In one sense, every day of the four-day Elite Series tournaments is important. But it’s Day 2 that has the biggest effect in determining the Toyota Angler of the Year title at the end of the season.
For instance, last April when Keith Combs dropped to 90th place on Day 2 in the Bull Shoals/Norfork event, the die was cast for him. Combs couldn’t overcome that bomb as he mounted a challenge to Gerald Swindle for the AOY title during he remaining tournaments. Swindle finished 30th at Bull Shoals/Norfork, a difference of 60 AOY points.
Swindle, on the other hand, had a few instances where he rallied into the Top 50 cut on Day 2. His worst finish all season was 46th in the Toyota AOY Championship event on Lake Mille Lacs, which was the final event of the year.
Swindle’s final margin over second-place Combs in the AOY standings was 27 points. With Swindle staying steady all year, Combs finished strong but couldn’t overcome that 60-point deficit from the April tournament in Arkansas.
Here we are in April again. This marks the fourth tournament of the season. It’s a good time to take a look at how Day 2 at Ross Barnett might determine the AOY title at the end of the 2017 season.
On the positive side, Jason Christie came into the tournament third in the AOY standings and jumped from 53rd place on Day 1 to 28th on Day 2. And Greg Hackney, who was sixth coming in, improved from 69th to 47th. Thus both Christie and Hackney, by making the top 51 cut, have a chance to improve on their AOY point totals, which are determined by the final standings Sunday.
On the negative side, Jason Williamson was second in AOY points coming in and finished 73rd after being in 49th place on Day 1. And Jesse Wiggins, who was eighth in AOY coming in, had a disastrous Day 2, dropping from 21st on Day 1 to finish 69th.
Below are the top risers and sinkers in the standings from Day 1 to Day 2 on Ross Barnett:
| The Risers | The Sinkers |
| + 57 Hank Cherry, 89th to 32nd | – 52 Alton Jones, 30th to 82nd |
| + 55 David Walker, 91st to 36th | – 48 Jesse Wiggins, 21st to 69th |
| + 45 Brett Preuett, 87th to 42nd | – 38 Chris Lane, 60th to 98th |
| + 43 Kevin VanDam, 60th to 17th | – 36 Jesse Tacoronte, 44th to 80th |
| + 43 Clifford Pirch, 94th to 51st | – 35 Josh Bertrand, 60th to 95th |
| + 36 Micah Frazier, 90th to 54th | – 31 Mike Iaconelli, 34th to 65th |
| + 35 Timmy Horton, 60th to 25th | – 30 Dean Rojas, 57th to 87th |
| + 34 Edwin Evers, 74th to 40th |