The BASS ZONE spoke with Clunn about his interest in the game of poker, the similarities between bass fishing and poker, the strategies that he uses to play the game, and his involvement with the Fish & Chips event in October. 

CLUNN’S INTRODUCTION TO POKER
For Clunn, his affinity for poker can be traced back to his roots. “I guess that I’ve always had gambling in me because back when I started tournament fishing there was no way to economically justify giving up everything to become a professional fisherman, so it was the ultimate gamble,” said Clunn. 

During the early years of tournament bass fishing, Clunn pointed out that many people considered fishing a “luck sport.” That, however, is where Clunn’s basic philosophy differed. “I believed that you could eventually master the art and science of bass fishing and negate what amount of luck would exist in the sport, especially in multi-day tournaments,” he explained. “That’s what gave me the confidence to believe that I could make a living at it and I have tried to approach poker in a similar fashion.” 

As of now, most of Clunn’s Texas hold’em experience has come from playing on the internet. He admits that when it comes to playing live table games that involve reading opponents and handling chips, he still has a lot of room for improvement. 

During his first live tournament, a World Series of Poker satellite tournament with a spot in the Main Event on the line, Clunn said that he realized his table awareness was lacking. “Without a doubt, my lack of table awareness was a product of playing on the internet,” said Clunn. “I immediately realized that if I want to start playing live, that is something I will have to work on. It just comes down to playing in more live events.” 

Even when he’s away from water and focused on the felt, Clunn is a recognizable figure. “In that first WSOP satellite tournament, I got knocked out pretty early so there were still probably around 20 full tables left,” Clunn relayed. “I was walking out of the room when this guy stands up, points at me and shouts, ‘Hey, that’s Rick Clunn!’ I was kind of embarrassing because most of the people there didn’t know who the heck I was, but there were some fishermen in the tournament who came up to me a little later and introduced themselves.” 

While it may seem like a natural fit to play a few hands on the laptop while traveling on the road fishing the Elite Series, Clunn pointed out that he normally doesn’t combine the two during the same week. “When I’m home, I play a lot online but I don’t mix it when I’m on the road fishing,” he said. While he is catching bass across the country, Clunn’s TeVo is set to record poker on television. “It has probably become one of my favorite things to watch,” allowed Clunn. “I’ll even save some of the better ones that I’ve recorded.” 

CLUNN ON THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BASS FISHING AND POKER
When it comes to comparing bass fishing and Texas hold’em poker, Clunn believes that there are many similarities, especially when it comes to advancing in the sports. “Poker is no different than bass fishing in that it’s a constant study and education,” Clunn allowed. “There are some things that are very similar about the way the two sports need to be approached from a mental state of mind, discipline and patience.”

As an avid athlete growing up, Clunn quarterbacked his high-school football team and played baseball and basketball. However, he was aware that his size and physical skill would never take him beyond high-school. “I played every sport and was a decent basketball player but I just wasn’t an athlete in the physical sense,” explained Clunn. One thing the young Clunn did realize is that while he didn’t necessarily physically excel, his game awareness was above par. 

Clunn points out the fact that neither bass fishing nor poker require special physical attributes to perform at a high level. “Fishing and poker do not require special physical attributes in the sense of traditional athletics,” explained Clunn. “That’s where the similarities between poker and fishing intrigue me.” 

“Especially when I got interested in bass fishing, I realized that here was a potential sport that maybe I could excel in because of what I am good at - understanding the science and art of the game,” said Clunn. “I’m just beginning to study the similarities between bass fishing and poker and I’m also finding out that there are some differences.”

CLUNN ON POKER STRATEGY
When it comes to strategy and mental preparation, Clunn is well known for pushing beyond the realm of traditional thinking. When it comes to any sport, including bass fishing and poker, Clunn looks to the philosophy of martial arts expert, Bruce Lee. 

“I’m re-reading some of Bruce Lee’s books right now and he believed in no style. He believed that you had to be dynamic, infinitely changing, and constantly unpredictable. He realized in his martial arts journey that to embrace one style was a mistake,” explained Clunn. “You can never anticipate or embrace just one style because then you become predictable. Lee believed that if you embraced one style then you could not possibly be the best.” For Clunn, the ultimate goal, be it in bass fishing or poker, is to have no specific style at all. 

Clunn believes that while some poker players have grasped this concept, many have failed to see the benefits of being versatile and unpredictable. “I’ve heard poker players talk about their strategy when entering a tournament and to me, that’s the ultimate mistake,” stated Clunn. For him, both poker and bass fishing are about pure flow. “You cannot intellectually ahead of time have a strategy but I do think that it is important to remind yourself of your weaknesses and be aware of when your discipline breaks down,” stated Clunn. 

“If you look at Doyle Brunson, the young players will tell you that his brain is as good as anybody’s out there still to this day. The man is still sharp as a tack,” said Clunn. 

Although he has never met him, both Clunn and Brunson share a unique common bond. In 1976 and 1977, both Clunn and Brunson won the crown jewel of their respective sports back-to-back. Clunn won the 1976 and 1977 Bassmaster Classic while Brunson won the ‘76’ and ‘77 Main Event in poker. 

Besides Brunson, Clunn also admires the play of Danish pro, Gus Hansen. “From what I’ve seen on TV, Gus’ play is completely unpredictable,” said Clunn. 

CLUNN ON THE FISH & CHIPS EVENT 
Having participated in a variety of events in the past that combine bass fishing and golf or bass fishing and racing, Clunn is intrigued about participating in the first event that combines bass fishing and poker. “I think that the fishing/poker format is unique,” he said. 

“Both are very mental games so in that respect they match a lot better than some of the other ideas that we have toyed with in the past. I’m really looking forward to participating in the Fish & Chips event in October.”