THINKING BIG

January 1 marked the beginning another New Year and the start of another Toyota ShareLunker Legacy Lunker collection season.

Legacy Lunkers are Texas-caught female largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more that are reeled in between Jan. 1 - March 31 and subsequently loaned to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for selective breeding and stocking. Healthy fish are transported to the the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens in a special hatchery truck for spawning in hatchery raceways. Most are later returned to their respective lakes.

Each fish is genetically tested to determine the roots of its DNA. Those with pure Florida genes are kept separate from intergrades (Florida/northern strain cross). Scientists believe Florida bass are genetically superior to intergrades.

Additionally, each Legacy Lunker brought to the TFFC is implanted with a passive integrated transponder (PIT tag). The lifetime tags contain numeric codes that are activated by a special antenna.

The PIT tag allows scientists to identify individual fish years down the road. Several Legacy fish have been caught and released more than once. In 2025, Lake Alan Henry angler Ross Gomez of Lubbock became the first angler to catch the same Legacy Lunker twice.

Offspring from successful spawns are reared in hatchery ponds for stocking exclusively in Texas public lakes. Most are raised to fingerling size; some are grown to advanced size, about six inches. TPWD used offspring from the program to rebuild its Florida bass hatchery program with female and male offspring from Legacy Lunkers.

Bois d’ Arc Lake near Bonham is the first Texas lake stocked exclusively with the Legacy Lunker offspring TPWD is calling Lone Star Bass. Pre-stocking began several years before the 16,000-acre acre lake first opened to fishing in April 2024. The lake has already produced multiple fish over 10 pounds, including a 12.64 pound lake record caught in Oct. 2025.

Legacy Lunker catches from private lakes are welcomed, but private lakes are not eligible to receive any offspring in return. Nor are private lake donors eligible for entry in any of the year-end prize drawings.

Though every lunker season is special, this one is particularly noteworthy because it marks the program’s 40th anniversary. Lake Fork fishing guide Mark Stevenson helped jump start the program in November 1986 with the inaugural entry. Stevenson’s entry was a former state record that weighed 17.67 pounds.

The program has hit some bumps over the last four decades, but it is arguably the most high profile public outreach program ever launched by the state agency. Anglers all over the world are aware of it.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission launched a lunker program this year modeled after Toyota Share-Lunker. The Arkansas program will give away an $80,000 Xpress bass boat to one lucky participant in 2026.

Through Jan. 1, 2026, Toyota ShareLunker had taken in 683 Legacy Lunkers from 79 public reservoirs and 20 private lakes. Participating anglers are rewarded with cool prizes, a free replica and widespread recognition through press releases and social media posts. Plus, they earn shots in two separate year-end drawings for $5,000 Bass Pro Shops gift certificates.

To date, more than 2 million ShareLunker offspring have been stocked in Texas lakes, including about 200,000 fingerlings produced by last year’s 14 Legacy class entries. TPWD stocks about 7 million Lone Star bass in Texas public lakes each year.

Lake Fork has produced more Legacy Lunker entries (263) than any other lake. Most came during the lake’s heydays from late 1980s to the early 2000s. The 1990s were king.

It’s been awhile since TPWD’s ShareLunker truck has been dispatched to the storied reservoir near Quitman. Fork’s last Legacy Lunker entry came nearly five years ago in March 2021, when Tanner Spurgin of McKinney turned in a 15.27 pounder. Spurgin’s bass is sure to rank among the biggest bass ever caught sight fishing around spawning beds during a bass tournament.

Lake O.H. Ivie has had the hottest hand of all lakes for Legacy Lunkers in recent times. The West Texas reservoir near San Angelo has been the program’s leading contributor for the last five consecutive seasons with 57 entries — six in 2025, 12 in 2024, 15 in 2023, 12 in 2022 and 12 in 2021. Most were caught with the aid of forward facing sonar technology targeting big, suspended fish over deep water and timber.

Which lake will earn the 2026 champion’s title over the next three months?

That’s anybody’s guess. I’ve been following the program since its inception and witnessed several trends, pleasant surprises and few disappointments along the way. I betting this will be great year with as many as 20 entries turned in. Here are my predictions followed by some input from ShareLunker leaders, fisheries biologists and magazine editors.

It’s tough to rule O.H. Ivie out of the equation. There is just too much recent history there.

O.H. Ivie - Despite immense fishing pressure, my guess is ‘Ivie will lead the way again this season with seven Legacy Lunkers. ‘Scopers will rule and no other lake will come close, but several others will clutter the standings:

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Bois d’ Arc — Texas’ newest bass lake won’t explode this year, but it’s brewing. With multiple 12 pounders reported last year, the ‘teeners are coming. Two out of BODARK this year.

J.B. Thomas - J.B. has produced several 13s and a slew of 12s over the last few years. The muddy water has got a reputation for being tough on newcomers, but those who know how to crack the code will bust a pair of 13s this year. A 14-15 pounder would be no surprise.

Other Picks - Sam Rayburn, 2; Nacogdoches, 1, Naconiche 1; Palestine, 2; and Conroe, 2 Natalie Goldstrohm, Toyota ShareLunker Coordinator: Goldstrohm says every lunker season is a mystery and is anxious to see how this one shakes out. “We’re looking forward to seeing which lakes shine brightest this season. Historically reservoirs such as Sam Rayburn, Fork, and O.H. Ivie and have produced high numbers of Legacy Class ShareLunkers. However, Texas anglers are fortunate—to date, more than 79 public reservoirs have produced Legacy Class Lunkers, and we can’t wait to see what this year brings.”

Donovan Patterson, TFFC Hatchery Manager, Share-Lunker Caretaker: Patterson thinks we’ll see 14 total entries. O.H. Ivie - 6 (drought and pressure taking a toll);, Fork, 3 (new lake effect from dam repair), J.B. Thomas, 2; Sam Rayburn, 1; Toledo Bend, 1; Bois d’ Arc, 1.

Jake Norman, TPWD Fisheries Biologist/Bass Program Leader: Total Legacy Lunkers, 8-12 with ‘Ivie at the top and JB Thomas coming in second. Rayburn produces another one, Fork finally gets back on the board and Bois d’Arc produces its first.

Dan Bennett, TPWD Fisheries Biologist: Bois ‘Arc, 1-2; ‘Ivie, 2; Fork,1; Athens, 1; JB Thomas, 2; Sam Rayburn, 1; and Marine Creek, 1.

Bill Olson, Publisher, Texas Outdoors Journal Magazine: O.H. Ivie, 6-8, Amistad 1; Falcon 1; Fort Phantom Hill, 1; Bois d’Arc, 1.

Anglers who catch a potential Legacy Lunker should locate a certified scale to weigh it before contacting TPWD by phone or text message at (903) 681-0550 to make arrangements to put their catch on loan to the state agency. For full instructions, requirements and other details for entering a fish as a Legacy Lunker, Legend Class, Elite Class or Lunker Class fish, see texassharelunker.com.

Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by email, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com.

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