AUSTIN, Texas — All it takes is looking at the Day 1 leaderboard to confirm that Lake Travis is back after a historic drought dropped the lake by 50 feet just three years ago.
On Thursday three donations were made by the pros to the Toyota ShareLunker Program, which encourages anglers catching trophy-sized largemouth to share the catch with Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Cliff Pace topped the list with a 10-pounder and Bobby Lane Jr., and Josh Bertrand caught a pair of 8-pounders.
From the program’s beginning in 1986 the benchmark for donation was a largemouth weighing 13 pounds or more. Beginning this year the program was revamped to accept largemouth weighing at least 8 pounds or 24 inches in length.
All confirmed ShareLunker participants receive a Catch Kit corresponding to their fish’s weight class. Each Catch Kit includes an achievement decal, merchandise and other giveaways.
There are now three ShareLunker entry classes: Lunker Legend (13 + pounds), Lunker Elite (10+ pounds) and Lunker Class (8+ pounds).
Eligible anglers are entered into a grand prize drawing to win a $5,000 shopping spree and other prizes. Lunker Legend Class anglers are entered in an additional drawing to win a $5,000 shopping spree, VIP access and awards programming at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest and other prizes.
But the bread and butter of the program is still the selective breeding and stocking the offspring of the state’s biggest fish. Anglers who catch a largemouth bass over 13 pounds Jan. 1 through March 31 can choose to loan it to the program for spawning during the peak season. These special fish are entered by calling the program directly – any time of day – at (903) 681-0550.
TPWD hatcheries staff will attempt to spawn all 13-pound lunker bass loaned through March 31. Some of the offspring will be stocked back to the source locations for all ShareLunker entries for the year, and others will be used as brood stock for statewide largemouth bass stockings.
After spawning at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, the 13 pound and larger lunker bass will be returned to the angler, who will have the option of releasing them back to the lake or donating them to the Toyota ShareLunker program for display at the TFFC.