Elite

Semifinal Saturday with Benton and Clunn

Posted on
Photography by
Kyle Jessie
Early on Day 3 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake, Drew Benton and RIck Clunn began fishing in the same area.
Both anglers were on Bassmaster Live as both of them were within the Top 10 to start the day.
It was fairly difficult to navigate as a camera boat in this relatively small area, so I took a hike into the woods to get a better look at the action.
Clunn started on one side of the pocket, and Benton began on the other.
Benton mentioned early that it felt more like deer season weather than April.
He even made a joke about seeing a sasquatch in the woods… pretty sure he was talking about me.
This small creek is full of laydowns, trees and submerged vegetation.
Although both anglers fished the bank, they both fished the middle of the creek as well because of the grass.
Clunn was the first angler to hit the middle of the creek.
Clunn rotated between a spinnerbait and a vibrating jig.
Benton primarily fished the laydowns on the bank, but also fished the submerged grass in certain areas.
Benton and Clunn worked well together and even gave each other a couple of updates during the morning.
There’s really no telling just how good this area would have been if it was just one angler fishing it for the duration of the event.
The Georgia pro hits the bank and begins to flip the shorline cover.
Benton boats a solid keeper.
This was Benton’s second keeper of the morning.
Moments later Benton hooks up again.
This time with a solid three pounder.
Keeper number three.
Meanwhile, Clunn was still making his way back up the middle of the pocket.
After fishing down the bank a good bit, Benton turns back around to hit the area he had a couple of quick bites.
Safe to say that Benton wasn’t going to run out of Big Bite Baits Fighting Frogs.
After fishing the area for a few hours, Benton heads to another creek.
At about the same time, Benton’s travel partner Drew Cook was passing through.
“Hopefully I don’t hit anything,” he said before taking off.
Benton makes a couple adjustments and gets back to work.
At this point in the day, a solid sleet/snow blew through. Not ideal conditions in the springtime.
Literally five minutes after the sleet came through, the sun came out. Benton’s face says it all.
“This next stretch is my best stretch,” said Benton.
Sure enough, the first laydown he fishes he hooks up with a good one.
This nice keeper gets a cull tag and heads to the box.

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