If there is one thing that is always true about the sport of tournament fishing, it’s that it is constantly changing. The weather, the fisheries, the tactics, the anglers – the sport is never the same from one day to the next.
The same could be said about our World Rankings.
When we decided on a two-year time period, we didn’t want those years to start in January and end in December. We wanted it to be a revolving two years, meaning the rankings have the capability to change every day, just like the sport.
Take today, October 18, 2011. The way our formula works, it includes every tournament between now and October 18, 2009. If there was a tournament that ended October 16, 2009, it is not factored in anymore; it’s been dropped from an angler’s stats that factor into his or her current ranking.
To illustrate that point, look at our current World Ranking and where Kevin VanDam resides. On October 16, he sat in third. Yesterday, he moved up into second. How did he do that without fishing an event? Because a PAA TTBC event from October 16, 2009 was dropped. The event is now more than two years old, which means it no longer factors into our World Ranking.
As for VanDam rising, look no farther than his mediocre 35th-place showing at that TTBC event. Considering it was only a field of 60 boats, he only scored a 423.729, well below his average. But, with that poor showing dropping off his current ranking, his two-year average increased from 778.9895 to 797.588.
The same event dropped off David Dudley’s current ranking, but he finished 25th for a 593.220. That was also below his average, but not as low as VanDam’s placing in the event. That means he bettered his average with the event dropping, but not as much as VanDam. Hence why VanDam jumped Dudley in the rankings.
Other anglers that enjoyed notable movement up the rankings after seeing that event leave their stats were Kyle Mabrey (64th to 36th) and David Walker (91st to 83rd).
However, while the dropping of the PAA TTBC event helped the likes of VanDam, Dudley and Mabrey, it hurt those that did well. Some of those that dropped were Dave Lefebre (4th to 8th), Clark Wendlandt (18th to 26th) and Tommy Biffle (44th to 55th).
Looking forward, VanDam’s deficit from the top spot is about to dwindle even more, as Brent Ehrler is going to drop an 11th-place finish at the FLW Series event at Clear Lake on October 22.
So check back daily to watch as the rankings evolve with the sport!
