Courtesy of Rather Outdoors
Lexington, S.C. – November 16, 2020 – Strike King has long held a reputation for having one of the premier pro staff teams in the business. The team has earned a long list of impressive titles in all of the major tours, and the records keep piling up.
On November 7, at the Bassmaster Elite Series Toyota Texas Fest, Strike King pro team member Clark Wendlandt clinched the title of 2020 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. The Leander, Tex. pro has proven his consistent excellence throughout his long professional career. With his season-long win, Wendlandt adds the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title to his three FLW Tour Angler crowns from 1997, 2000 and again in 2009.
Wendlandt began the 2020 season with a 19th place finish in the season opening event at the St. Johns River, had two top 10 finishes and a top five finish at the Lake St. Clair event in August, and averaged a 25th place finish for the year to win the title with 680 points for the season.
With this title, he joins an impressive list of bass fishing legends who have won the title as a part of the Strike King team. Previous Strike King pro team Bassmaster Angler of the Year winners are seven-time winner Kevin VanDam, three-time winners, Bill Dance and Mark Davis, 1986 winner Jimmy Houston, 1987 winner Denny Brauer and 2014 winner Greg Hackney.
He said that the Strike King product line was key to his performance throughout the season. “The great thing about being a part of the Strike King family is that they have everything I need to compete no matter the fishery,” he said. “This season presented a lot of variables, and everything from the Thunder Cricket to the KVD 1.5 and 2.5, to the Poppin Perch, soft plastics and the XD Series of crankbaits played a role for me. They just flat have it all, and it helps me compete every day.”
Mark Copley, Director of Pro Staff and Media Relations said that they are proud of the accomplishment, but not surprised. ” When we added Clark to the team, we knew that we were getting not only a world class angler, but a quality person as well, “said Copley. “In our history as a company, Strike King’s pro staff has collected every major trophy in the sport, and we are proud of Clark’s season, pleased to have played a role in it, and even more so to have him as a part of Team Strike King.”
Follow along as Wendlandt begins his victory lap as the 2020 Bassmaster Angler of the Year as the Bassmaster Elite Series kicks off its 2021 season and leads the team into the 2021 Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Tex. and Lake Ray Roberts in March.
