Pete Robbins with Rick Clunn signed Rico topwater

As we continue to celebrate Rick Clunn’s 50 years of competition with B.A.S.S, a great deal of attention has been paid to his record-setting four Bassmaster Classic wins, 32 Classic qualifications, his 500+ tournament entries and his two late-career wins on the St. Johns River. While his longevity and tournament success certainly made him worthy of being inducted to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame on the first ballot – he was in the inaugural class of 2001 – oddly enough those aren’t the factors what I think of first when I think of him. Rather, his true distinguishing characteristics in my mind are his explorations into seasonal patterns and even more notably his inquiries into the mental side of the game.

Nevertheless, as I look back on his career there are a number of lures that I associate directly with him. It’s certainly not an exhaustive list, and the photos below don’t necessarily show his favorite sizes, colors or blade configurations, but here are a dozen or so lures that have helped to define Clunn’s career: