Clunn on the water

Go on the water with Rick Clunn on the final day of the 2015 Bass Pro Shops Central Open #3 presented by Allstate.

Rick Clunn started the day in 4th place with 25 pounds, 12 ounces.
Rick Clunn started the day in 4th place with 25 pounds, 12 ounces.
He made his first cast while fog still hung over Table Rock Lake…
He made his first cast while fog still hung over Table Rock Lake…
 …moving about standing timber in the back of a pocket off the main lake.
…moving about standing timber in the back of a pocket off the main lake.
He fired cast after cast for several minutes…
He fired cast after cast for several minutes…
…covering a lot of water…
…covering a lot of water…
…before deciding to make his first move.
…before deciding to make his first move.
It was a move that proved productive almost immediately…
It was a move that proved productive almost immediately…
…and he was fighting his first keeper of the day…
…and he was fighting his first keeper of the day…
…to the boat.
…to the boat.
He pulls the fish from the water…
He pulls the fish from the water…
…it was hooked well with both sets of trebles.
…it was hooked well with both sets of trebles.
He eyes his first keeper of the day…
He eyes his first keeper of the day…
…dropped it onto the front deck…
…dropped it onto the front deck…
…quickly removed the hooks…
…quickly removed the hooks…
…made the trip to the back of the boat…
…made the trip to the back of the boat…
…and deposited the fish in the live well.
…and deposited the fish in the live well.
Three casts later…
Three casts later…
He sweeps the fish around the bow…
He sweeps the fish around the bow…
…reaches up the rod for leverage…
…reaches up the rod for leverage…
…and gets a look at fish number two that gives him a quick start to his morning.
…and gets a look at fish number two that gives him a quick start to his morning.
After dropping the fish into the bottom of the boat…
After dropping the fish into the bottom of the boat…
…he makes another trip…
…he makes another trip…
…to the live well.
…to the live well.
He continued to fish the same area for several minutes…
He continued to fish the same area for several minutes…
…creating a commotion on the still water with the topwater bait…
…creating a commotion on the still water with the topwater bait…
…but managed to catch only one more short fish that was released.
…but managed to catch only one more short fish that was released.
It was time for a move to a new location.
It was time for a move to a new location.
He stopped along a shoreline lit up with the bright morning sun…
He stopped along a shoreline lit up with the bright morning sun…
…then fished his way to the back of another pocket.
…then fished his way to the back of another pocket.
The areas he fished early were all near the back of pockets with ghostly standing timber rising from the water.
The areas he fished early were all near the back of pockets with ghostly standing timber rising from the water.
Clunn fished his topwater bait quickly around the trees…
Clunn fished his topwater bait quickly around the trees…
…guiding his boat in and out of them…
…guiding his boat in and out of them…
…making casts from several different angles.
…making casts from several different angles.
On the move again.
On the move again.
Clunn could make very long casts with the heavy topwater bait he was using…
Clunn could make very long casts with the heavy topwater bait he was using…
…and it would crash onto the water causing a ruckus.
…and it would crash onto the water causing a ruckus.
He ripped off cast after long cast…
He ripped off cast after long cast…
…in search of the next fish.
…in search of the next fish.
He would occasionally move up against the bank, casting parallel to edge…
He would occasionally move up against the bank, casting parallel to edge…
…then move out deeper…
…then move out deeper…
 …and make long casts presented at more of an angle over deeper water.
…and make long casts presented at more of an angle over deeper water.
Clunn’s co-angler, Chris Bunk hooks up with his first bass of the day.
Clunn’s co-angler, Chris Bunk hooks up with his first bass of the day.
Clunn looks on…
Clunn looks on…
…and watches Bunk…
…and watches Bunk…
…pull the fish from the water.
…pull the fish from the water.
The fish was short of the 15-inch minimum length limit and had to be released.
The fish was short of the 15-inch minimum length limit and had to be released.
But Bunk wasn’t done yet…
But Bunk wasn’t done yet…
And gives us a good look at his keeper smallmouth.
And gives us a good look at his keeper smallmouth.
The pair fished near Big Cedar Lodge later in the morning…
The pair fished near Big Cedar Lodge later in the morning…
…where trees were just beginning to change to their fall colors.
…where trees were just beginning to change to their fall colors.
Clunn needs this win on Table Rock to qualify for his 33rd Bassmaster Classic.
Clunn needs this win on Table Rock to qualify for his 33rd Bassmaster Classic.
The four-time Classic champ pulls another weapon from the rod locker.
The four-time Classic champ pulls another weapon from the rod locker.
Meanwhile Chris Bunk was catching…
Meanwhile Chris Bunk was catching…
…and releasing another smallmouth that wouldn’t measure.
…and releasing another smallmouth that wouldn’t measure.
Clunn goes back to work fighting for his Classic berth.
Clunn goes back to work fighting for his Classic berth.
This fish is a fighter and takes a dive under the boat…
This fish is a fighter and takes a dive under the boat…
…but he was no match for Clunn.
…but he was no match for Clunn.
The hefty smallmouth torques his body in mid-air, still attempting to throw the hooks.
The hefty smallmouth torques his body in mid-air, still attempting to throw the hooks.
He spun and fought until the very end…
He spun and fought until the very end…
…while Clunn was sweeping his rod and the fish…
…while Clunn was sweeping his rod and the fish…
…safely into the bottom of the boat.
…safely into the bottom of the boat.
Clunn now had four keeper fish in the live well…
Clunn now had four keeper fish in the live well…
…and casts in search of the next fish that would give him an early limit.
…and casts in search of the next fish that would give him an early limit.
He powers his rod into another bass…
He powers his rod into another bass…
…made quick work of it…
…made quick work of it…
…and now had five before ten o’clock.
…and now had five before ten o’clock.
When our cameras left Clunn he was still trying to upgrade.
When our cameras left Clunn he was still trying to upgrade.
He said he thought he had 14-pounds in the live well…
He said he thought he had 14-pounds in the live well…
…but felt he needed 18 pounds for a chance to win.
…but felt he needed 18 pounds for a chance to win.
He was still doing his part in an effort to attain a winning weight…
He was still doing his part in an effort to attain a winning weight…
…and putting fish in the live well.
…and putting fish in the live well.