Legendary Texas Angler Beats 140 Pros, Wins $125,000 in Nationally Televised Event
When professional angler Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, was forced to withdraw from the Walmart FLW Tour in 2014 after suffering a heart attack he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to fish competitively again. After a few months of recovery and undergoing cardiac rehabilitation, Wendlandt made the decision to return to the Tour in 2015.
His decision was validated Sunday when the three-time Angler of the Year brought a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces to the scale to win the Walmart FLW Tour at the Potomac River presented by Ranger Boats. Wendlandt’s four-day total of 20 bass weighing 60 pounds even earned him the win by a 4-pound, 4-ounce margin over Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, and the top cash award of $125,000 in the internationally-televised event that featured 142 of the best bass-fishing anglers in the world competing in the final regular-season tournament of the season.
“For a long time now since the heart attack I’ve felt fine,” said Wendlandt, who had three top-20 finishes on the FLW Tour this season. “There is some damage, but I went through the rehab and got my heart back up to normal limits. I still love to fish and this season has been really, really good.”
Wendlandt spent the majority of his tournament picking apart key places in a large area in Potomac Creek. Wendlandt said his area had matted grass, docks and shallow wood, but the docks were key.
“I managed my area really well this week,” Wendlandt said. “I was only catching six to nine fish a day. Today, I only caught five. The majority of my fish came on two baits – a white Z-Man ChatterBait with a shad-colored Lake Fork Live Magic Shad and a ½-ounce green-pumpkin 4×4 Bass Jig. I caught a couple on a swimjig and a couple on a tube as well, but the ChatterBait and the jig were more effective.”
Wendlandt may have not even made the top-10 cut to fish Sunday had it not been for an incredible act of sportsmanship by fellow competitor Shinichi Fukae. Wendlandt started day three in first place, but soon experienced mechanical problems that would effectively end his day and force him to get an early tow back to the marina. However Fukae, who was fishing at a nearby location, offered to let Wendlandt use his boat for the remainder of the day – a decision that would allow Wendlandt to finish his day on the water and remain in contention for the win, but guarantee Fukae a zero for the day and a 20th-place finish.
“Without Shin, this win wouldn’t have been possible,” Wendlandt said. “I can’t say enough about him. What he did yesterday, giving me his boat… I cannot thank him enough.”
After this week’s strong showing on the Potomac Wendlandt ended the season ranked 18th in the Angler of the Year Race and qualified for the 16th-Forrest Wood Cup appearance of his career – the first since 2012.
“I love Lake Ouachita and I can’t wait to get there for the Forrest Wood Cup,” Wendlandt went on to say. “I feel like I’ve got some momentum right now and I’m excited for the opportunity to fish for a half a million dollars.”
The top 10 pros finished the tournament:
1st: Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 20 bass, 60-0, $125,000
2nd: Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 20 bass, 55-12, $28,309
3rd: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 20 bass, 54-1, $23,575
4th: Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 20 bass, 52-13, $18,842
5th: John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., 20 bass, 52-10, $17,895
6th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 20 bass, 52-9, $16,949
7th: Randy Haynes, Counce, Tenn., 20 bass, 51-14, $16,002
8th: Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 20 bass, 51-12, $15,055
9th: Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 20 bass, 51-5, $14,109
10th: Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., 20 bass, 49-2, $13,162
Overall there were 50 bass weighing 118 pounds, 13 ounces caught by pros Sunday. All of the top-10 professionals weighed in five-bass limits.
For the first time in his storied career, pro Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, wrapped up the Angler of the Year title on Saturday. He narrowly edged out pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, in a tightly contested race that thrilled fishing fans throughout the season. Martin, who clinched the first Angler of the Year title of his career as well as a check for $100,000, also will receive an automatic berth into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup along with a new Ranger Z518C boat.
Pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, clinched the 2015 Walmart FLW Tour Rookie of the Year award Friday, which is awarded to the rookie pro angler who finishes the season with the highest point total.
Jim Jones of Big Bend, Wisconsin, won the co-angler division and $25,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 2 ounces, followed by Kyle Prskalo of Hobart, Indiana, who finished in second place with eight bass weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces worth $7,081.
John Hunter of Shelbyville, Kentucky, clinched the Walmart FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year title Friday and won a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The Walmart FLW Tour stop on the Potomac River presented by Ranger Boats was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners. It was the sixth and final regular-season tournament in the FLW Tour’s 2015 season. The final FLW Tour event of 2015 will be the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart held on Lake Ouachita, August 20-23 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event will be hosted by the Visit Hot Springs and Arkansas Parks and Tourism. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
In addition to casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the pro division and up to $25,000 cash in the co-angler division, anglers are also competing for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The Forrest Wood Cup Champion could win as much as $500,000 – professional bass-fishing’s richest prize.
Coverage of the Potomac River tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) November 2 from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. EDT when Season 20 of “FLW” returns this fall. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2015 over the course of 240 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
By: Joe Opager, Director of Public Relations
