Note that this edition of the world rankings includes pros for whom 2004 constituted their second consecutive full season minus one event. In other words, tour pros must have fished at least 11 tour events over the past 24 months to be eligible to be ranked.
So many pros debuted on the rankings this time that the full list went down to 240. That means that anyone who was on the list but isn't now was bumped below 200. It also means that any pros for whom 2004 was their second consecutive tour year and who don't appear in this list were not ranked above 200.
Notable items:
> Mark Davis is still ranked No. 1 in the world, and will hold this ranking heading into this month's Bassmaster Classic. This is the first time in the rankings' history that anyone other than Kevin VanDam has been No. 1 going into the Classic.
> VanDam is still No. 2 in the world, and although he's a little farther out of 1st, he's only 2.5 points back.
> BASS Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle makes a big jump (for the Top 10) up three spots to No. 3 in the world. As Swindle hasn't fished a rankings-affected event since the Bassmaster Tour season ended, his jump is likely the result of other anglers around him adding worse finishes or dropping better finishes.
> Alton Jones, Greg Hackney and Skeet Reese all drop one spot to 4th, 5th and 6th respectively. Hackney was hurt by a 64th at Champlain.
> Gary Klein moves up two spots to 7th and Tim Horton moves up four spots to 8th, likely because of factors similar to those that affected Swindle.
> Arizona's Mark Kile debuts at an impressive 9th in the world, the highest of all the pros for whom 2004 is their second consecutive year on tour.
> A 73rd at Champlain helps Kelly Jordon continue to fall, and he is now in 10th.
> Long-time Texas pro Harold Allen debuts at 11th. He wasn't ranked previously because he didn't fish any tour events in 2002.
> Other pros who debut in the Top 50 include: Texas' Matt Reed (28th), Florida's Terry Scroggins (33rd), Arkansas' Jimmy Mize (39th), Alabama's Matt Herren (42nd) and Pennsylvania's Dave Lefebre (49th).
> This is the world rankings going into the Bassmaster Classic, the results of which do count in the world rankings.
See the standings list on page 2 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
