The second edition of Zona LIVE for the 2019 calendar year pits Mark Zona and Bassmaster Elite Series guest Clark Wendlandt on a special fishery in East Arkansas. The venue is new for Zona LIVE, but it has showcased its promise once before when Zona shot a show during the 2018 season of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show.
Zona LIVE presented by Trokar will take place on a private lake managed by Jeryl Jones of Southern Pond Management. It will be the last Zona LIVE of the year that will take place on a private lake, but the visuals fans and viewers will see during the four-hour broadcast will be worthwhile.
“This is the best lake I’ve ever fished in my life,” Zona said. “I’m so amazed at how critical it is to build a lake correctly. Forage, population, fish management, structure. Thank you to Steve Bowman and Jeryl Jones for allowing us to shoot not only a Zona LIVE, but also an episode for Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show.”
Although Wendlandt is a newcomer to the Bassmaster Elite Series, he is a veteran of the sport. With four Bassmaster Classic appearances, three FLW Tour Angler of the Year awards and more than $2 million in career earnings, he is one of the most established pros in the sport.
“We go back a long time,” Zona said. “Let’s just say I knew Clark back when his hair was brown, and we competed on the water against each other. He is versatile, extremely deadly with shallow fish and he is also deadly in the trash-talking category as well.”
It may just seem like another fun shoot between Zona and a professional angler, but that’s not the case. This has been something they have worked on for years.
“I’ve tried to shoot a TV show with Wendlandt for the better part of 11 years, but it’s been extremely hard given our schedules,” Zona said. “He juggles his own TV show (Fishing and Hunting Texas) and his schedule as a touring pro. This will be a special shoot because I have the utmost respect for Clark and how he’s conducted his career the right way.”
This will serve as a great warmup for Wendlandt before he heads down the road for Monday practice at Lake Fork for 2019 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
“There is no better way to prepare yourself for an Elite Series slugfest than to trash talk one of your good buddies on a fishery that has plenty of big ones and so many chances to connect with them,” Wendlandt said. “They told me the reputation of this lake and I’m so ready to wet a line. Friday can’t come soon enough.”
Viewers can tune in on Friday, April 26, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET and send questions, comments and more for Zona and Wendlandt to answer and discuss. Use #zonalive and #sweepstakes on Twitter to submit your questions and on Facebook find the designated post on the Bassmaster and Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show page to comment your questions.
There are numerous prizes up for grabs. Viewers questions do not have to be answered on LIVE in order to win. Every participant gains entry by using the proper hashtags. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Sweepstakes ends after the live broadcast of the show. For official rules, go to this page.
Prizes include:
– 10 Packs of Assorted Bass Pro Exclusive Mark Zona TroKar Bulk Packs PLUS TroKar Performance Fishing Shirt and TroKar Hat
– 10 Packs of Assorted Bass Pro Exclusive Mark Zona TroKar Bulk Packs
– ZONA Swag Prize Pack
– T-H Marine G-Force Conservation Cull System Gen 2