Fishery biologists who think genetically superior bass produce exceptional offspring may want to consider adopting something similar to the successful Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Share A Lunker procedure.
This program accepts 13-pound-plus bass caught from December through April and the Department attempts to spawn and study the catches.
Any offspring from the hatch are used in the department's brood stock development program or released into public waters.
The 1994 lunker program received 26 official entries, the fourth highest total in the program's eight years of existence. Eight lakes were represented in last year's program and four of the entries were lake records.
Lake Fork produced the most 13-and-over-pound fish with 17. Other lakes represented included Sam Rayburn and Choke Canyon with two entries each, and Bob Sandlin, Quitman, Murvaul, Cedar Creek, and a private lake with one entry each.
None of the fish had been spawned at the Tyler State Fish Hatchery, headquarters for the program.
New lake records were established at Sam Rayburn (13.55 pounds) on February 3, Lake Quitman (13.62 pounds) on February 14, Lake Murvaul (14.88 pounds) on February 20, and Cedar Creek (14.65 pounds) on March 28.
Those fish that survive capture and study are returned to the angler who, generally, releases them into the lake from where they were caught.
Participating anglers receive a fiberglass replica of their fish. The person landing the largest fish each year is named Lone Star Angler of the Year and his/her name is inscribed on a permanent display trophy at TPWD headquarters in Austin.
According to the program's instructions, anyone catching a 13-pound-plus bass from December through April, who would like to loan the fish to the program, should handle it as little as possible, get it to an aerated tank, and not keep the bass out of water for more than 30 seconds when taking pictures.
They are then requested to call the Share A Lunker program at a telephone number that is monitored 24 hours a day.
Last year's program opened a month early to accommodate a young East Texas angler, Chris Leslie, 13, who lives with his grandmother in Emory.
Chris caught a 14.27-pound lunker last November 4, in Lake Fork. The fish measured 25.5 inches long and had a 21.5-inch girth.
This Rains Junior High eighth-grader caught the fish in 12 feet of water using his lucky Renegade plastic worm on a spinning rod and reel.
The fish, which Leslie named Christine, and its subsequent donation to the program were significant for several reasons.
It was the largest bass caught by a teenager (under 17) on record in Texas, and was the first entry into the lunker program by a teenager.
Sadly, young Leslie also has leukemia.
Debbie Wade, who works at the Tyler hatchery, picked the fish up and said it was in "real good shape."
She also said Leslie's grandmother indicated that catching the lunker bass was better than any chemotherapy session the young man ever had.
Copyright (c) 1996 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.
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