Rick Clunn On Clear-Water Spinnerbaits

Written And Illustrated By BERNIE SCHULTZ

If you thought spinnerbaits won't work in clear water, try this Classic champion's approach...

      Most bass anglers consider spinnerbaits and clear water a contradiction of terms. But Rick Clunn, somewhat of a rogue on the Bassmaster® tour, sees them as an opportunity to further distance himself from the rest of the competitive field.
     The four-time BASS Masters Classic® champ has utilized spinnerbaits in extreme clear-water conditions to win several major titles. The list includes the U.S. Open, the Red Man All American, the Classic, and, most recently, the 1992 New York BASSMASTER® Invitational, which he won with a huge creel of smallmouths in the clear waters of Lake Ontario.
     Throughout his career, Clunn has applied his clear-water spinnerbait tactics under a wide variety of conditions and geographic range. From the deep reservoirs of the desert southwest to the dishpan lakes of Florida, and north to the rivers and lakes along the Canadian border, the technique seems to have no boundaries.
      Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass all respond well to his strategies. Even though cover types may vary according to habitat, how the different species react to his presentation remains very consistent.

     "The common denominator is wind," explains Clunn. "Wind creates water movement and surface chop, which in turn brings fish up, holding them in the shallows where they are more accessible with a spinnerbait."
     Although Clunn agrees that many lures and techniques can work under windy, clear-water conditions, none seem to be as efficient as a spinnerbait. Not only does this lure cover large amounts of water quickly, it adds the possibility of provoking bass that are not very aggressive. This is a major plus when bass are reluctant to bite because of heavy fishing pressure or for other reasons, Clunn says.
     Spinnerbaits are also good big-fish lures, and for Clunn, that's money in the bank.
      Just as wind is sometimes essential for success, so too is lure selection. Clunn's primary choice for clear water is a Stanley Vibra-Shaft in a tandem-blade configur- ation - consisting of a leading Colorado (No. 2 or No. 3), followed by a larger Wedge (No. 3 to No. 4 1/2) willowleaf. One gold, the other silver.
     Clunn feels this combination provides a compact profile and best suits his frequent

need for speed. Sizes range from 1/8 to 1/2 ounce, depending on depth, cover, season, and even species of bass.
      Though there are exceptions, Clunn takes a seasonal approach to blade size and lure weight. In the spring, he believes, larger sizes might intimidate territorial spawners. Throughout summer, Clunn uses smaller lures to accurately match adolescent forage. By fall, he resumes with larger offerings that represent maturing baitfish.
      Coloration, too, is important. Clunn says the subtle, more transparent silicone skirts containing gold, silver, or black flake best represent the reflective scales of live baitfish.
      Clunn always uses a soft plastic trailer. His preference is a 4-inch ring worm in a clear-firecracker with a chartreuse curled tail. If he requires a trailer hook, Clunn first attaches the ring worm to the lure, then the trailer hook. He wants the trailer hook to swing freely at approximately half the length of the plastic trailer. (See Fig. 2.)
      The overall package is built for speed, and according to Clunn, in most cases, speed is what makes these lures productive in clear water.



 

  Lures - 1/8 ounce through 1/2 ounce sizes in tandem-blade configurations. Usually a front Colorado and trailing Willowleaf.

 Lure Color - Blades: one gold, the other silver. Skirts: transparent silicone containing gold, silver, and/or black flake. Trailer: clear-firecracker with chartreuse tail. Head: white, white-and-chartreuse, or baitfish.

  Equipment - Rod: 6 1/2 to 7-foot glass or graphite. Reel: 6:1 ratio reel. Line: 20-pound monofilament.

  Seasonal Effectiveness - Spring is best, then late fall. Can work year-round.

  Water Temperature - 50 degrees to 90 degrees.

  Depth - From 1 to 15 feet, although Clunn pulled smallmouths up from depths of 20 feet during the New York Invitational on Lake Ontario.

  Cover - Grass, timber, bushes, or brush, rock, riprap, stumps, and docks.

 Presentation - Fishing with the wind, cast well beyond the target (to the bank if necessary) and begin retrieve.

 Retrieve - In shallow situations, a brisk retrieve near the surface is best. In situations involving deeper (over 10 feet) cover, slowing the retrieve while making contact with the contour of the cover is usually best.

  Rigging - Clunn always uses a soft plastic trailer, specifically a 4-inch ring worm. For a smaller (1/8-ounce) spinnerbait he shortens the ring worm proportionately. When using a trailer hook, he attaches the worm first, then the hook; he wants the trailer hook to swing freely. In situations where Clunn requires a bait with a small profile, yet demands additional weight for casting distance and proper keel during high-speed retrieves, he uses a rubber-core sinker. Simply remove the rubber and clamp the lead around the hook shank, just behind the head. The skirt will conceal the added bulk, thus maintaining a compact profile.

      "Ripping the bait, many times, will provoke impulse strikes - not only from aggressive fish, but non-aggressive fish as well," he states. "Maybe it's from (fishing) pressure, but it seems anymore we're usually competing for inactive fish. In clear water, a fast-moving spinnerbait can sometimes turn that into a positive situation."
      Clunn acknowledges that other retrieve speeds can produce, but that they usually involve deeper cover. However, he maintains that unless the fish are holding deep within the cover, a bait retrieved swiftly above the fish is far more deceiving in clear water - in a way, almost out of reach.
     For instance, if you're fishing a shallow grass flat and the bass are positioned on top of the submergent grass, a speedy retrieve near the surface is usually the most productive. But if you're fishing a deeper grassbed and the fish are positioned near the bottom, a slower retrieve that puts the bait in contact with the cover usually brings the best results.
      In deeper situations, Clunn recommends following the contour of the cover with the lure as it is retrieved. The same goes for submerged trees, rockpiles, and stumps. If fish are holding deep, contact with the cover can often trigger impulse strikes.

      Otherwise, it's a process of elimination to determine the proper rate of retrieve. "I try to let the fish tell me what they want," he suggests. "If a fish travels for the lure, the strike zone is obviously large. If a fish won't come to the bait, then the lure must be pin-pointed to the fish's proximity."
      By using the first couple of fish as a barometer, Clunn modifies his approach to accommodate their disposition. "But this can change from situation to situation," he warns, "or even fish to fish. Be ready to adapt to changing conditions with the technique."
      When Clunn is targeting isolated cover and has either a mental picture of the fish's position or actual visual contact - his casting angles become critical.
     Experience has taught him to use the cover to conceal the lure from the fish for as long as possible. He likes to use some object or part of the cover to obstruct the fish's view of the spinnerbait until the lure actually gets to the fish. "They seem to feel the vibration before they see the bait and that sets them up for the appearance of it," he says. "When the bait is shielded until the last moment, and then moves away at a high rate of speed - strikes occur!"


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