR -- Champion/Mercury -- 180.406
11. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- Ranger/Mercury -- 177.288
12. Jacob Powroznik -- Prince George, VA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 176.512
13. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 176.220
14. Andy Morgan -- Dayton, TN -- Bass Cat/Evinrude -- 176.063
15. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, TX -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 175.906
16. Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, NC -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 174.354
17. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, KY -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 172.503
18. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 171.578
19. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- Triton/Mercury -- 171.517
20. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- Triton/Mercury -- 169.862
21. Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity, SC -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 169.862
22. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 169.476
23. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, TX -- Triton/Mercury -- 169.310
24. Ron Shuffield -- Bismarck, AR -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 169.249
25. Jay Yelas -- Corvallis, OR -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 167.102
26. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, AR -- Bass Cat/Mercury -- 164.895
27. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, KY -- Triton/Mercury -- 164.830
28. Shaw E. Grigsby, Jr. -- Gainesville, FL -- Triton/Mercury -- 164.166
29. Mark Rose -- Marion, AR -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 163.183
30. Michael Bennett -- Lincoln, CA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 162.789
31. Scott R. Martin -- Clewiston, FL -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 162.624
32. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- Triton/Mercury -- 162.467
33. Larry Nixon -- Bee Branch, AR -- Stratos/Evinrude -- 162.278
34. Mark Hardin -- Jasper, GA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 161.798
35. Gerald Swindle -- Hayden, AL -- Triton/Mercury -- 160.454
36. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- Nitro/Mercury -- 160.224
37. Casey Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- Triton/Mercury -- 159.286
38. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- Triton/Mercury -- 158.570
39. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, FL -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 157.495
40. Shad Schenck -- Waynetown, IN -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 157.418
41. Cliff Pace -- Petal, MS -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 156.622
42. Byron Velvick -- Del Rio, TX -- Triton/Mercury -- 156.340
43. Shinichi Fukae -- Osaka, JP -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 155.954
44. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 155.872
45. Andy Montgomery -- Blacksburg, SC -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 155.733
46. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, AL -- Triton/Mercury -- 155.173
47. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, OK -- Triton/Mercury -- 155.089
48. Ott DeFoe -- Knoxville, TN -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 153.906
49. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, OK -- Triton/Mercury -- 153.630
50. Dave Lefebre -- Union City, PA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 153.471
51. Dan Morehead -- Paducah, KY -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 153.283
52. Greg Pugh -- Cullman, AL -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 152.647
53. Scott Canterbury -- Odenville, AL -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 152.634
54. David Walker -- Sevierville, TN -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 151.625
55. Alvin Shaw -- State Road, NC -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 151.239
56. Sean Hoernke -- Magnolia, TX -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 151.102
57. Tim Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- Nitro/ProCraft/Mercury -- 151.076
58. Keith Williams -- Conway, AR -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 150.822
59. Matthew Herren -- Trussville, AL -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 150.410
60. Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, NC -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 150.110
61. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, SC -- Triton/Mercury -- 150.030
62. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, AL -- Bass Cat/Yamaha -- 149.428
63. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Springs, MO -- NItros/Mercury -- 149.156
64. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, VA -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 148.946
65. Bill Lowen -- Cincinnati, OH -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 148.776
66. Terry Baksay -- Monroe, CT -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 148.079
67. Craig Powers -- Rockwood, TN -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 147.196
68. Gabriel Bolivar -- Oceanside, CA -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 146.875
69. Chris Baumgardner -- Gastonia, NC -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 146.751
70. Mike Hawkes -- Sabinal, TX -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 146.529
71. Greg Bohannan -- Rogers, AR -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 144.872
72. Scott Suggs -- Alexander, AR -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 144.859
73. Jami Fralick -- Martin, SD -- Nitro/Mercury -- 144.838
74. Terry Bolton, Jr. -- Paducah, KY -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 144.731
75. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, NC -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 144.536
76. Keith Combs -- Del Rio, TX -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 144.210
77. Tracy Adams -- Wilkesboro, NC -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 144.186
78. Mark Davis -- Mt. Ida, AR -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 144.083
79. Ramie Colson, Jr. -- Cadiz, KY -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 144.019
80. John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- Ranger/Mercury -- 143.735
81. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- Triton/Mercury -- 143.571
82. Wesley Strader -- Spring City, TN -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 143.459
83. Nate Wellman -- Jenison, MI -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 143.279
84. Brett Hite -- Phoenix, AZ -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 143.211
85. Darrel Robertson -- Jay, OK -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 142.786
86. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- Ranger/Mercury -- 142.605
87. Terry Butcher -- Talala, OK -- Bass Cat/Mercury -- 142.232
88. Kevin Vida -- Clare, MI -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 142.221
89. John Devere -- Berea, KY -- Ranger/Yamaha -- 142.094
90. Art Ferguson III -- St. Clair Shores, MI -- Triton/Mercury -- 141.872
91. Rick Morris -- Lanexa, VA -- Triton/Mercury -- 141.842
92. Bryan Hudgins -- Orange Park, FL -- Ranger/Mercury -- 141.727
93. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, OK -- Triton/Mercury -- 141.654
94. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- Nitro/Mercury -- 141.515
95. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, SC -- Triton/Evinrude -- 141.433
96. Bradley Hallman -- Norman, OK -- Skeeter/Yamaha -- 141.408
97. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, MO -- Ranger/Evinrude -- 140.961
98. Jason Quinn -- Clover, SC -- Nitro/Mercury -- 140.539
99. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- Nitro/Mercury -- 140.348
100. Craig Dowling -- Many, LA -- Legend/Mercury -- 139.652