Fishing News - 5/12/01
From BASS
CLUNN CAPTURES CLOSE MEGABUCKS
Legendary Pro Holds Off Red-Hot Rojas To Win $134,000 Top Prize
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - (May 13, 2001) - At this stage of Rick Clunn's illustrious career, it is difficult to add any "firsts." But the veteran Missouri pro did just that Saturday by adding the lucrative $667,000 BASSMASTER MegaBucks title to the sport's most star-studded resume.
Clunn's career accomplishments include a record four BASS Masters Classic championships, a B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year award, a record 28 consecutive Classic appearances, 13 B.A.S.S. victories and more than $1 million in B.A.S.S. earnings. And now he will also be known as a MegaBucks champion.
In a battle of the 10 finalists, Clunn brought in five bass weighing 10 pounds, 9 ounces Saturday, which lifted his two-day total of 21 1/2 pounds and enabled him to overtake first-round leader Dean Rojas. Arizona's Rojas, the hottest pro angler in America, finished second by a mere 7 ounces.
When it comes to the sport of professional fishing, Clunn has experienced it all. But as the scales on the MegaBucks stage on the shores of Tennessee's Douglas Lake stopped spinning, the usually stoic pro broke into a big smile and thrust both fists into the air.
"I've won most of the major titles in this sport and this was one that I really wanted," said Clunn, 55, who took home the $134,000 top prize. "I had come close to winning MegaBucks two other times. It's for that reason that I wanted to win it.
"I knew it was going to be close, I knew it was going to be tough to win this tournament before it began because of the excellent fishermen in this field. It's even tougher to beat excellent fishermen who are on a roll.
And three of them were in these finals. Mark Davis just won Angler of the Year. Dean Rojas has kicked our tails all year. And Jay Yelas just won a tournament. That makes this even more of an accomplishment."
Clunn's latest heroics centered around his experience and skills at fishing deep-water structure with crankbaits and Carolina-rigged soft plastics.
Since the beginning of 2001, Rojas' stampede through the BASSMASTER Top 150 circuit has been nothing short of amazing. And now he adds a second-place MegaBucks finish (worth $76,000) to a streak that includes consecutive victories and a third-place showing. "What a fantastic week," Rojas said. "I've been on a real hot streak and I don't want to see it end. But losing to Clunn, well, I lost to the master. That says it all."
Arkansas' Davis finished third with 19-4 after Saturday's catch of 9-1. It marked his seventh appearance in the MegaBucks finals and the third time he has failed to win after winning the qualifying portion. "Things didn't go as planned today," said Davis, who pocketed $50,000. "The problem was I was fishing a crankbait pattern, and I had to follow two of the best crankbait fishermen in the world - Rick Clunn and David Fritts - through the course."
In the unique MegaBucks finals, the 10 pros rotated through assigned areas in Flat Creek every 50 minutes.
Texan Jay Yelas finished fourth with 18-14, followed by Mark Rose of Arkansas with 17 pounds and Oklahoma's Ken Cook (16-15). Fritts of North Carolina was seventh (15-7), followed by Oklahoma's Kenyon Hill (14-7), Gerald Swindle of Alabama (13-15) and South Carolina's Davy Hite (12-9).
By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide, B.A.S.S. is the world's largest fishing organization. The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism, and sportsmanship after more than three decades.
Sponsors of the 2001 BASSMASTER Tournament Trail include: Ranger Boats, RangerTrail Trailers, Mercury Outboards, Chevy Trucks, Long John Silver's, Kumho Tires, ACDelco Batteries, Worldwaters.com, Humminbird/Zercom Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, First USA/B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Gore-Tex Outerwear, GMAC Insurance and Armstrong Industrial Tools.
B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.
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