Rick Clunn and the Plopmaster: Simplicity Refined
Few anglers have left a mark on bass fishing quite like Rick Clunn. A four time Bassmaster Classic Champion and one of the most influential minds the sport has ever known, Clunn has spent decades studying fish behavior and refining what truly triggers strikes. His success has never been built on chasing trends. Instead, it has come from understanding the fundamentals of how bass feed, react, and hunt.
That philosophy is at the heart of the Livingston Lures Plopmaster.
Like many of Clunn's best ideas, the Plopmaster is deceptively simple. It is designed to do one thing exceptionally well: create a consistent surface disturbance that attracts bass and triggers violent topwater strikes.
From the moment the lure begins moving, its specialized tail produces a steady plopping sound and surface commotion. There is no complicated cadence to master and no special technique required. Cast it out, start your retrieve, and let the lure do the work.
For Clunn, simplicity has always been an advantage. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated that anglers often overcomplicate fishing. While equipment and technology continue to evolve, bass still respond to the same basic triggers they always have. Movement, vibration, sound, and the appearance of vulnerable prey remain powerful strike motivators.
The Plopmaster capitalizes on those instincts.
As the lure moves across the surface, it creates a highly visible wake while generating a rhythmic disturbance that fish can track from a distance. The design allows anglers to cover water efficiently while maintaining a presentation that bass can easily locate and attack. Whether fishing shallow grass, flooded wood, dock systems, rocky banks, or shoreline cover, the lure creates an unmistakable signal that demands attention.
What truly separates the Plopmaster from many traditional topwater offerings is Livingston's EBS Technology. While the lure is creating a surface disturbance, it is also emitting biologically tuned baitfish sounds beneath the water. This combination appeals to multiple senses, helping fish locate the lure even when visibility is limited by stained water, low light conditions, wind, or surface chop.
That concept aligns perfectly with Clunn's long held belief that fish rarely rely on a single cue when feeding. Successful lures create multiple opportunities for a predator to detect, track, and commit to a target.
The Plopmaster is part of the Rick Clunn Collection from Livingston Lures, a series of baits that reflects decades of tournament experience and on the water observation. Rather than creating products based on marketing trends, the collection focuses on proven concepts that consistently help anglers catch more fish.
One of the greatest strengths of the Plopmaster is its versatility. It can be fished around shallow cover during the low light hours of dawn, burned across windy points during the middle of the day, or worked over submerged vegetation where bass are actively feeding. The lure performs equally well in calm conditions and rougher water, making it a valuable tool throughout the entire topwater season.
Perhaps most importantly, it is a lure that inspires confidence. Anglers do not need to wonder if they are working it correctly. The bait was designed to be effective immediately, allowing fishermen to focus on location, timing, and fish behavior rather than lure manipulation.
In a fishing world increasingly filled with complexity, the Plopmaster serves as a reminder of something Rick Clunn has proven throughout his legendary career. The best fishing tools are often the simplest ones.
The Livingston Lures Plopmaster combines proven topwater action, advanced sound technology, and one of the most respected minds in bass fishing into a lure built for one purpose: generating explosive strikes on the surface.
Sometimes the most effective approach is also the simplest. Rick Clunn figured that out a long time ago.
About the Featured Expert — Rick Clunn
Rick Clunn is one of the most accomplished professional bass anglers in fishing history, with four Bassmaster Classic championships, 32 Bassmaster Classic qualifications, and a competitive career spanning more than five decades. Recognized as the winner of ESPN's Greatest Angler Debate in 2005, Clunn has helped shape modern bass fishing through his approach to fish behavior, environmental awareness, crankbait fishing, and tournament strategy. As a member of the Livingston Lures professional team, Clunn brings decades of firsthand experience to lure testing, product refinement, and the development of fishing techniques. His extensive knowledge of bass behavior and fishing conditions provides the foundation for the strategies discussed in this article.
Rick Clunn — Livingston Lures Pro Team | Rick Clunn Collection
About the Author — Steven Paul
Steven Paul is a professional angler, USCG-licensed captain, internationally award-winning fishing lure designer, author, and Chief Development Director for Livingston Lures. As the Tennessee state-record muskellunge holder, Paul spends more than 300 days annually on the water guiding, developing fishing tackle, and studying predator behavior. He is the author of Next Level Musky Fishing and Musky IQ: Analyze & Execute, a contributing writer for Field & Stream and Great Lakes Angler, and the owner and host of Musky 360. His work with Livingston Lures combines firsthand fishing knowledge, professional angler interviews, and practical lure engineering.
Steven Paul Professional Biography | Livingston Lures Pro Team