Rick Clunn

[Champ188]

Great stories, guys. Spent a fair amount of time around Rick during my newspaper years and he was always one of the most cooperative and appreciative anglers around when it came to giving up time for the media. In fact, I could call on him on the phone and talk for an hour or more anytime I wanted. Still could, I imagine.

Really happy to see him get this win.

A quick story of my own:

Most of you know that Rick won the 1984 Bassmasters Classic on the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff, AR, with a record-setting catch of 75 pounds, 9 ounces. The final-day weigh-in was attended by President Bush (Sr.) and then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton. It was with them lookiing on that Clunn gave his brief "chasing little green fish" speech about fishing thru the pain of his father being on his deathbed.

Anyway, Clunn's remarkable win was 100 percent accomplished within sight of the launch ramp at Regional Park in Pine Bluff. No one gave a thought to jumping in a boat and crowding anglers on the water back then, but there were probably 150 people on the bank when Clunn pulled up on his hole that morning. It was basically just a channel bend that hit up against the bank and had created a washout. I was paired as a press observer with Jimmy Houston that day and we had started on a brushy bank straight across the harbor, with Jimmy throwing an old Fliptail floating lizard around the bushes. Within minutes of Clunn putting the trolling motor down, he was hauling in 4-pounders left and right, and the crowd's cheers just echoed across the water time and time again. After about 10 minutes of this, Houston turned to me and said, "I may not be able to stop him from beating me like a drum, but darn if I have to sit here and watch and listen to him do it. We're out of here!" He punctuated the statement with one of his big trademark giggles, yanked up the trolling motor and off we went to quieter surroundings.

[Bill Babler]

Stress and cameras or the lack there of create a totally different scenario.  I only met Rick the one time, 40 years ago and  he was a young man living his dream.  There are always stories about all the pro-fishermen.  I heard a guy say he coanglered with Rick one time and he sat in the middle of the lake and chanted for an hour during the fishing day.

Everyone marches to a different drummer.   Rick has been very persistent and worked hard staying in shape for 50 plus years.  I got nothing but respect for a guy that can win an Elite tournament, or for that matter the Classic as Edwin did.  It takes a little luck and a whole lot of good old know how and guts.

[gitnby]

Rick is a very unique guy!

Seemed like he went through a "hippie" phase there for a while.

Started wearing sandals and used words like 'ethereal', etc?

Not sure what was going on in his life at the time, but he definitely was not the stereotype of the Professional Bass Fisherman.

Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, et al.

In today's circuit, he would just blend right in!

Still one of my favorites, though, as I think he defined the dedication and focus it takes to win.

 

[Bill Babler]

13 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

Great stories, guys. Spent a fair amount of time around Rick during my newspaper years and he was always one of the most cooperative and appreciative anglers around when it came to giving up time for the media. In fact, I could call on him on the phone and talk for an hour or more anytime I wanted. Still could, I imagine.

Really happy to see him get this win.

A quick story of my own:

Most of you know that Rick won the 1984 Bassmasters Classic on the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff, AR, with a record-setting catch of 75 pounds, 9 ounces. The final-day weigh-in was attended by President Bush (Sr.) and then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton. It was with them lookiing on that Clunn gave his brief "chasing little green fish" speech about fishing thru the pain of his father being on his deathbed.

Anyway, Clunn's remarkable win was 100 percent accomplished within sight of the launch ramp at Regional Park in Pine Bluff. No one gave a thought to jumping in a boat and crowding anglers on the water back then, but there were probably 150 people on the bank when Clunn pulled up on his hole that morning. It was basically just a channel bend that hit up against the bank and had created a washout. I was paired as a press observer with Jimmy Houston that day and we had started on a brushy bank straight across the harbor, with Jimmy throwing an old Fliptail floating lizard around the bushes. Within minutes of Clunn putting the trolling motor down, he was hauling in 4-pounders left and right, and the crowd's cheers just echoed across the water time and time again. After about 10 minutes of this, Houston turned to me and said, "I may not be able to stop him from beating me like a drum, but darn if I have to sit here and watch and listen to him do it. We're out of here!" He punctuated the statement with one of his big trademark giggles, yanked up the trolling motor and off we went to quieter surroundings.

Sounds just like him, what a great story.  We were down on Taney drifting eggs the other day for trout.  I was in the middle of the channel with 4 clients in my Bay Boat.  All were hooked up.  There were 3 guide boats drifting around me, not catching.  We were all using the same orange power eggs, I was just drifting thru a tight school.  Believe me it was nothing I did.  All of a sudden I hear 3 trolling motors jerked up and engine fire.  Buster zooms by and just rolls his eyes up at me.  Sometimes your the windshield sometimes your the bug.  I been the bug a bunch.

Thanks James that was super

[Macsimus]

I suspect that most all here have already heard of and seen this movie as it's a little dated but just in case you haven't...  http://www.bassmanmovie.com/

It's a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Elite-level fishing and highlights Takahiro Omori, Jay Yelas, and Rick Clunn. I highly recommend it.

Update: sorry, don't know if it's still available. I just tried the DVD order link and it doesn't work.