Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations 400th sharelunker caught in Texas

I just received a news release from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department office in Athens. The 400th sharelunker bass has just been caught at Lake Amistad, on the Texas/Mexico border. Project leader David Campbell and PR specialist Larry Hodge are traveling to Del Rio, right now, to collect the fish. To enter the Sharelunker program, a bass must weigh at least 13 pounds, or more, on certified scales. More news as it develops.

Later today, I will post some info. that was in Bassmasters, two issues back, about the Sharelunker program.

Especially interesting was the length/girth measurements.

This just in from my friend Larry Hodge, of TPWD in Athens, Texas.

"Jason Baird of Gypsum, Kansas, caught Budweiser ShareLunker No. 400 from Lake Amistad about noon on Tuesday, February 28.
The 13.1-pound fish will be worth $5,240 in cash in addition to other prizes to be awarded to Baird.
Baird's catch followed by less than a week the catching of ShareLunker No. 399 by Kurt Wade of Arlington, Texas, who was fishing in Mill Creek Reservoir.
Baird's fish arrived at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday following an all-night trip to Lake Amistad, on the border between Texas and Mexico outside Del Rio, Texas.
Complete details will follow shortly."

"Baird?"

I knew Cecil was out of town for a while, but gone to Texas....and why use the alias of "Jason?"

Another aspect to the TPWD ShareLunker program that is new is the genetic tracking program. It is a 12 year long study tracking the genetics of descendants of the lunkers in the program to see if they produce bigger fish than wild populations. The 6in. offspring of the genetically ided lunker parents are tagged with small stainless steel wire tags and released in several lakes. Through surveys their growth is compared to wild fish of the same age over the next 8 years (through 2017 ).

I wonder if after this they survey the Lakes to find the offspring of the offspring based on the original parents DNA to see how the genetics pass on through the LMB populations of these lakes.

I spoke with Bill Provine, of the inland fisheries division, last Friday. He told me a little about the program. They plan to electrofish each of the designated lakes over the next few years and study the genetic influence. It could be an interesting study. I plan to learn more about it over the next few weeks.

What a great, practical evaluation. Thanks for posting this info, Bob, and thanks in advance for any future updates.

From Bassmasters Feb 06 Volume 39, No. 2: Big Fish Stories from Texas' Best Trophy Lake.

This article discusses the ShareLunker program, and gives length/girth & weight measurements for LMB that have been caught. It also talks about a Lake called Alan Henry where a lot of these >13lb. LMB were caught.

These numbers are from 2005, and (9) fish were from Alan Henry, and (7) were from Lake Fork.

The format is Pounds - Length - Girth:

1) 13.14 26" 20"
2) 13.48 25" 22"
3) 13.45 25.5" 20.62"
4) 13.00 25.25" 20.25"
5) 13.82 25.75" 20"
6) 13.61 25.25" 21"
7) 13.68 no l/g given
8) 13.03 no l/g given
9) 13 no l/g given

I find the length/girth measurements to be fascinating.

I'm with you, Sunil. I also find the short lengths/heavy weights very interesting. So, I took that 25 inch, 13.48 pound bass (number 2), and I calculated a relative weight (Wr) value for it: 138. Now, there really is no reason to even expect the weight standards to be reliable for largemouth bass that are so large. However, it sure shows the "shape" of those bass, doesn't it??

Dr. Dave, yes, shape = football (or more like a rugby ball).

I have a few 21" and maybe 22" LMB in my Pennsylvania pond, and I would say they are five pounds, maybe six. However, I don't feel that they are undernourished or unhealthy in any way. But to be less than half of what these TX bass are as far as weight, and within 85-90% of overall length. Crazy.

Tunas, just Tunas are what these ShareLunker bass are.

Pictures and full story can be found on the Texas Fishing Forum. It's a website that is run by J P Greeson, the PB webmaster.

Guys :

Notice this. Standard calculation methods used for estimating large LMB weights (not RW) that I have seen are as follows:

L x L x G / 1000 for longer fish and

L x G x G / 800 for wider fish.

I have found that using the 2 methods gives a weight range that is accurate. But look at several of these fish.

No. 1 26x26x20/1000= 13.52
26x20x20/800= 13.00
Fish 1 at 13.14 is right in that range

No. 5 25.75x25.75x20/1000= 13.26
25.75x20x20/800 = 12.875
Fish 5 at 13.82 is half a pound over both methods. She must have had a big lunch of 1lb. LMB.

No. 2 25x25x22/1000 = 13.75
25x22x22/800 = 15.125
Fish 2 at 13.48 is 3/10ths lb. under both methods . She must have skipped lunch.

Like us they come in all shapes and sizes and weights . Just don't start with the "big bone structure" human type measurement concept or we will never figure this out.

Any up-dates on this thread?

This years entries:
Current ShareLunker Entries (3)
Date Angler Name Home Town Weight Length Girth Water Body Photo & Details
10/16/2012 Bennett Cowan San Marcos, TX 14.28 27.25 20.5 Austin Cowan's fish
12/12/2012 Gary Sims Gunter, TX 15.02 25.25 22 Lake Fork Sims's fish
12/30/2012 Matthew Moccia Manchaca, TX 13.34 26.25 23.25 Dunlap Mocci

That is a very cool program. I got to learn about it when I interviewed Carl Wengenroth last year. Wish it was implemented more places.

Things really slowed down when Fork "died".

Look at the numbers from all Texas lakes that have contributed to the Share-A-Lunker program.....it is utterly amazing how dominant Lake Fork is on that list.

Texas Lakes - Share a Lunker

Here's 538.

538

Interesting to me is that this fish was caught in 2011, and only gained .75 pounds since. I'd say she had reached her genetic limit.

Unusual to catch a fish like her twice.

Cool!

Wow. Lake Fork has produced 250 of the 538 (46.5%) sharelunkers.

I think a lot of the Fork deal, is yes they catch their share of 13+ LMB there, but it's also only an hour from the fisheries center at Athens.

They can get notified in the morning of a catch, and have the fish at Athens before lunch.

Come on now Al.....Richland Chambers, Palestine, Cedar Creek are all closer to Athens than Lake Fork and don't even come close...not on the same planet...Fork was the heavyweight champion!

ps: i am just jacking with ya

Mark, Lake Palestine is cursed. We got attacked by bats one time at a night tournament years ago. They were flying into the line when we cast. It's to beautiful to concentrate on fishing during the day, and bats at night. What a combo.

Fork is a beast. Going there Wednesday, so I hope the big front coming through doesn't kill the bite. 8 hours of throwing jigs in stumpy creeks can make for a long slow day. But, it's what you do there for that one big winter bite.

Al did you fish Fork from when it opened? Gosh that was one neat place those first few years. I remember being deep in the flooded timber and the trees were still green...it was so thick in some places out in the middle of the lake that we couldn't see the sun or sky on a clear day from underneath all those trees.

You guys remember the big wasp nests?

Mark, I was there opening day. I know George caught hundreds of LMB back then, but I never did that good.

Dave, I don't. I remember 2 things about it. One, I spent weeks with USGS topo maps trying to map out the lake, and two, farmers losing their pastures. I used to help an older relative feed his cows in the future flood plan, and he was devastated by the loss of his property. He was paid well, but he had an emotional attachment to his land. I guess it happens every time a new lake is built.

Mark, I fished Fork from the very first rise that flooded the stock tanks where the original Florida Bass were stocked - and on each susequent rise. Each rise covered my favorite fence rows and tree lines - should have taken pictures!
100 fish days back then in flooded timber...

Yeah Dave. I remember the wasp nests!!!
Loved Fork until bad guides chased off folks from their favorite spots and weekend warriors so thick you could walk across the lake trnsom to transom.

I LOVE PRIVATE WATER!