Rick Clunn
Rick Clunn (born July 24, 1946) is a professional bass fisherman from La Porte, TX who currently resides in Ava, Missouri. He has won the Bassmaster Classic tournament four times, in 1976, 1977, 1984, and 1990, tying him with Kevin VanDam for most wins. Clunn is considered one of the best anglers of all time, having placed in the top 10 in over 100 tournaments, and winning seventeen of those. In 1988, he was voted Angler of the Year by the B.A.S.S. organization. In 2001, he was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
On March 20, 2016, Rick Clunn, almost 40 years after his first Bassmaster Classic victory, won for the 15th time on the Bassmaster circuit, catching five bass that weighed 19 pounds during Sunday’s championship final round to win the Bassmaster Elite on the St. Johns River.
Clunn, won the tournament with a four-day total weight of 81 pounds, 15 ounces. With this win, he became the oldest person to ever win a Bassmaster tournament. He will turn 70 in July 2016. Clunn gained his victory with a near-record one day catch of 31 pounds, 7 ounces during Saturday’s semifinal round. There is a five fish per day limit in Bassmaster tournaments.
Clunn has appeared on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, as well as in numerous fishing shows and bass magazines.
Awards
- Won Bass U.S. Open Bass fishing tournament at Lake Mead, Nevada in 1983 and 1986.
- 1976, 1977, 1984, and 1990 Bassmasters Classic World Champion (fished 32 total Bassmasters Classic World Championship tournaments).
- 1988 B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year.
- 28 consecutive years qualifying for the Bassmasters Classic World Championship.
- 1st Angler to win a million dollars in competitive bass fishing.
- 1985 Redman All-American Champion.
- 1983, 1986 U.S. Open Champion.
- 15 B.A.S.S. National Championship wins.
- FLW Champion Ross Barnett, Mississippi Feb. 1997.
- FLW Champion Beaver Lake, Arkansas April 2000.
- FLW Champion Pickwick, Alabama Lake June 2000.
- 2001 B.A.S.S. Mega-Bucks Champion.
- All-Time leading money winner FLW Tour, over $700,000.
- Inducted Bass Fishing Hall of Fame 2001.
- Inducted Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame 2001.
- 2002 B.A.S.S. Central Open Sam Rayburn Champion.
- Won ESPN's Greatest Angler Debate in 2005.
- Won more than $3.25 million in BASS tournaments
- US man of the year
- Inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, January 2017.
Personal life
He is married to Melissa Clunn. They have four children: Sage, River, Brooke and Courtney.