Bull Shoals/Norfork Elite by the numbers

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Numbers tell a story … especially if you’re talking about tournament fishing at the highest level — limits, pounds and ounces, big bass, it’s all numbers. <p> Here are the significant digits from the Bassmaster Elite Series event on lakes Norfork and Bull Shoals in Arkansas. <p> <em>All captions: Ken Duke</em>
Numbers tell a story … especially if you’re talking about tournament fishing at the highest level — limits, pounds and ounces, big bass, it’s all numbers.

Here are the significant digits from the Bassmaster Elite Series event on lakes Norfork and Bull Shoals in Arkansas.

All captions: Ken Duke

1 – Three tournaments in, every champ this year is a first-time Elite winner. That hasn’t happened since 2007 — the second year of the Elite Series.
1 – Three tournaments in, every champ this year is a first-time Elite winner. That hasn’t happened since 2007 — the second year of the Elite Series.
2 — Matt Vermilyea called it quits after just two tournaments as an Elite Series pro. That sets a new mark for shortest Elite career, breaking the record of only three Elite tournaments by former GEICO Bassmaster Classic champ Robert Hamilton Jr. in 2006, the inaugural Elite season.
2 — Matt Vermilyea called it quits after just two tournaments as an Elite Series pro. That sets a new mark for shortest Elite career, breaking the record of only three Elite tournaments by former GEICO Bassmaster Classic champ Robert Hamilton Jr. in 2006, the inaugural Elite season.
3 – There’s a lot of fishing left in the 2016 season, but history says that the top three anglers in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race are already locks for the 2017 Classic. No angler ranking in the top three after three events has ever fallen outside qualification ranks. (In 2014, the top 19 after three tournaments all made it!)
3 – There’s a lot of fishing left in the 2016 season, but history says that the top three anglers in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race are already locks for the 2017 Classic. No angler ranking in the top three after three events has ever fallen outside qualification ranks. (In 2014, the top 19 after three tournaments all made it!)
3-10 – The Arkansas tournament offered the second tightest final round in Elite history. Just 3 pounds, 10 ounces separated first from 12th place going into Day 4. It was a rare instance of truly being “anyone’s tournament.” The only closer Elite event was on Oneida Lake in 2006 — a smallmouth fishery. But things are customarily tight in smallmouth tournaments when the fishing is good (just about everyone has a limit every day) and the fish are all about the same size. If you want a blowout or a legitimate chance at a big comeback, you need tough fishing and some big bass.
3-10 – The Arkansas tournament offered the second tightest final round in Elite history. Just 3 pounds, 10 ounces separated first from 12th place going into Day 4. It was a rare instance of truly being “anyone’s tournament.” The only closer Elite event was on Oneida Lake in 2006 — a smallmouth fishery. But things are customarily tight in smallmouth tournaments when the fishing is good (just about everyone has a limit every day) and the fish are all about the same size. If you want a blowout or a legitimate chance at a big comeback, you need tough fishing and some big bass.
8 – With the exception of years when there was a postseason to determine AOY and 2013 (when Aaron Martens claimed the title after a disastrous season opener), no eventual AOY has ranked worse than eighth after three events. That means Randall Tharp, Greg Hackney, Chris Zaldain, Justin Lucas, Brent Chapman, Mike McClelland, Randy Howell and Bill Lowen are now the prohibitive favorites to take the sport’s most prestigious title. Obviously, there’s some considerable talent in their collective rear view mirror, but I’d take that group in a bet and give you the rest of the field.
8 – With the exception of years when there was a postseason to determine AOY and 2013 (when Aaron Martens claimed the title after a disastrous season opener), no eventual AOY has ranked worse than eighth after three events. That means Randall Tharp, Greg Hackney, Chris Zaldain, Justin Lucas, Brent Chapman, Mike McClelland, Randy Howell and Bill Lowen are now the prohibitive favorites to take the sport’s most prestigious title. Obviously, there’s some considerable talent in their collective rear view mirror, but I’d take that group in a bet and give you the rest of the field.
7 – With another runner-up finish, Skeet Reese now has the record for second place finishes in Elite history with seven. Aaron Martens and Kevin VanDam are right behind him with six. No one else has more than three.
7 – With another runner-up finish, Skeet Reese now has the record for second place finishes in Elite history with seven. Aaron Martens and Kevin VanDam are right behind him with six. No one else has more than three.
10 – The Elite Series “rookie watch” has been pretty uneventful. There are 10 rookies this year and one (Matt Vermilyea) has already dropped out. They’ve fished 29 cumulative events, but earned just seven checks. If the season ended today, only two rookies (Drew Benton and Adrian Avena) would qualify for the Classic, and the other eight would rank 80th or worse in AOY. As a group, the 2016 rookies are threatening to unseat the Class of 2010 (seven rookies that earned no Classic berths) as the least impactful in history.
10 – The Elite Series “rookie watch” has been pretty uneventful. There are 10 rookies this year and one (Matt Vermilyea) has already dropped out. They’ve fished 29 cumulative events, but earned just seven checks. If the season ended today, only two rookies (Drew Benton and Adrian Avena) would qualify for the Classic, and the other eight would rank 80th or worse in AOY. As a group, the 2016 rookies are threatening to unseat the Class of 2010 (seven rookies that earned no Classic berths) as the least impactful in history.
14 – We’re just three events into the 2016 Elite season, but only 14 anglers have cashed a check each time … and only one of them is a rookie. Drew Benton has been impressive. He’s finished fourth, 44th and 27th so far and has the lead in the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race. On the other side of the coin, 22 anglers have yet to cash a check in 2016, and six of them are rookies (it would be seven if you count Chad Grigsby, who is new to the Elites but not technically a rookie because his FLW earnings exceed $500,000).
14 – We’re just three events into the 2016 Elite season, but only 14 anglers have cashed a check each time … and only one of them is a rookie. Drew Benton has been impressive. He’s finished fourth, 44th and 27th so far and has the lead in the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race. On the other side of the coin, 22 anglers have yet to cash a check in 2016, and six of them are rookies (it would be seven if you count Chad Grigsby, who is new to the Elites but not technically a rookie because his FLW earnings exceed $500,000).
33 – It was Reese’s 33rd trip to the finals, which means he’s been in the Top 12 in more than a third of all Elite events. KVD is second with 31; Aaron Martens has 30.
33 – It was Reese’s 33rd trip to the finals, which means he’s been in the Top 12 in more than a third of all Elite events. KVD is second with 31; Aaron Martens has 30.
37 – The biggest AOY comeback in Elite history came in 2013 when Aaron Martens weathered a tough start on the Sabine River but roared back to claim his second AOY crown. He was 39th after three events that year. He’s “only” 37th this year, so look out! The Natural still has a chance.
37 – The biggest AOY comeback in Elite history came in 2013 when Aaron Martens weathered a tough start on the Sabine River but roared back to claim his second AOY crown. He was 39th after three events that year. He’s “only” 37th this year, so look out! The Natural still has a chance.
1,300 – Todd Faircloth and 2016 Classic champ Edwin Evers joined the ranks of anglers who have brought more than 1,300 bass to the scales in Elite competition. The number might seem obscure, but it’s a fair barometer of who’s been successful through the years — more bass equals more competition days equals more top finishes. Kevin VanDam leads with 1,383. Skeet Reese is second with 1,350. Aaron Martens is third with 1,348. Faircloth and Evers are fourth and fifth with 1,312 and 1,303, respectively. Greg Hackney will reach the mark at the next tournament if he limits each of the first two days.
1,300 – Todd Faircloth and 2016 Classic champ Edwin Evers joined the ranks of anglers who have brought more than 1,300 bass to the scales in Elite competition. The number might seem obscure, but it’s a fair barometer of who’s been successful through the years — more bass equals more competition days equals more top finishes. Kevin VanDam leads with 1,383. Skeet Reese is second with 1,350. Aaron Martens is third with 1,348. Faircloth and Evers are fourth and fifth with 1,312 and 1,303, respectively. Greg Hackney will reach the mark at the next tournament if he limits each of the first two days.