After taking the Day 1 lead with 29 pounds, 4 ounces, one of the last things that Rick Clunn said to B.A.S.S. reporters Steve Wright, Craig Lamb and me was that, despite fall’s finicky disposition, he’s doing something he enjoys.
Clunn was cranking. No surprise, right? After all, the 4-time Bassmaster Classic winner has designed several crankbaits, including the Ichikawa Rick Clunn RC King Kong Shad 10 squarebill that produced most of his Day 1 bites.
But comparing generic cranking to Clunn-level cranking is tantamount to saying Chef Bobby Flay and the local burger flipper both cook stuff.
Ever the cagey veteran, Clunn held his cards low on details, but he said he was targeting one particular dock with a specific presentation. He did note that the fish were not “on” the dock; rather, they were holding out front.
Clunn’s analysis: “You can throw at that dock all day and if you’re not doing it exactly right, you’re not going to catch them.”
Clunn said he’ll give his key dock another run today, but he’ll also check other structures with similar positioning. It will be interesting to see how Clunn’s specific technique delivers in round 2.
Elsewhere, Patrick Walters, who started today in second with 25-14, got off to a blistering Day-2 start with a limit for 24 pounds by 9:52. He’s, no doubt, leveraging his own brand of specifics, which served him well on Thursday.
Targeting mostly main lake standing timber, Walters said he needs his fish positioned in a particular depth. Clearly a feeding zone, he described his ideal range as: shallower than 10 feet, but not sitting on the bottom.
“There are fish on every inch of this lake, but when you find them in the right position ready to eat, you can catch them,” Walters said.
Walters also pointed out that he’s developed an eye for the right targets. Fork’s loaded with timber and other hard structure, but the South Carolina Elite is getting the job done by being very specific in where he casts.
“There are just certain pieces of structure and when you see it, it’s usually the recipe for a good time,” Walters said.
Another key that has become more evident with Bassmaster LIVE coverage is Walters’ reliance on long casts. He reported showing the fish a mix of Day-1 baits, but it looks like a suspending jerkbait has been a key player.
“Lake Fork gets a lot of pressure, so you need to catch them at least 60 feet out,” Walters said. “I caught a couple close to the boat, but I didn’t initially see them at the boat, they were farther out and they followed the bait back.
“They take a while to commit to the bait, so you have to make the longest cast possible.”
Across the field, specifics will play an increasingly important role, as the combination of fall’s moodiness and mounting fishing pressure on key areas starts to ration opportunities.
Several big bites have shown up today, including Keith Combs’ 8-2, Stetson Blaylock’s 7-13 (and 6-5), Chad Pipkens’ 6-8, Buddy Gross’ 6-7 and Walters’ 6-1. Thanks to state stocking efforts, Fork’s full of big Florida-strain bass, but as the tournament grinds on, those opportunities will likely decrease.
Those that rise and those that remain at the top will, no doubt, have tales of specific moves, adjustments or presentations impacting their performances.