Clark Wendlandt, who won four angler of the year titles, announced his retirement from professional bass fishing this week.
“I’ve been doing it for 33 years,” he said. “I had a good career and just felt like it was time.”
The 58-year-old from Leander, Texas, was a consummate professional, finding success through his love of the sport and hard work. He became just the sixth man to hold angler of the year titles in both major circuits, and they mostly came from his tenacity and hallmark consistency.
“To me, that’s what Angler of the Year is all about, if you do well consistently,” he said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a win, but good, solid finishes, that’s how you can win Angler of the Year. I was fortunate to win three FLW Angler of the Year titles and then one in B.A.S.S., which was probably the highlight of my career.”
Wendlandt fished B.A.S.S. for the first decade of his career before moving to FLW, where he won four events, reached 18 championships and earned $2.2 million. He rejoined B.A.S.S. in 2019 and the following year won AOY. In 151 Bassmaster tournaments, Wendlandt qualified for six Classics, had 27 Top 10s and earned almost $900,000.
“All of the fishing community can just look at his fishing resume and tell what a great fisherman he is,” said Bassmaster TV analyst Davy Hite, who roomed with Wendlandt for 10 years, “but he’s equally if not even a better human being.
“Clark is one of the hardest working men I’ve ever known. He practices daylight to dark. He’s always been totally committed to working hard to try to be the best he can be. He’s one of the good guys, a family man who loves his wife and kids and now his grandkids.”
In announcing his retirement, Wendlandt thanked his wife, Patti, for her sacrifices. They traveled as a team, her home-schooling their two daughters all the way to college.
“We decided early on that if we were going to do it, we were going to do it as a family,” he said. “It was a team effort. It was my dream to fish, and she was a trooper and supportive. If this is what God’s got in front of us, this is what we’re going to do.”
Wendlandt also made sure to show his appreciation for his other road mates, Hite, Mike Sermon and most recently, Frank Talley.
“Those guys made it fun for me,” Wendlandt said. “We laughed, we ate great meals and we talked about lots of different things in life. I owe a lot to those guys.
“When you’re out there all by yourself, it’s nice to have somebody you look forward to being around.”
Fishing, hunting and family time are on Wendlandt’s to-do list. Both daughters live within minutes of their Texas Hill Country ranch, and he’s got one grandson with another grandchild on the way. A small cattle operation will also help him keep busy.
“There’s more work here than I can ever do,” he said.
During his 2020 AOY season, Wendlandt posted three Top 10s and held the lead in the season-long points race before heading into the finale in third place. At Lake Fork, Wendlandt landed a late catch to secure a three-point margin of victory.
“This the most coveted for all the fishermen,” he said at the time.
Yet Wendlandt, who was 54, put little stock in becoming the oldest to win AOY. By eight years he topped the previous record-holder, Gerald Swindle, who was 46 in 2016 when he took that accolade from Roland Martin by one year.
More important to Wendlandt was being just the 25th person to win a B.A.S.S. AOY. There are now 28 different winners among the 55 AOY trophies awarded.
Wendlandt, one of a handful of anglers who’ve had their likeness on a cereal box, said his career was all about his passion for fishing.
“I love the sport and have always loved it,” he said. “It’s an amazing sport. Passion can take you a long way. I worked hard. That was one staple that I had. I felt like if I spent more time than anybody else and my tackle was in better shape, I could be more efficient on the water.
“It’s a long time to make a living and compete at the highest level. I’m proud of that. I had longevity in my career, more than most. This was a good time for me to get out.”
