It was April last year when Baker interviewed the veteran pro about his lure choice when looking for a couple more fish from an area where he's been catching them.
In his mind, Baker was thinking the answer might be a shaky head, or perhaps a dropshot, Ned rig, or a Neko rig. He was surprised but delighted by Clunn's answer.
"It's important to understand the predatory/prey relationship," Clunn said. "We'll use the analogy of a lion sitting there watching a herd of impala. Even if he's active, he tries to pick the young or the weak. He uses the laws of conservation of energy. Which one can he get and receive the most energy from with the least effort or injury?
"This is why topwater may be the best bait to throw during those time frames when the fish aren't biting. Because you're really pulling that predator's strings. He's sitting there like, 'Dang, that's weak. I'm supposed to eliminate it'...because a predator's role is to eliminate anything that's weak. And all of a sudden that topwater is easy, it looks fairly large, and the fish is supposed to eliminate it.
"Predators were not designed to eat the whole herd. Remember the Lion King? It kind of works off that a little bit. Yes, they're out there to eat the impala, but they're not there to destroy the whole herd. Their presence should make the herd healthier by eliminating anything that's weak. So that's why one of my favorite choices in that time frame is a topwater."
Rick Clunn throws a topwater when the fish aren't biting because of the Lion King. And that's one of the many reasons why this veteran pro is one of the best and most loved anglers in the world. He has a far deeper spirit and grasp of things than most anglers ever will even glimpse in their lifetime.
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