BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Following a historic 2024 season that marked his 500th Bassmaster event and celebrated a remarkable 50-year career, legendary angler Rick Clunn will be honored with the inaugural Rick Clunn Bassmaster Person of the Year Award at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic.
Established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport of bass fishing — both on and off the water — the award celebrates those who exemplify integrity, character and a lasting impact on the fishing community.
At 78 years old, Clunn has spent six decades defining professional angling while inspiring countless anglers to take to the water. In recognition of his unparalleled influence, the award will bear his name moving forward, with future recipients receiving the Rick Clunn Bassmaster Person of the Year plaque.
Clunn’s list of accolades is staggering:
- 16 B.A.S.S. career victories, including four Bassmaster Classic wins — two of them back-to-back.
- A record-setting 32 Classic appearances over his career.
- Voted by fans as the greatest professional bass angler of all time.
“Rick Clunn’s 2024 season featured two milestones that may never be repeated — 50 years of participation in B.A.S.S. events and 500 tournaments fished,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “He was there in the earliest days of professional fishing and has watched the sport evolve into the international sensation it is today. Through it all, Rick has remained a model of class and sportsmanship, earning the admiration of both his peers and the next generation of anglers. His milestones in 2024 made it an easy decision to name him the first Bassmaster Person of the Year.”
Despite his legendary status, Clunn remains humble. “I don’t feel deserving of this award,” Clunn said. “I’ve seen these honors given in other sports to people who have done truly special things. I just try to be a person with a positive outlook, to treat people with kindness. To me, this award simply means striving to be a good and kind person.”
Clunn’s age has never slowed him down. At 69, he became the oldest angler to win a Bassmaster Elite Series event, claiming victory at the 2016 St. Johns River Elite. Three years later, he broke his own record at 72, winning at St. Johns once again. In 2024, his 500th Bassmaster event — the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite — was fittingly held at the same river where he made history multiple times. Beyond tournament fishing, Clunn was featured in the first season of The Cast presented by Bass Pro Shops, which aired on FOX Sports networks, and he made a return appearance in season two.
As the 2024 Humminbird Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River drew to a close, Clunn took the stage for what would be his final Elite Series weigh-in. Addressing the mixed crowd of New York and Canadian fans, he made it clear: He wasn’t retiring — just stepping away from bass fishing’s highest level of competition.
“I have to challenge my mind and my body every day, and fishing does that ... ” Clunn said. “I need to thank everybody, but I can’t name them all. So I’ll just thank my family — they’ve supported me forever. This is going to be tough, but it’s also been an incredible journey. I appreciate all of you who have come out, today and through the years.”
As the crowd erupted in applause, an emotional Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer summed up the moment, reflecting on Clunn’s legacy. “Rick, every athlete in every sport says they just want to leave the game better than they found it,” Mercer said. “And I think it goes without saying — what you have given, what you have built, what you have created ... we are all thankful for it.”
With the introduction of the Rick Clunn Bassmaster Person of the Year Award, Bassmaster ensures that Clunn’s legacy will continue to inspire generations of anglers to come.