Legendary Angler Rick Clunn Storms Into Lead With Huge Catch At St. Johns River

Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., takes the lead on the third day of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, bringing a whopping 31 pounds, 7 ounces to the scales on Saturday for a three-day total weight of 62-15. 

March 19, 2016

Legendary Angler Rick Clunn Storms Into Lead With Huge Catch At St. Johns River

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PALATKA, Fla.  — Dozens of anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series joined an already-giant crowd of spectators Saturday afternoon to watch Rick Clunn weigh in his Day 3 catch.

They sensed something special was about to happen — and they were right.

The 69-year-old Missouri angler, who has fished more than 400 events with B.A.S.S., proved he still has plenty of fight left with an eye-popping five-bass limit that weighed 31 pounds, 7 ounces. The tournament-best catch pushed Clunn’s three-day total to 62-15 and lifted him from 31st place into the lead in the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels.

Clunn, a four-time winner of the Bassmaster Classic and a 14-time champion on the B.A.S.S. circuit, said it was one of the better rounds of tournament fishing he’s ever had.

“It was just one of those days that was magical,” Clunn said. “This is the third-largest five-fish limit I’ve ever weighed in. Everything went right. Every fish that bit, I caught.”

Clunn said he had known all week that the fishery had the potential to produce a big bag. As it turned out, he needed two bags to carry in his monumental catch — one of which was carried up the walkway from the boat dock by fellow Elite Series angler Skeet Reese.

It was a change in the weather that Clunn said made all the difference.

“I knew how to catch the big ones, but I also knew I had to have the wind and the rain to catch them,” he said. “I had it today, and I caught all of the big ones in about an hour.

“When the wind shifted and really started to blow, I knew I could probably catch them — and I did.”

With the weigh-in winding down, Clunn waited to remove his fish from his livewell until his family could make it in from the airport. His young son, Sage, helped him sack the fish and accompanied him onto the weigh-in platform.

“To him, all of my accomplishments are purely in the history books,” said Clunn, who hasn’t won a B.A.S.S. event since the 2002 Central Open on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas. “I wanted him to witness the catch. Hearing about it later is just not the same.”

Despite going into the final day with a 6-pound lead, Clunn said anything can happen on a fishery full of big bass that are right in the middle of the spring spawning run. He expects a hard charge from second-place angler Greg Hackney (56-15), third-place angler Justin Lucas (56-3) and the rest of the Top 12 anglers who qualified for Sunday’s championship round.

Hackney said he has fished three different areas each day of the event so far and plans to fish a fourth new area Sunday. His Saturday catch of 17-9 was anchored by a 7-10 largemouth.

“That biggest fish would get on the bed and wouldn’t stay,” Hackney said. “I was probably a little too close when I first set up.”

So Hackney left the fish, moved down the shoreline and came back a few minutes later.

“The fish would get up on the bed and sit if I wasn’t there,” Hackney said. “I was worried about it a little bit when I came back because the wind was blowing so hard that I couldn’t tell if she was there or not. But as soon as I got the bait right the first time, she bit.”

Lucas caught 19-9 Saturday to put himself in position for his second career B.A.S.S. win with a three-day total of 56-3, while Florida pro Terry Scroggins stayed in contention with a Saturday catch of 16-11 that pushed his overall mark to 55-3.

But all of the buzz after the weigh-in was about Clunn — and he used the moment to inspire.

“Never accept that all of your best moments are in your past,” Clunn said. “Most of us go through a peak period. But when you start to lose that, you start to wonder.

“Maybe I don’t have as many great moments ahead, but I still have great moments to look forward to.”

Sunday’s take-off will be at 7:15 a.m. ET from Palatka City Dock, with weigh-ins set for 3:30 p.m. at Palatka Riverfront Park. The winning angler will receive $100,000.

The local host for the event is the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 3/17-3/20St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 15  62-15  110Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   14-13     Day 3: 5   31-072.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            15  56-15  109     $500.00Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   18-01     Day 3: 5   17-093.  Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        15  56-03  108Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   22-13     Day 3: 5   19-094.  Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           15  55-03  107Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   21-10     Day 3: 5   16-115.  Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             15  55-00  106Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   23-01     Day 3: 5   21-036.  Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        15  54-13  105Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   23-097.  Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC          15  54-13  104Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   20-13     Day 3: 5   18-148.  Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               15  54-12  103Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   19-12     Day 3: 5   16-079.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           15  54-04  102Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   14-11     Day 3: 5   23-0310. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         15  53-08  101Day 1: 5   22-15     Day 2: 5   09-14     Day 3: 5   20-1111. Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               15  51-02  100Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   17-08     Day 3: 5   12-1112. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        15  49-12   99Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   12-08     Day 3: 5   14-1013. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  49-11   98  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   23-13     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   11-1214. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          15  49-00   97  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   09-04     Day 3: 5   19-1415. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC          15  48-14   96  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   14-15     Day 3: 5   19-0216. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              15  48-12   95  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   13-02     Day 3: 5   15-0517. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC              15  48-10   94  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   16-1018. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ    15  48-05   93  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   21-00     Day 2: 5   08-01     Day 3: 5   19-0419. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY           15  48-00   92  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   18-13     Day 3: 5   10-1420. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA              15  47-15   91  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   12-1021. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       15  47-10   90  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   15-15     Day 3: 5   14-0922. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR         15  47-09   89  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   13-00     Day 3: 5   14-1023. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS               15  47-07   88  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   09-13     Day 3: 5   16-0024. Luke Clausen           Otis Orchards, WA       15  47-04   87  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   11-11     Day 3: 5   15-1225. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN   15  47-01   86  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   11-0326. Billy McCaghren Jr     Mayflower, AR           13  46-15   85  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   17-00     Day 3: 3   09-1427. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         15  46-15   84  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   17-05     Day 3: 5   10-1028. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA             15  46-13   83  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   13-09     Day 3: 5   15-1029. Brent Ehrler           Newport Beach, CA       15  46-01   82  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   18-11     Day 3: 5   07-1430. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL         15  45-13   81  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   19-02     Day 3: 5   14-0231. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI           15  45-07   80  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   09-01     Day 3: 5   15-1332. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX              15  45-07   79  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   15-02     Day 3: 5   15-0133. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         15  45-06   78  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   13-06     Day 3: 5   14-1134. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             15  45-01   77  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   11-10     Day 3: 5   11-1335. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          15  45-00   76  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   12-1136. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR         15  44-14   75  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   14-13     Day 3: 5   16-0237. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            15  44-11   74  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   16-02     Day 3: 5   13-0838. Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV            15  44-09   73  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   16-11     Day 3: 5   14-1139. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX               15  44-07   72  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   15-06     Day 3: 5   13-0940. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL             15  42-12   71  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   19-01     Day 3: 5   08-0441. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               15  42-07   70  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   11-0042. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX              15  42-03   69  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   10-14     Day 3: 5   12-0343. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              15  42-02   68  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   08-1544. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         15  41-09   67  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   18-15     Day 3: 5   09-1445. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC          15  40-12   66  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-01     Day 3: 5   06-1346. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA         13  40-11   65  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 3   06-02     Day 3: 5   11-1147. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             15  40-09   64  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   07-14     Day 3: 5   11-0548. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             13  40-04   63  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   16-01     Day 3: 3   05-1549. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL            15  39-02   62  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   10-0050. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        14  37-01   61  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   19-01     Day 3: 4   05-0051. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        12  32-07   60  $10,000.00Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   08-11     Day 3: 2   03-11———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight1       109       547      1656-092        96       520      1339-063        47       247       724-13———————————-252      1314      3720-12

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