Fishing News - 9/25/03

From BassFan.com 

VanDam Again No. 1 In World After 2003 Season

See Part 1 - VanDam Again No. 1 In World After 2003 Season

See Part 2 - MOVEMENT AFTER THE FLW CHAMPIONSHIP

See Part 3 - State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings -- Final 2003

The 2003 tour regular seasons and championships are over, and once again Kevin VanDam remains the No. 1-ranked angler in the world.

It would be tough to find anyone to whom that was a big surprise since VanDam is and has been fishing at a pace that is so far above his peers it's a little scary: This is the third straight year (the State Farm-BassFan World Rankings are only 3 years old) that VanDam has been the best in the world - and he's never relinquished the No. 1 spot.

At one point during the season it looked like he would be overtaken. In April and May, VanDam posted his two worst finishes since mid-March (87th at the Clear Lake Bassmaster and 38th at the Lake Hamilton Bassmaster) and had just a 3 1/2-point lead in World Rankings points over Alton Jones. Jay Yelas was about 5 1/2 points away, and he and Jones were among those vying for BASS Angler of the Year.

But in the next five tour events, including both league championships, VanDam had three Top 10 finishes, a Top 20 and a 34th while Jones and Yelas didn't fish as well (or in some cases at all, on the FLW Tour). As a result, VanDam is back almost to where he started the season in the rankings, and now enjoys a double-digit points lead over No. 2-ranked Kelly Jordon - though it should be noted that VanDam's points lead, while still large, has dropped significantly (almost 8 points) from the start of the season.

After the tour regular seasons were over, he said: "This was probably the toughest year for me for several reasons. Weather-wise it was a real tough season to fish. We had a lot of abnormal conditions at the places we went, and at every Bassmaster event this year it rained.

"It also was tough competing in both tours for all the events (15 possible events, from Florida to California). It was physically and mentally - probably more mentally - taxing. I have a routine I like to go through to be prepared for a tournament, and it takes time. But this year we had no rest period, no time to get set for the next one.

"And when you have a wife and two young kids at home wondering where dad is, that doesn't make it any easier," he noted. "So this season I didn't have the focus I normally have. It was the worst season I've ever had." 

How does it feel being the No. 1 angler in the world? Does he feel any pressure to stay there?

"I really don't," VanDam said. "I just go out and try to win every time. Sometimes I miss the mark by a long way, which would hurt your standing in the world rankings, but I'm not really focused on that. You can't let that change the way you fish.

"Winning tournaments is a lot more important than where you're ranked, and the reality is that it's hard to win. Only one guy out of 175 guys will win every time we go out there, and if you start fishing conservatively you're not going to get there.

"At the beginning of my career I worried about cashing a check," he noted. "That helps you with the year-end standings, but it doesn't help you on the money list, that's for sure. Now I'm more mature, I guess, so I can take chances and take a shot at winning."

He reiterated that "most of the time you're going to fail. But occasionally the moon and the stars line up and it's your turn."

See Part 1 - VanDam Again No. 1 In World After 2003 Season

See Part 2 - MOVEMENT AFTER THE FLW CHAMPIONSHIP

See Part 3 - State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings -- Final 2003

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