Clausen’s 5 favorite fish species

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Washington-based Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Clausen became a household name in the fishing world when he set a single-day catch record en route to winning the 2006 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Toho – just 18 months after winning the Forrest Wood Cup. He’s racked up 31 tour-level top 10s since then. But even though he’s known for his diversity as a bass angler, his fishing interests are even more diverse. Clausen has caught fish from coast to coast, from tuna to trout. Here are his 5 favorite species to pursue.
Washington-based Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Clausen became a household name in the fishing world when he set a single-day catch record en route to winning the 2006 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Toho – just 18 months after winning the Forrest Wood Cup. He’s racked up 31 tour-level top 10s since then. But even though he’s known for his diversity as a bass angler, his fishing interests are even more diverse. Clausen has caught fish from coast to coast, from tuna to trout. Here are his 5 favorite species to pursue.
<b>5. Walleye</b><br> “Where I live in Eastern Washington, you can catch walleye 12 months a year, and some BIG ones: the state record is just over 20 pounds, and we catch a lot of fish in the mid-teens,” Clausen says. “You can catch them on structure just like bass, and there are lots of places to fish for them. Plus, they taste pretty good.”
5. Walleye
“Where I live in Eastern Washington, you can catch walleye 12 months a year, and some BIG ones: the state record is just over 20 pounds, and we catch a lot of fish in the mid-teens,” Clausen says. “You can catch them on structure just like bass, and there are lots of places to fish for them. Plus, they taste pretty good.”
<b>4. Snook</b><br> “To me, snook are kind of the ‘bass of the inshore world’,” Clausen says. “They eat a lot of the same baits that a bass does, they’re super aggressive and they fight really hard. If I didn’t have to travel all the way across the country to fish for them, I’d probably rate snook even higher, they’re a lot of fun to catch.”
4. Snook
“To me, snook are kind of the ‘bass of the inshore world’,” Clausen says. “They eat a lot of the same baits that a bass does, they’re super aggressive and they fight really hard. If I didn’t have to travel all the way across the country to fish for them, I’d probably rate snook even higher, they’re a lot of fun to catch.”
<b>3. Bass (all species) </b><br> “The thing about bass is that you can find them in so many different places, and can catch them in so many different ways,” Clausen says. “I fished for smallmouth a lot growing up in Washington, so I love to catch them, but put me on a good largemouth lake in Florida or a spotted bass lake like Hartwell and I’m good.”
3. Bass (all species)
“The thing about bass is that you can find them in so many different places, and can catch them in so many different ways,” Clausen says. “I fished for smallmouth a lot growing up in Washington, so I love to catch them, but put me on a good largemouth lake in Florida or a spotted bass lake like Hartwell and I’m good.”
<b>2. Redfish</b><br> “This is another fish that I’d probably fish for a lot if I lived in Florida or anywhere else on the Gulf Coast,” Clausen says. “Redfish fishing on the flats reminds me a lot of hunting: you’re trying to locate them, and then sneak across the flats to catch them. There’s a stealth aspect to it. Plus, they fight like hell when you catch them on those shallow flats.”
2. Redfish
“This is another fish that I’d probably fish for a lot if I lived in Florida or anywhere else on the Gulf Coast,” Clausen says. “Redfish fishing on the flats reminds me a lot of hunting: you’re trying to locate them, and then sneak across the flats to catch them. There’s a stealth aspect to it. Plus, they fight like hell when you catch them on those shallow flats.”
<b>1. Salmon</b><br> “If you live in the Pacific Northwest and like to fish, you kinda have to fish for salmon,” Clausen jokes. “I’ve caught all five species of Pacific salmon – Chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon – but Chinook are by far my favorite. They get big, they’re strong, they’re aggressive, and they’re the hardest-fighting fish in the freshwater world.”
1. Salmon
“If you live in the Pacific Northwest and like to fish, you kinda have to fish for salmon,” Clausen jokes. “I’ve caught all five species of Pacific salmon – Chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon – but Chinook are by far my favorite. They get big, they’re strong, they’re aggressive, and they’re the hardest-fighting fish in the freshwater world.”