Classic 2016 by the numbers

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Numbers tell a story. You just need to listen. <p> Here are the significant digits for the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
Numbers tell a story. You just need to listen.

Here are the significant digits for the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

<b>1,294-12 –</b> That’s the total weight in pounds and ounces of the bass weighed in at this year’s Classic, and it’s a pretty solid number. It ranks 10th all-time. The heaviest Classic weight ever? That would be 2,107-15 at Lake Guntersville in 2014. The 2013 Classic on Grand ranks fifth all-time – about 200 pounds better than this year.
1,294-12 – That’s the total weight in pounds and ounces of the bass weighed in at this year’s Classic, and it’s a pretty solid number. It ranks 10th all-time. The heaviest Classic weight ever? That would be 2,107-15 at Lake Guntersville in 2014. The 2013 Classic on Grand ranks fifth all-time – about 200 pounds better than this year.
<b>60-7 –</b> That’s Edwin Evers’ winning weight. It ranks fourth best all-time and third best in the five-bass limit era. In 1984, with a seven-bass limit, Rick Clunn totaled 75-9 on the Arkansas River. And in 2011, Kevin VanDam posted 69-11 on the Louisiana Delta with a five-bass limit.
60-7 – That’s Edwin Evers’ winning weight. It ranks fourth best all-time and third best in the five-bass limit era. In 1984, with a seven-bass limit, Rick Clunn totaled 75-9 on the Arkansas River. And in 2011, Kevin VanDam posted 69-11 on the Louisiana Delta with a five-bass limit.
<b>29-3 –</b> Evers’ final day catch was the biggest in Classic history by the eventual winner (edging Randy Howell’s 2014 finale by a single ounce). It’s also the fourth heaviest daily catch in Classic history and third best for a five-bass limit. In 1976, Rick Clunn weighed in 10 bass for 33-5, and in 2014 Paul Mueller had five for 32-3 to set the top marks. Luke Clausen had 29-6 in the first round of the 2006 Classic, which he won.
29-3 – Evers’ final day catch was the biggest in Classic history by the eventual winner (edging Randy Howell’s 2014 finale by a single ounce). It’s also the fourth heaviest daily catch in Classic history and third best for a five-bass limit. In 1976, Rick Clunn weighed in 10 bass for 33-5, and in 2014 Paul Mueller had five for 32-3 to set the top marks. Luke Clausen had 29-6 in the first round of the 2006 Classic, which he won.
<b>29-3 –</b> We’re not done with that number just yet. When Evers posted that total on Day 3 of the 2016 Classic, it marked just the fourth time in Classic history that the winner went out and caught the heaviest bag of the tournament in the final round.
29-3 – We’re not done with that number just yet. When Evers posted that total on Day 3 of the 2016 Classic, it marked just the fourth time in Classic history that the winner went out and caught the heaviest bag of the tournament in the final round.
<b>16-10 –</b> That was the “swing” between Evers’ 6 pound, 5 ounce deficit heading into the final round and his 10 pound, 5 ounce margin of victory when the tournament was all over. “Swing” is a little like a football team on the opponent’s goal line, getting ready to score. But instead of punching the ball into the end zone, the quarterback throws an interception that gets returned for a touchdown. So instead of scoring seven points, they give up seven points – a 14-point swing. Evers’ 16-10 final day swing was the biggest in Classic history and an ounce bigger than Rick Clunn’s 1990 swing.
16-10 – That was the “swing” between Evers’ 6 pound, 5 ounce deficit heading into the final round and his 10 pound, 5 ounce margin of victory when the tournament was all over. “Swing” is a little like a football team on the opponent’s goal line, getting ready to score. But instead of punching the ball into the end zone, the quarterback throws an interception that gets returned for a touchdown. So instead of scoring seven points, they give up seven points – a 14-point swing. Evers’ 16-10 final day swing was the biggest in Classic history and an ounce bigger than Rick Clunn’s 1990 swing.
<b>15 –</b> It took Evers 15 tries to break through and win a Classic. That’s not the record, but it’s close. Denny Brauer was fishing his 16th championship in 1998 when he won.
15 – It took Evers 15 tries to break through and win a Classic. That’s not the record, but it’s close. Denny Brauer was fishing his 16th championship in 1998 when he won.
<b>10-5 –</b> That was Evers’ margin of victory over Jason Christie, his Bassmaster Elite Series traveling partner. It was the fifth biggest margin in Classic history. (Rick Clunn won the 1984 championship by 25-8.) Ten pounds, 5 ounces also marks the biggest margin of loss by a Day 2 leader in Classic history, breaking the mark of 9-5 set in 1982 when Paul Elias swept past Bo Dowden on Day 3.
10-5 – That was Evers’ margin of victory over Jason Christie, his Bassmaster Elite Series traveling partner. It was the fifth biggest margin in Classic history. (Rick Clunn won the 1984 championship by 25-8.) Ten pounds, 5 ounces also marks the biggest margin of loss by a Day 2 leader in Classic history, breaking the mark of 9-5 set in 1982 when Paul Elias swept past Bo Dowden on Day 3.
<b>10 –</b> It’s the number of times an angler has had the heaviest catch on more than one day in a single Bassmaster Classic. Evers had the best bag of Day 2 and the best catch of the entire tournament on Day 3. The other anglers who have done it are Bobby Murray (1971), Don Butler (1972), Rick Clunn (1984 – he had the top catch all three days!), Jim Bitter (1989), Denny Brauer (1998), Jay Yelas (2002), Boyd Duckett (2007), Kevin VanDam (2010) and Cliff Pace (2013). Bitter was the only one of the group who didn’t go on to win.
10 – It’s the number of times an angler has had the heaviest catch on more than one day in a single Bassmaster Classic. Evers had the best bag of Day 2 and the best catch of the entire tournament on Day 3. The other anglers who have done it are Bobby Murray (1971), Don Butler (1972), Rick Clunn (1984 – he had the top catch all three days!), Jim Bitter (1989), Denny Brauer (1998), Jay Yelas (2002), Boyd Duckett (2007), Kevin VanDam (2010) and Cliff Pace (2013). Bitter was the only one of the group who didn’t go on to win.
<b>6-5 –</b> Evers’ comeback from 6 pounds, 5 ounces down going into the final round marks the fourth biggest comeback by weight in Classic history. Rick Clunn won the 1990 championship after trailing by 9-10 going into Day 3.
6-5 – Evers’ comeback from 6 pounds, 5 ounces down going into the final round marks the fourth biggest comeback by weight in Classic history. Rick Clunn won the 1990 championship after trailing by 9-10 going into Day 3.
<b>5 –</b> That’s how many times an angler has led both of the first two days of the Classic and not gone on to win. It happened first in 1975, when Paul Chamblee zeroed in the finals and let Jack Hains get past him. Then it occurred three years in a row between 1989 and 1991, when Jim Bitter, Tommy Biffle and Zell Rowland, respectively, were passed by Hank Parker, Rick Clunn and Ken Cook. Of course, it happened again this year to Jason Christie.
5 – That’s how many times an angler has led both of the first two days of the Classic and not gone on to win. It happened first in 1975, when Paul Chamblee zeroed in the finals and let Jack Hains get past him. Then it occurred three years in a row between 1989 and 1991, when Jim Bitter, Tommy Biffle and Zell Rowland, respectively, were passed by Hank Parker, Rick Clunn and Ken Cook. Of course, it happened again this year to Jason Christie.
<b>4 –</b> It’s how many times the Classic champ caught the biggest bass of the day in the final round. Evers 6-13 largemouth was tops on Day 3. Prior to this year, it had been done by Jay Yelas (who caught the daily big bass every day of the 2002 Classic), Boyd Duckett (2007) and Chris Lane (2012).
4 – It’s how many times the Classic champ caught the biggest bass of the day in the final round. Evers 6-13 largemouth was tops on Day 3. Prior to this year, it had been done by Jay Yelas (who caught the daily big bass every day of the 2002 Classic), Boyd Duckett (2007) and Chris Lane (2012).
<b>0 –</b> That’s how many “amateurs” made the cut to the Top 25 and fished the final round of the Classic. The championship hasn’t always had a “cut,” but since it began this is the first time since 2008 that no angler from the B.A.S.S. Nation (1973-2016), Weekend Series (2006-14), Team Championship (2015-16), College B.A.S.S. (2012-16) or Women’s Bassmaster Tour (2009-10) has qualified to fish Day 3. Not only was the 2016 Classic a “pros only” final, but it was pretty inhospitable to Classic rookies, too. The top “rookie” finisher was Brent Ehrler, who ended up in 13th place, and as we all know, Ehrler is hardly a rookie.
0 – That’s how many “amateurs” made the cut to the Top 25 and fished the final round of the Classic. The championship hasn’t always had a “cut,” but since it began this is the first time since 2008 that no angler from the B.A.S.S. Nation (1973-2016), Weekend Series (2006-14), Team Championship (2015-16), College B.A.S.S. (2012-16) or Women’s Bassmaster Tour (2009-10) has qualified to fish Day 3. Not only was the 2016 Classic a “pros only” final, but it was pretty inhospitable to Classic rookies, too. The top “rookie” finisher was Brent Ehrler, who ended up in 13th place, and as we all know, Ehrler is hardly a rookie.