| If you haven't gotten any Lucky Craft | | | | off bass beds."Clunn's second favorite time |
| crankbaits yet, you may have missed the boat, | | | | of year to fish these baits is in the late |
| (literally!). This is the hottest bait on the | | | | summer to fall time when bass are following |
| market besides the Sweet Beaver which will be | | | | shad into the backs of creeks."During the |
| in the Delaware Tackle store soon, (I just | | | | late spring and early summer the 2.5 and 3.5 |
| spoke to Andre Moore), and they are moving | | | | are my preferred sizes," Clunn says. "In the |
| and backorders are down to 3-4 weeks now, and | | | | fall, when shad are the main bass forage, |
| will soon be up to date. Anyway, back to the | | | | I'll start with the 2.5, but if bass want a |
| Lucky Craft crankbaits. Are they expensive? | | | | smaller profile, I'll drop down to the |
| Yes!! Are they worth it?? YES!!! I climbed a | | | | 1.5."Clunn's Cranking CredibilityRick Clunn |
| tree to get one when it was the last one left | | | | knows crankbaits. Whether it was his |
| in a particular color. One of our Pro Staff | | | | astounding 1990 Bassmaster Classic win on the |
| threw himself into the water from his boat to | | | | James River with a cedar "coffin-bill" diver, |
| get one back, it is that good!You can go | | | | or his 2000 FLW Tour Wal-Mart Open victory on |
| right in behind any number of anglers | | | | Beaver Lake with a shallow square-billed |
| competing at any level and catch bass right | | | | wobbler, or his impressive 2001 BASS |
| behind them on these baits. You don't have to | | | | Megabucks victory on an ultra-deep diving |
| listen to me though, listen to Rick Clunn and | | | | plug - Clunn has fashioned a legendary bass |
| a thousand others who know how effective this | | | | fishing career out of his knowledge of diving |
| bait is!Clunn's Fishing DreamsIn 2001, Rick | | | | baits.Of course, he is best known for his |
| Clunn completed his quest for the BASS | | | | four Bassmaster Classic wins, three of which |
| "Triple Crown" by winning Megabucks. Though | | | | came on crankbaits. In addition, he has won |
| he had won four Bassmasters Classics and an | | | | 10 other BASS events and 3 FLW events. Of |
| Angler of the Year title earlier in his | | | | those 13 victories, 8 were achieved with |
| career, it was the Megabucks title that | | | | crankbaits.Essentially, Clunn has turned |
| eluded him the longest."I had been so close | | | | crankbaits into a science. He has spent |
| to winning Megabucks on two other occasions," | | | | hundreds of hours analyzing crankbait actions |
| Clunn recalls. "So when I won Megabucks at | | | | in an effort to identify their strike |
| Douglas Lake in 2001, it was certainly a | | | | provoking qualities. He coined the term |
| satisfying win."Now that Clunn has won nearly | | | | "deflection" to describe the way a crankbait |
| every major title in competitive bass | | | | should "bounce" off a piece of cover to |
| fishing, what's left for him to | | | | trigger a strike.Lucky Craft Lures tapped |
| accomplish?For Clunn, the eternal dream of | | | | Clunn's rich crankbait knowledge when they |
| bass fishing is not about filling his shelves | | | | set out to design the ultimate square-billed |
| with trophies; his bass fishing dream is | | | | shallow diver."Wood crankbaits have always |
| fueled by the quest to, "touch | | | | been heralded for having the best deflection |
| perfection.""Certainly winning is a part of | | | | properties," Clunn says. "However, wood baits |
| the fishing dream," Clunn says. "But it's not | | | | are fragile; they have trouble standing up to |
| the whole dream. Winning and touching | | | | the abuse a tournament angler can dole out |
| perfection are two different things."Clunn | | | | during a rigorous day of cranking stumps or |
| defines touching perfection as a period | | | | rock. So I helped Lucky Craft design a bait |
| during the fishing day when the universe | | | | that combines the durability of plastic with |
| becomes timeless and he is fishing every | | | | the intense deflection of wood."These |
| moment with such absolute perfection that | | | | buoyant, fat-bodied shallow runners feature a |
| doubt, judgment and expectation no longer | | | | unique square bill that gives a more radical |
| exist."Everything becomes effortless because | | | | deflection for a plastic bait."Many of the |
| all negativity ceases to exists," he | | | | bills on traditional square-lipped baits are |
| explains. "All negative things are purged and | | | | thick and it hinders their ability to dive |
| transformed into positive things. The wind | | | | and reach a critical vibration," Clunn says. |
| becomes a positive because it pushes you to | | | | "I worked with Lucky Craft in designing a |
| the next fish. Getting hung up becomes a | | | | bill for the Lucky Craft that is much thinner |
| positive because it leads you to a different | | | | so it cuts the water better for consistent |
| casting angle that produces a fish. Your | | | | tracking and enhanced deflection."How to Fish |
| mind, body and soul become one and everything | | | | the Lucky Craft SeriesWhen Rick Clunn fishes |
| works in harmony - it's truly a special | | | | his Lucky Craft Series crankbaits, he does it |
| place."However, touching perfection is rare, | | | | with attitude. The four-time Bassmaster |
| even for Clunn."Sometimes it lasts for 15 | | | | Classic Champion designed these fat-bodied, |
| minutes; sometimes it lasts for an hour," he | | | | square-billed lures to boldly crash through |
| reveals. "Only once have I touched perfection | | | | cover and provoke strikes - and that's |
| for a full day, and it was amazing."The | | | | exactly how he fishes them."The crankbait is |
| desire to touch perfection more frequently | | | | a 'target' bait," Clunn explains. "By that I |
| and for longer periods of time is what keeps | | | | mean it's designed to make contact with |
| Clunn casting."As humans we want to touch | | | | specific objects or targets, usually shallow, |
| perfection in something - mine just happens | | | | visible pieces of cover like stumps, |
| to be in fishing," he says. "To touch | | | | laydowns, pilings or rocks."They will run to |
| perfection on the water for any length of | | | | a depth of 4 feet, but Clunn uses his rod to |
| time is my eternal fishing dream; to touch | | | | manipulate the lure's depth as it approaches |
| perfection for an entire tournament and win | | | | a target."I use the rod to control the angle |
| is my ultimate fishing dream."Seasonal | | | | and depth of the bait to make sure I contact |
| Patterns for the Lucky Craft Crankbait | | | | the 'sweet spot' on the target," he |
| SeriesFour-time Bassmaster Classic Champion | | | | reveals.On one cast, Clunn may crank the bait |
| Rick Clunn designed Lucky Craft's crankbaits | | | | with his rod tip down low in order to hit the |
| to be fished any time bass are shallow."The | | | | base of a stump in 4 feet of water. On the |
| seasonal applications of the crankbait vary | | | | next cast he might raise the rod tip up to |
| depending on the kind of fishery you are | | | | get the bait to crawl over top of the |
| dealing with," Clunn says. "For instance, you | | | | stump.Since he is often cranking around hard |
| can use the RC almost anytime of the year on | | | | cover, Clunn uses line in the 14- to 20- |
| water bodies like river systems where fish | | | | pound test class.His rod length preference is |
| live shallow most of the time. However, on | | | | 7 feet, but he warns that rod action is more |
| deep clear impoundments, where fish go deep | | | | important than rod length.When it comes to |
| during the winters and summers, the bait has | | | | hooking fish, Clunn likens this style of |
| less of a seasonal range."No matter what kind | | | | shallow cranking to flipping or pitching |
| of fishery he is on, Clunn has found these | | | | where the rod must have enough power to turn |
| plugs to be most effective during two | | | | the bait in the fish's mouth so the hooks can |
| periods: late spring and fall. Also, he lets | | | | penetrate."When choosing equipment to fish |
| the season have some bearing on the size he | | | | the crankbaits, pay the close attention to |
| will throw."The 2.5 and 3.5 are good for | | | | your rod action," Clunn advises. "Shallow |
| imitating pesky bream," Clunn explains. "My | | | | cranking calls for a very stout rod - a true |
| favorite time to fish these bigger lures is | | | | heavy action rod, not a medium-heavy. These |
| the late spring, from the post-spawn through | | | | are big-bodied baits that are attacked by big |
| early summer. That's when the bigger female | | | | fish in thick cover, and a softer rod simply |
| bass have spawned out, but they're still up | | | | does not provide enough power to hook the |
| shallow eating bream that are picking eggs | | | | fish and move it out away from the cover. |