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Home: Indianapolis, Indiana
Family: Sons, Jon And Andrew, and a Grandson, Jackson Paul
Occupation: Industrial Project Manager / Pro Angler
Years Fishing: 45, 25 of them competitively
Sponsors: Secret Weapon Lures, Bass Boat Saver, Honey Creek Tackle, Teds Aqua Marine, Touchdown Lures, Ranger Boat, and Freelance Lettering and Graphics
Boat: 2007 Ranger Z20, W/225 Yamaha HDPI
Tournament Tours: FLW - BFL, American Bass Angler
Achievements: Five Time Aba National Qualifier, Top 20 ABA 2007 Regional Championship, Indiana State Team, 25 ABA first place finishes, 2007 ABA - LBL Kentucky Lake Two-day Qualifier Champion
Favorite Fishing Technique: Cold-water jerkbait fishing, light line , and Honey Creek Stupid Tube fishing
Five Best Lakes
- Kentucky Lake
- Ohio River - Kentucky
- Patoka Lake - Indiana
- Nolin Lake - Kentucky
Favorite Fishing Spot: Kenucky Lake - Blood River Area
Hobbies: Nostalgic Rock And Roll Music And Collectables And Antiques Lures.
Anglers I Admire: Rick Clunn
Something People Don't Know About Me: I have a passion to teach children to fish. I want to help pass on the sport that has been so very special to me. To give the gift that was passed on to me from my father, grandfather, grandmother and great grandfather all of whom I was fortunate to learn to fish from and with.
A Tip To Pass On: With all the pressure that fish have on them today remember to make several cast and presentations to an area that looks good. One or two cast from the same direction will not always do it. Think about it: how many times have you fished a good looking spot and did not catch the fish only to have the guy in the back of the boat cast to the same spot and catch a fish?
Pro's Pointers: Smart Fishing Means Thinking on the Run
In our ever-changing sportfishing industry of new lures, techniques, boats, electronics and every gadget imaginable to man and fish exists a creation within a creation company. Secret Weapon Lures manufactures fishing lures that can be changed and redesigned as fast as a bass can change color preference.'sWL - as it is known to those of us who guard our Weapons Arsenal as if it is a personal autograph from Rick Clunn, has developed spinner bait and buzz bait kits that enable you to interchange blades, bodies, skirts, rattles and trailers right on the deck of your boat. It gives a smart fisherman the ability to change lures on the run. Once it took three or more standup spinner bait tackle boxes to hold multiple lure sizes, colors and blade combinations an angler might need. They can now all be stowed away in a single flat multi compartment boxed kit. These kits, according to how you purchase or personalize them, can create combinations to meet your every need - and several you never thought you needed. They eliminate over-crowded boat compartments and additional weight while providing the angler with unlimited body, blade and color configurations.
A few weeks back I had the opportunity to fish with an angler who considers himself a big spinner bait enthusiast. We were on a private 360-acre lake in central Indiana. Both of us happened to be fishing spinner baits in the very warm, shallow, off-colored and grass-infested end of the lake. Although he had managed to catch a few on his bait of choice, I was out-catching him at about two to one.
We continued to fish until finally, in frustration, he asked me why my spinner bait seemed to be catching more then his and why it had a very noticeable chime sound each time I cast it. My answer was it is my'secret Weapon. - He kind of laughed and said, - No really, what is the deal? -
Upon retrieving my cast, I swung him the bait I had tied on. He examined the lure for a moment then said, - I have never seen a spinnerbait designed like that. - I explained to him about the company that made it and then reached in to one of my Ranger Z20 forward compartments and pulled out my SWL box containing about 50 various body sizes and colors, 100 skirts in an array of colors, 350 blades in all the sizes, colors and types that SWL offers as well as numerous rattles, trailer bodies, and trailer hooks. He immediately put his rod down and began to dig through the box.
Before I knew it he had two different lures designed and was tying one on. After making about twenty casts he noted how well the lure seemed to come through the submergent and emergent grass that we had been fishing. Once he got it close to the boat he stopped his retrieve and then commented that the SWL design makes every spinner bait work as a helicopter or drop bait when you pause or stop it. He said 'this will work great when I come through those holes in the grass, - and I replied it had been since we started fishing and I started catching earlier in the day.
For the next three hours my fishing companion did a lot of talking about his - new-found lure - and spent more time standing in the back of my boat lure designing then he did fishing, although he did manage to catch several more bass on his SWL creations. When we got ready to leave the lake he ask if he could take my industrial-sized SWL kit home and I said - NO! - After a good bit of listening to his whining, I did agree to give him a couple of the designs he had created that day. His comment was - Heck with these two lures I can design at least eight or ten different versions and combinations. - He went on the make the statement - Whoever came up with this idea sure was thinking on his feet. - For me it was another fine day of fishing and another SWL user hooked and landed.
