Texas Fishing News (2010) (Dec. 28 Update)  TPWD Seeks Public Input on How Spotted Seatrout Should be Managed Media Contact: Art Morris 361-825-3356, art.morris@tpwd.state.tx.us CORPUS CHRISTI — Due to continued public interest in overall spotted seatrout population health, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division staff will host a series of coastwide scoping meetings in January to obtain public input on potential conservation measures for spotted seatrout as part of the annual statewide proclamation process. Coastal Fisheries staff will consider input on how spotted seatrout are currently managed in Texas. To provide anglers with more information about spotted seatrout management in Texas, a frequently asked questions page has been set up on the TPWD website at www.tpwd.state.tx.us. Also on the website is an online comments page that has been set up to receive input as well. The public is invited to attend and provide comments at any of the following meetings: All meetings begin at 7 p.m. Port Arthur, Jan. 4, Port Arthur Public Library, 4615 9th avenue. Dickinson, Jan. 5, TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab, 1502 FM 517E (Pine Dr.). Port Lavaca, Jan. 6, USDA Extension Service Auditorium, 186 County Road 101. San Antonio, Jan 11, Lion’s Field Adult & Senior Citizens Center, 2809 Broadway. Rockport, Jan. 12, Aransas County District Court Room, 301 N. Live Oak. Port Isabel, Jan. 13, Port Isabel High School Auditorium, 101 Port Road. Corpus Christi, Jan. 18, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Natural Resource Center, Rm. 1003, 6300 Ocean Dr. If you are unable to attend one of these meeting and would like to provide comments please contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries office or Fisheries Outreach Specialist, Art Morris, Corpus Christi Field Station, phone 361-825-3356, email: art.morris@tpwd.state.tx.us. (Dec. 21 Update)  Nominations Sought for Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Media Contact: Mona Farmer (903) 670-2228 or mona.farmer@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS, Texas — Individuals or organizations that have made a lasting contribution to freshwater fishing in Texas may be nominated through February 28 for induction into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Nominations may be made in the categories of industry, angler or media. The nominee must be a Texan or Texas organization. Individuals may be either living or deceased. One nominee will be chosen by an independent selection committee and formally inducted during the annual Hall of Fame banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Prior inductees include Floyd Mabry, Jackie Hewlett, R.D. Hull, Bob Kemp, Nick Crème, Charlie Inman, Sugar Ferris, Leonard Ranne, Earl Golding, Kathy Magers, the Sabine River Authority, Skeeter Boats, Michael ("Shorty") Powers, Ray Murski, Albert S. Bradley, Richard M. Hart, William B. ("Doc") Shelton, Charlie Pack, Paul Hinton, Edward Bond and Philip Durocher. Nomination forms and instructions are available on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department web site or by calling (903) 670-2228. (Dec. 14 Update)  Area Crappie Populations Look Excellent Media Contact: Robert Mauk, (940) 766-2383; robert.mauk@tpwd.state.tx.us WICHITA FALLS — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) district fisheries office in Wichita Falls recently completed crappie surveys on Lakes Buffalo Creek, Lost Creek, Possum Kingdom, Wichita and Petrolia. “Overall, the news is good for anglers of these lakes,” said TPWD’s Robert Mauk. Buffalo Creek. At Buffalo Creek, the crappie catch rate (number of crappie per net) was the second highest ever. The previous survey (2006) consisted of all young crappie below the legal size limit. (All five lakes are managed under the statewide 10-inch minimum length and 25-fish daily bag limit regulation for crappie.) “Those crappie have grown up and were up to 14 inches in the current survey,” Mauk said. “A spring creel survey found the average size of harvested crappie was 13 inches with 16-inch crappie being caught.” Crappie growth at Buffalo Creek is well above average with fish averaging over 13 inches at age 3. “Most anglers fish the dam, but we found crappie in the shallow stick-ups less than four feet in depth,” Mauk said. “Last spring we placed brush piles along the dam and felled some trees into the water, and anglers did well fishing these areas.” Anglers should note that the city of Iowa Park will close the entrance gates after rains allowing the dirt roads time to dry before reopening the gates. The main entrance to the lake is on the west side of the lake off Burnett Road. Lost Creek. “Lost Creek’s crappie catch rate just keeps improving with every survey we complete, increasing over 50 percent from the last survey in 2006,” Mauk said. “Crappie to 13 inches were sampled, and their body condition was good. They are often found associated with pondweed. “Most of the crappie were sampled in the north mid-lake cove in three feet of water,” Mauk continued. “The water was extremely clear at time of sampling with clarity in the 10-foot range. During the day, crappie will be deeper than the three feet we found them. I’ve received reports that anglers catch them in 21 feet of water during the summer, which is the same depth some of the better largemouth bass are caught from.” Possum Kingdom. Possum Kingdom had the second highest catch rate of white crappie documented at the reservoir and the highest catch rate for black crappie despite the golden alga last spring. The populations had a good mix of sub-legal and legal crappie. “Body condition was considered excellent, especially for legal-sized crappie,” Mauk said. “Crappie were sampled throughout the reservoir, but the majority of legal-sized crappie were caught in the upper portion of the reservoir near Rock Creek and mid-lake in Bee Creek.” White crappie are far more numerous than black crappie in Possum Kingdom. To properly identify the two species, count the number of dorsal spines. Black crappie have seven to eight spines, and white crappie have six spines. There are other differences besides the spines including patterns to their markings, but the coloration of the fish is not a way to tell the two species apart. Lake Wichita. Lake Wichita has a good population of crappie right now though it is often overlooked by anglers. There is good shoreline access for crappie fishing, especially along the dam and at the old marina cove near the Wild Bird Rescue building. “Crappie abundance was quite high, and many were of legal size and in excellent condition,” Mauk reported. “Crappie in Wichita exhibit fast growth, with most attaining legal size at age one. Minnows and jigs are the bait of choice for most crappie anglers at Wichita.” Petrolia. Petrolia is a smaller reservoir under the Community Fishing Lake category, which means that only rod and reel angling is allowed. No seining, cast nets, jug- or trotlines are allowed. This smaller reservoir lends itself well to the wade or tube angler. Much of the shoreline has cattails growing limiting shore angling to a few open areas. “Crappie are quite numerous in the lake with many crappie up to 14 inches sampled,” Mauk said. “These crappie are also extremely fat, some of the healthiest crappie I’ve seen. The lake also has big bluegill and redear sunfish. Most of the fish were sampled in the shallow south end of the lake.” If you have any questions, please call the TPWD Inland Fisheries office at (940) 766-2383 or e-mail robert.mauk@tpwd.state.tx.us. (Nov. 30 Update)  Master fly-fisher to teach class at TFFC Jan. 15 News Release General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406 ATHENS—Expert fly-fisher Bob Cappallo of Corsicana will teach fly-fishing for beginners at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens January 15, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The class is open to adults 18 and older. No fly-fishing experience is required. Equipment will be provided, but students may bring their own. The $50 fee for the class includes entrance to TFFC for the day of the class, lunch and a season pass to TFFC so students can return for more fishing as often as they like. Instruction will focus on equipment selection, knot tying, casting and fishing for rainbow trout in TFFC’s 1.5-acre casting pond. Catch-and-release fishing is free, but anglers may pay $5 for the opportunity to catch and keep up to five fish. Cappallo is a member of the Brazos Valley Fly Fishers and lives on Richland Chambers Reservoir. He fly-fishes for trout in New Mexico and redfish and tarpon on the Texas coast. Cappallo also builds handmade fly rods and ties flies. Reservations are required, and the class is limited to 10 persons. Registration deadline is January 14. Checks should be made payable to “Friends of TFFC.” For more information or to register for the class, call Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. (Nov. 23 Update)  Fairfield Lake stocked with Toyota Sharelunker offspring Media Contact: Richard Ott, (903) 566-2161; richard.ott@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—On November 16 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologists began rebuilding the fishery at Fairfield Lake affected by a serious fish kill in August by stocking 500 largemouth bass up to 16 inches in length into the reservoir. Fairfield Lake, near the town of the same name on Interstate 45 south of Dallas, has suffered extensive fish kills the past three years, including August 2010. “The kills are the result of low oxygen levels that occur following several days of cloudy weather,” said TPWD fisheries biologist Dr. Richard Ott. “Fairfield Lake is very rich in nutrients, which causes phytoplankton to grow rapidly and produce oxygen during the day. Normally this is enough to keep oxygen levels high enough overnight to keep fish alive, but several days of cloudy weather in a row can cause the oxygen level to drop too low at night, and the fish basically smother.” The fish stocked into the lake were surplus Toyota ShareLunker offspring that are part of the Operation World Record research program. “These fish are growing so fast that we wanted to selectively remove some of them from the research lake before they outstripped the food supply,” said Allen Forshage, director of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, where the ShareLunker program is housed. “It was great to have a lake nearby that needed stocking; both lakes benefited.” Anglers will also benefit, since the bass are now living in a public reservoir where anglers can try to catch them. (Nov. 16 Update) Stanley Releases New Saltwater Swimbait The New Wedgetail 5 inch Mullet swims, kicks, and looks just like a natural finger mullet. Every shallow water angler knows that big trout eat mullet. Any lure can catch “schooling” fish, but it takes a great bait to lure in a “Gator Trout”. The Wedgetail Mullet also looks like a small sand trout - another big time bait for huge trout. Fish weightless with a swimbait hook (6/0 or 7/0) for best results. The “slow sink” kicking action will hammer trout or reds. You can also rig it with a jig head 1/4 or 1/8 oz. Make sure the jig has a wide gap sharp hook. (Nov. 9 Update)  New Texas Paddling Trail to Open in Seguin Media Contact: Rob McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or robert.mccorkle@tpwd.state.tx.us; Shelly Plante, TPWD, (512) 389-4500 or shelly.plante@tpwd.state.tx.us SEGUIN – The 22nd Texas Paddling Trail will open on Wednesday, Nov. 10, along a two-mile stretch of the scenic Guadalupe River. City officials and representatives of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will gather at the concrete dock in Max Starcke Park for a 5:15 p.m. ceremony dedicating the new Seguin Paddling Trail. Max Starcke Park on City Lake has been designated the trail’s put-in and take-out spot for the new paddling trail, eliminating the need for a shuttle. Due to the river’s being dammed at Starcke Park, the slow current allows for kayakers and canoeists to paddle two miles upstream to the Texas Highway 46 bridge and back to complete the four-mile trail. The trip will take one to three hours depending on the time spent on the river, water level, flow rate and wind speed. An informational kiosk erected in the park, which opened in 1938 on 227 acres of a former pecan orchard, provides details about the paddling trail’s unique features. This two-mile section of the Guadalupe River, lined by large pecan, green ash and sycamore trees, affords paddlers excellent birding and fishing opportunities. TPWD partnered with the City of Seguin’s Parks and Recreation Department to develop the paddling trail. Canoe and kayak rentals are available through outfitters in nearby New Braunfels and San Marcos. The Texas Paddling Trails program, which began in 1998, helps promote habitat conservation through sustainable economic development, while providing additional recreational opportunities to the public. More Americans paddle (canoe, kayak or raft) than play soccer, making it one of the fastest-growing nature tourism experiences. (Oct. 26 Update)  Oversummer Survival of Guadalupe River Rainbow Trout Looks Excellent in 2010 Media Contact: Steve Magnelia, (512) 353-0072, Stephan.magnelia@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS — Trout fishing prospects on the Guadalupe River in fall 2010 look promising. The Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake is the southernmost trout fishery in the United States and the only fishery in Texas where rainbow trout survive through the summer. An October 19, 2010 fish sampling survey by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries staff on the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake indicates that good numbers of rainbow trout successfully oversummered this year. While oversummer survival of rainbow trout in this fishery is not a new finding, the electrofishing catch rate of 10 trout per hour was among the top five highest catch rates recorded since 1993. Rainbow trout captured in the October 2010 survey ranged from 1.4 to 3.6 pounds and had excellent body condition. Collection of these fish corroborates reports from anglers who reported good catches of trout to TPWD staff during the hot summer of 2010. Oversummer survival of rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake is dependent on keeping water temperatures below 71 degrees Fahrenheit. A 2001 flow agreement between Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority was negotiated to assure flows from Canyon Lake Dam are adequate for sustaining rainbow trout through the hot Texas summer. The fishery is listed by Trout Unlimited as among the top 100 trout streams in North America. The stretch of the river from the easternmost bridge crossing on Texas 306 to the second bridge crossing on River Road has a restrictive length and daily bag limit for rainbow and brown trout. Anglers should consult the current TPWD Outdoor Annual for specific fishing regulations for this fishery. (Oct. 19 Update)  Go Fish! Events on Tap This Fall at 4 Texas State Parks Media Contact: Rob McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or robert.mccorkle@tpwd.state.tx.us; Ann Miller, TPWD, (512) 389-4732 or ann.miller@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is making it easy this fall to introduce youngsters and the young-at-heart to the joys of fishing by offering Go Fish! events at four Texas state parks. The TPWD-sponsored learn-to-fish events will take place on Oct. 23 at both Palmetto and Lake Corpus Christi state parks; on Oct. 30 and Nov. 20 at Huntsville State Park; and on Nov. 13 at McKinney Falls State Park. All Go Fish! events last from 9 a.m. to noon. There’s no cost to attend the Go Fish! events, no fishing licenses are needed, equipment is provided and participants might reel in a door prize made possible by Walmart’s sponsorship of the program. The events offer families and individuals an opportunity to learn the basics of fishing from an expert and put their new skills into practice. Participants learn to rig a rod and reel, to safely cast and handle their catch, and how to abide by Texas fishing rules and regulations. Participants walk away with a fishing fun pack and are entered into a drawing for door prizes. Last year, hundreds of adults and more than 2,000 children – 200 of whom caught their first fish – attended the Go Fish! learn-to-fish events, which were formerly known as the Family Fishing Celebration. Go Fish! events are designed to help families with children 5 and older learn how to fish together, according to Ann Miller, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Aquatic Resources coordinator. She says the events also serve in support of national research that shows fishing is one of the key gateways to involving people in a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment. For more information, visit the TPWD Web site or call (512) 389-4732. (Oct. 12 Update)  Little Lake, Big Fish Best little lake in Texas may surprise you News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—To catch big fish you need to fish in big water, right? Not if you fish in the ponds at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Lake Zebco is only 1.5 acres, but it produces far bigger fish than you’d expect from a pond its size. The most recent example came October 1, when eight-year-old Taylor Musso of Dallas, daughter of Mark and Shondo Musso, reeled in a record longear sunfish. The fish was only 0.72 pounds, but it earned Taylor multiple bragging rights: a junior angler state record, state catch and release record, water body record, water body catch and release record and Big Fish award. The previous record longear sunfish, 0.68 pounds, also came from Lake Zebco. In June 2009, Kaylee Nicholson of Athens landed the junior angler catch and release state record for bluegills with a fish from Lake Zebco that measured 10.5 inches. Water body records for other species of fish caught from Lake Zebco are impressive. The record for largemouth bass caught on rod and reel is 8.98 pounds in the weight division. Kaylee Nicholson’s bluegill holds the rod and reel weight record at 1.14 pounds. The record blue catfish from Lake Zebco weighed 37.9 pounds; the record channel catfish 13.73 pounds. (Those fish, both caught in 2009 by Matt Lundstrom, were released back into Lake Zebco and are presumably still there, only bigger.) Fly-fishers do well at TFFC, too. Daniel Montayne holds the Lake Zebco record for channel catfish at 7.01 pounds. (Yes, you can catch catfish on a fly rod.) TFFC has a designated fly-fishing pond in addition to Lake Zebco, and the record largemouth bass caught on fly rod by weight was 8.01 pounds; by length 23.25 inches. If you’d like to put your name in the record book, TFFC is a good place to start, either by beating an existing record or setting a record in a category currently without one. Check out the current records at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/. TFFC is located 75 miles southeast of Dallas, in Athens. For information and directions, call (903) 676-2277 or visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc/. TFFC is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5.50 adults, $4.50 seniors and $3.50 children ages 4 through 12. (Oct. 5 Update)  Guadalupe Valley Paddling Trail Opens Oct. 1 Media Contact: Rob McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or robert.mccorkle@tpwd.state.tx.us; Shelly Plante, TPWD, (512) 389-4500 or shelly.plante@tpwd.state.tx.us CUERO – A dedication ceremony was held Friday, Oct 1 on the banks of the Guadalupe River to commemorate the opening of the newest Texas Paddling Trail on the Guadalupe River in DeWitt County. The Guadalupe Valley Paddling Trail marks the 21st entry into the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s paddling trail program. State and local officials will gather at the FM 766 bridge (Hell’s Gate) for the opening ceremony and unveiling of one of several informational kiosks, which will provide details about the paddling trail’s unique features. Kiosks have been placed at each put-in location along the 13.8-mile paddling trail that stretches from FM 766 to FM 236 on the river, as well as a launch site on State Highway 72. TPWD partnered with the Cuero Development Corporation, Cuero Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and DeWitt County to develop the paddling trail. It includes remnants of a dam two-and-a-half miles downriver and towering cypress trees. Estimated float times for the new paddling trail are from three to six hours, depending on the flow rate. This stretch of the river is typically slow-flowing with a few faster-running riffles, and supports plenty of wildlife. Paddlers are likely to see egrets, herons, kingfishers, white-tailed deer, feral hogs, as well as cattle quenching their thirsts. Anglers on this stretch of the river will enjoy casting for several varieties of catfish, as well as largemouth and spotted bass, sunfish and the occasional smallmouth and Guadalupe bass. The Texas Paddling Trails program, which began in 1998, helps promote habitat conservation through sustainable economic development, while providing additional recreational opportunities to the public. More Americans paddle (canoe, kayak or raft) than play soccer, making it one of the fastest-growing nature tourism experiences. (Sept. 28 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker Season Begins October 1 News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will begin accepting entries into the Toyota ShareLunker program October 1, 2010. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. Proper care and handling of big bass is perhaps the single most important factor in their survival. Last season produced 33 entries, and all but four survived. “I urge anglers to go to the ShareLunker web site and review the information on how to take care of big bass,” said Campbell. “It’s also important to be prepared to catch a big fish when you go fishing. Take the ShareLunker phone number and your cell phone with you. Have your livewell filled. Put your net where you can reach it while fighting a big fish. And get the fish to a minnow tank at a marina or bait shop or to an official ShareLunker holding station as soon as possible after you catch it.” Some tournament organizers now recognize the importance of immediately weighing possible ShareLunkers and transferring them to a holding tank before official weigh-ins, a trend Campbell would like to see spread. “Holding a big fish in a livewell for hours decreases their chances for survival,” he said. “In addition to the stress of being held in a small space, temperature and oxygen levels may not be optimal, and ammonia levels may rise. Commercially available livewell additives can help, but it’s always best for the fish to be in a tank big enough for them to swim around in.” The current season marks the 25th year of the program. To date 504 fish have been entered into the program. Those fish have come from 61 different public reservoirs and nearly two dozen private lakes. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program will receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and be recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person will receive a lifetime fishing license. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches and other topics, along with brief videos of angler interviews, will be posted as available on the program’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (Sept. 14 Update)  Toyota Texas Bass Classic Returns to Lake Conroe Oct 1–3 World Championship of Bass Fishing Benefits Texas Parks & Wildlife, Promotes Conservation Media Contact: Adam Harris, TTBC Marketing & Communications Coordinator, (919) 531-0500, adam@toyotatexasbassclassic.com; Dave Terre, TPWD Inland Fisheries, (512) 389-4855, dave.terre@tpwd.state.tx.us LAKE CONROE — The Toyota Texas Bass Classic, a Professional Anglers Association- sanctioned event, returns to Lake Conroe Oct. 1—3. The competition benefits Texas Parks & Wildlife Department efforts to introduce young people and urban families to fishing and the outdoors. Anglers will depart daily from Papa’s on the Lake, 14632 Highway 105, Conroe, beginning at 7 a.m. Admission is free to the take-offs, and the public is invited. Weigh-ins and other activities will be held at the Lone Star Convention Center, 9055 Airport Road, in Conroe; gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Driving directions, maps and a schedule of activities can be found at the event web site, www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com. TTBC contributions to TPWD programs will reach $1 million this year. Projects funded include the Neighborhood Fishin’ Program, which provides close-to-home fishing in Texas cities from Amarillo to Dallas to Austin to Houston and more; the Texas division of Wildlife Forever’s State-Fish Art Contest, which uses art to engage students in the outdoors and conservation; and additional outdoor programs related to fishing. The bass tournament offers a chance to see the world’s top anglers compete for the world championship and $420,000 in prizes, but it’s also a full-scale outdoor expo with vendors and outdoor activity area as well as live music by top names in country music. Advance prices for tickets are $15 per day ($20 at the gate), making the TTBC the best entertainment bargain around. Tickets include access to tournament weigh-ins as well as all activities and concerts. To make the deal even sweeter and stress Toyota’s commitment to engaging young people in the outdoors, kids 17 and under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult. The TPWD Outdoor Adventures Area will feature an archery range, Wildlife CSI, rockclimbing, fishing-related displays and activities, Toyota ShareLunker display of replicas of the biggest bass ever caught in Texas and other exhibits and activities. There will be a variety of food and beverages available at the onsite concession stands, and visitors can shop for everything from fishing tackle to a new bass boat in the vendor area. Lake Conroe is a showcase for TPWD’s fisheries and habitat management efforts. Native vegetation is being planted in the lake to improve water quality, prevent erosion and provide high quality habitat for fish and other wildlife. This habitat—food and shelter—for young bass is the cornerstone of largemouth bass production, increasing the survival and growth of fish that have the potential to become Toyota ShareLunkers, bass that weigh 13 pounds or more. Lake Conroe is the fourth-best bass lake in the state in the number of Toyota ShareLunker catches, and anglers will be hoping to bring a ShareLunker to the weigh-in stage. Because of TPWD’s efforts to improve bass habitat across the state, the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership will hold its national convention at Lake Conroe in conjunction with this year’s TTBC. Some 50 conservation leaders from across the nation will discuss fish habitat needs and issues in reservoir systems and visit a state-of-the-art fish habitat improvement project at Lake Conroe that is a joint effort among TPWD, the San Jacinto River Authority, and the Seven Coves Bass Club. Another important factor in developing a trophy bass fishery like Lake Conroe is letting bass grow to the age at which they can achieve maximum size. Anglers have almost complete control over this factor by proper handling of fish and by releasing them after the catch. The format of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic promotes bass survival by having all fish weighed in the boat as soon as they are caught, then immediately released. The only exception to this is that each angler may retain one fish 21 inches or longer to be brought to the weigh-in each day for a special big bass contest. These fish will be cared for by TPWD biologists and released following the weigh-in. Activities at the Outdoor Adventures Area will continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s concert begins at 1:30 p.m. and will feature country music legend Tracy Lawrence. The headline concert will start at 5:30 following the second round weigh-in with Academy of Country Music Award winner Blake Shelton performing. Sunday’s concerts will feature performances by emerging country artist Jeff Allen and the hit group Montgomery Gentry, with the final round weigh-ins taking place between the concerts. Fireworks displays will follow both the Saturday and Sunday concerts. Advance daily tickets are available for $15 each through the tournament web site, www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com, and at all HEB stores in Texas as well as Academy Sports + Outdoors locations in the Houston area. Youth ages 17 and under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult. All active military, police, fire and EMS personnel will be admitted free with proper identification. A minimum of $250,000 from the event will go toward a donation to benefit Texas Parks and Wildlife Department programs. “Our primary goal with this tournament is to raise funds and awareness for TPWD’s educational and conservation activities,” said Dan Friedkin, TTBC co-founder and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department commissioner. In the past three years the Toyota Texas Bass Classic has provided $750,000 to help fund TPWD programs like the Neighborhood Fishin’ Program, the Texas State-Fish Art Contest and other youth and urban fishing and outreach efforts; those donations will reach the $1 million mark this year. Title sponsor for the event is Toyota. Tournament partners include U.S. Reel, Evan Williams, Waste Management, Ikon, Academy Sports + Outdoors, HEB, Evinrude, Coors Light, 100.3 KILT, Sports 610 Radio, Legend Boats, Spaw-Maxwell, Professional Anglers Association, La Toretta Lake Resort, FSN, Mustang Caterpillar, City of Conroe, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Papa’s on the Lake and the San Jacinto River Authority. For additional information, please visit the official Toyota Texas Bass Classic Web site. (Sept. 7 Update)  Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament September 25 at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS, Texas—The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s annual Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament will take place this year on Saturday, September 25. The tournament awards prizes for the heaviest stringers of sunfish, but the event is really about adults and children having fun fishing together. Numerous prize packages will be awarded, including an X-Box 360 with game, fishing equipment and gift cards from local businesses. Sponsors of the event include the Lake Athens Property Owners Association, Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership, Best Western Royal Mountain Inn, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites – Athens, WalMart Supercenter of Athens, Cole Air Conditioning and Appliance, Chicken Express and First State Bank. Teams must consist of one adult 18 years of age or older and one child under 18 years of age. Each team can weigh in a maximum of four fish. Multiple teams can fish from the same boat, making it possible for both parents to partner with different children and still fish as a family. Team members are not required to be related. Teams may choose to fish either on Lake Athens, which is adjacent to TFFC, or in TFFC’s ponds and streams, some of which have been stocked with bluegills. All species of sunfish or bream (except largemouth bass) are allowed; for information on identifying them, see http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/aquaticspecies/inland.phtml. Pre-registration is required. Mail registration must be received by Wednesday, September 22. To download an entry form, go to http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdforms/media/bluegill_flyer.doc. To request a registration form by mail, call (903) 670-2222. You may register in person on the day of the event by going to the Anglers Pavilion at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center AFTER 9:00 a.m. A $15 entry fee per team will be charged. The entry fee includes admission to TFFC. Fishing will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the weigh-in at the Anglers Pavilion at TFFC at 2:30. For more information, contact Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. (August 24 Update)  More Texas Families Becoming Camping Converts Media Contact: Rob McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or robert.mccorkle@tpwd.state.tx.us; Chris Holmes, TPWD, (512) 332-0762 or chris.holmes@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has scheduled a full slate of Texas Outdoor Family workshops this fall designed to introduce even more families to the ease and joy of camping in one of dozens of Texas state parks. Since its inception in 2008, 1,040 families have participated in the two-day, supervised outdoor education program, learning how set up a campsite, cook outdoors, hike, fish, use GPS devices and learn other outdoor skills. During the current fiscal year that ends on Aug. 31, 578 families (2,123 people) attended 58 outdoor family workshops offered throughout much of the state. Twenty-six workshops were full, resulting in 135 families placed on a waiting list. Workshop participants were split almost evenly between adults and half children. The Jamail Family of Mountain City, south of Austin, landed a spot for the popular outdoor family workshop held at Inks Lake State Park near Burnet last April. Darryl Jamail and his wife Stephanie, who have children ranging from 5 to 9 years of age, hadn’t been camping in more than 25 years and were hesitant to take their youngsters on a campout. But Darryl says the supply list provided by workshop organizers after they had signed up to be a great “jump starter” and found the overnight camping trip fun for all. Stephanie says they’ll use the list for future camping trips and the family will likely buy a Texas State Park Pass, which makes camping for families economical. “It was such a great experience,” Stephanie says. “We learned what it takes to prepare ourselves to go camping, what size tent and what kind of gear we need, and how easy it is to use state parks.” The ethnicity of Texas Outdoor Family participants, according to program leader Chris Holmes, closely parallels the diversity of the state’s population: 55 percent Anglo, 28 percent Hispanic, 10 percent Asian and 7 percent African-American. “Workshop participants are a good reflection of Texas’ overall ethnic diversity and represent a more diverse user group compared to those who typically visit our state parks,” Holmes says. “We found, too, that 87 percent of the families had not camped in a Texas state park in the last five years.” The workshops cost $55 per family for up to six people. The cost covers all park entry fees and campsite rental, professional park ranger-led programs and instruction, a specially designed curriculum tailored to each state park, a state park Junior Ranger certification program and most importantly. All that campers need to bring are sleeping bags or bedding, personal items, and food and drinks. To make sure nothing is left at home, a list of suggested items to bring is also provided. Holmes says that no experience or special equipment is needed to attend an outdoor family workshop. Tents, cooking equipment and other essential items are provided. Skilled outdoor specialists and trained volunteers provide hands-on instruction in everything from setting up a tent and building a fire to how promote environmental awareness in children. The first fall overnight campouts take place Sept. 11-12 at Lost Maples State Natural Area in the Texas Hill Country and at Galveston Island State Park. Weekend workshops will be held this autumn in state parks located near most of Texas’ major metropolitan areas, as well as several parks in less populous areas. This year’s final campouts will be held Dec. 4-5 at Mineral Wells State Park and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. While all workshop activities are similar, some instruction is site-specific, taking advantage of a park’s individual natural resource. At the upcoming Galveston State Park workshop, for example, participants will learn a number of basic outdoor skills, such as how to build a base camp and cook on an open flame. Campers, however, also will have the opportunity to try sea kayaking and take a guided hike to observe the Galveston Bay’s changing environment. For a complete list of upcoming workshops, visit the online Texas Outdoor Family Calendar pages. The workshops are made possible in part by sponsorships from Toyota and the Igloo Corporation. Families can register by calling (512) 389-8903 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and speaking to a Texas Outdoor Family representative or by sending an e-mail to: tofsp@tpwd.state.tx.us. After registration, a confirmation packet with details will be sent. (August 17 Update)  Lake Fork Catch Bodes Well for Coming Toyota ShareLunker Season News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—The 2010-2011 Toyota ShareLunker season start is only six weeks away—hard to believe in this August heat—but the big bass are already biting on Lake Fork. Fishing in 20 feet of water off a main lake point, Cameron Burnett boated a 14.44-pound largemouth July 31. “It was about 8:45 p.m., just before dark,” Burnett said. “On the third cast into the spot—BOOM!” Burnett was using a Huddleston Deluxe eight-inch swimbait. The fish, 26.75 inches long, now swims in an aquarium at Lake Fork Marina, an official Toyota ShareLunker Weigh and Holding Station. Burnett plans to release the fish back into Lake Fork at a future date. Toyota ShareLunker program manager David Campbell scanned the fish to see if it carried an electronic tag identifying it as a previous entry into the ShareLunker program. It did not. However, had the fish been caught during the spawning season, Campbell said, it would probably have weighed about 15.5 pounds. That would have easily placed the fish on the list of 50 biggest bass ever caught in Texas. Lake Fork produced one such fish last season, a 15.61-pounder caught by James Quisenberry on March 22. The Toyota ShareLunker program accepts entries into the program from October 1 until April 30. Fish must weigh at least 13 pounds and be legally caught in Texas waters, public or private, to qualify. They must be turned over to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in survivable condition within 12 hours of capture. The fish are used in a selective breeding program before being returned to the angler. To submit an entry, call program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or page him at (888) 784-0600 and leave a phone number including area code. Last season saw 33 entries into the program, which tied for the second-highest number ever. The upcoming season will mark the 25th anniversary of the program. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person receives a lifetime fishing license. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker/. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (August 10 Update)  Lake Fork Trophy Bass Catches Looking Up Media Contact: Kevin Storey, (903) 593-5077; kevin.storey@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—Anglers seeking to catch one of Lake Fork’s legendary lunkers are off to a great start to the 2010 fishing season. After declining big bass catches for the last six years in the Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey, nearly as many 7-pound or bigger bass were reported caught from March through June as were reported during all of the 12-month period from March 2009 to February 2010. Anglers participating in the survey reported 733 big bass caught from March through June 2010 compared to 746 for the 12 months ending in February. “This year’s cold winter delayed the spawn, which pushed the peak of entries into April,” said Kevin Storey, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologist in charge of managing Lake Fork. “As a result, this was the first year since the survey began in 2003 that the number of entries was higher in April than in March.” The big bass boom in late spring and early summer was good news for the fabled Lake Fork fishery, which is generally acknowledged to be one of the best in the world. The seven-year average of fish weighing more than seven pounds or measuring 24 inches or more in length is 1,519 per survey year. However, that number declined to its lowest level of 746 fish reported from March 2009 to February 2010. “The decline could be real, or it could be due to dwindling interest in the survey,” said Storey. “Reduced participant interest is a common cause of declining reporting rates in volunteer surveys such as this. The first year starts off with enthusiasm, and then people lose interest. We also considered whether the decline in numbers was due to erratic angling or changes in the bass population.” Fisheries biologists have started to rely on volunteer surveys such as the one on Lake Fork to track trophy fish because so few are collected using the traditional method of electrofishing, often called shocking. “Electrofishing doesn’t do a very good job of collecting big fish,” Storey explained. “It’s done at night along the shoreline, generally in water five feet deep or shallower. Larger fish are seldom encountered in these areas.” Comparing the numbers of fish caught by electrofishing with those reported in the trophy bass survey illustrates Storey’s point. During the seven-year history of the Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey, combined catches in all spring and fall electrofishing surveys have yielded 3,137 fish, only three of which were 24 inches or longer, and 12 weighed seven pounds or more. In contrast, anglers have reported catching 11,141 fish seven pounds or heavier or 24 inches or longer in the same time period. Storey said the figures show that TPWD’s management of the lake with a 16- to 24-inch slot limit works. “Of the 11,141 fish reported in the survey, 83 percent were weighed, and of those, 15.6 percent weighed 10 pounds or more,” Storey said. “Anglers measured the length of 64 percent of the fish, and one-third of those were 24 inches or longer. The slot limit is producing impressive numbers of fish above the slot, as it was intended to do. Lake Fork still has a remarkable bass fishery, as it has for over the last 25 years. No other lake in Texas comes close.” (August 3 Update)  New Season Hunting, Fishing Licenses Go On Sale Aug. 15 News Release Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN — Current year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except year-to-date fishing licenses) expire Aug. 31, and new licenses for 2010-2011 will go on sale Sunday, Aug. 15. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues about 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through the agency’s 28 field offices, more than 65 state parks and at over 1,500 retailers across Texas. For a $5 administrative transaction fee, licenses may also be purchased online through the TPWD Web site or by phone (800-895-4248). Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday — Friday. The online transaction system is available 24/7. A license confirmation number is issued at the time of purchase for online and phone orders, and the physical license is mailed separately. Confirmation numbers will verify that a license has been purchased, which is sufficient for dove hunting, but will not allow hunters to take fish or wildlife that require a tag. (July 27 Update)  TPWD Set to Graduate 41 New Game Wardens News Release Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN – After seven months of training in everything from water rescue and state-federal law to alligator handling, the 41 cadets of the 55th Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden class will close one chapter of their lives and start a new one with their graduation Tuesday as state game wardens. The ceremonies, open to the public, will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the E1 auditorium at the Capitol in Austin. The new game wardens will then report for duty at stations spanning the state from East Texas to El Paso. Game wardens’ duties include responding to natural disasters and conducting public outreach on a variety of topics in addition to enforcing hunting and fishing laws and water safety regulations. “Basically, game wardens are the primary law enforcement off the pavement in Texas,” said Major Danny Shaw, director of training at the academy. “We do a lot more for the people of Texas than enforcing game and fish laws.” This class of cadets is the second to be trained in the new Texas Game Warden Training Center in rural Hamilton County. Located on a 220-acre tract donated by the Police Assistance League of Texas, the $20 million training center project has so far seen completion of an administration building, education hall-armory, dining hall and fitness center. The second phase will include a firing range, a water rescue facility, emergency vehicle operations course, refitting of instructor quarters and cadet cabins and helicopter landing pad. These 41 cadets will bring to 532 the number of men and women who are carrying on a tradition of service to Texas that game wardens started in 1895. The following counties will soon be seeing these new game wardens: Archer County – Richard Key Brewster County – Daniel Kessler and Matt Kiel Brown County – Matt Marek Cameron County – David Lewis Collin County – Joshua Ross Concho County – Brad Clark Dallas County – Jaime Sanchez El Paso County – Hallie Dacy and Ken Zuber Falls County – Brandon Rose Gaines/Andrews Counties – Trey Sparkman Gonzalez County – Ben Bailey Hardin County – Wil Nicholson Hidalgo County – Harry Rakosky Hudspeth County – Cody Pokorney and Tyler Reed Kinney County – Dayton Isaacs Liberty County – Adam Broll Lubbock County – Chelsea Estrada and Shannon Kruse Maverick County – David Thorne Moore/Sherman Counties – Ryan Hunter Orange County – Phillip LeDoux Presidio County – Andrew Banda and Bryan Newman Robertson County – Charles Westerman Sabine County – Sam Smith Schleicher County – Christopher Frey Starr County – Brandon West Tarrant County – Patricia O’Neill and David Vannoy Val Verde County – Crystal Hoppe and Isaac Ruiz Webb County – Calvin Christian and Mark Nelson Wichita County – Steven Cantu Zapata County – Shane Bailey, Jake Mort and Jerry Norris (July 20 Update)  Lifetime License Winner Happy His Luck Hadn’t Run Out News Release Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN – Daniel Hidalgo won $1,000 in Las Vegas many years ago and hadn’t won anything since. So when he went to his local Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Midland to buy a fishing license and saw a display advertising Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Lifetime License Drawing, the last thing he thought was that his single entry would win. But he didn’t leave Lady Luck behind in Vegas as he had thought. Hidalgo’s was the winning entry in the June 30 drawing. “I was thrilled when they called me and told me I won,” he said. “Luck was with me.” Hidalgo won a lifetime super combo hunting and fishing license and will be able to hunt and fish in Texas for the rest of his life without having to purchase another Texas state hunting and fishing license. Hidalgo said he, his brother and nephews usually get to fish and hunt about once a year. However, with the money he’ll save with the lifetime license, he said it is “very likely” he’ll take his family outdoors more often. Another lucky Texan hunter or angler will win a lifetime license in another drawing on December 30. Entries for the December drawing go on sale on Aug. 15 and must be purchased by Dec. 27 to be eligible for the drawing. Entries to win the lifetime super combo license – a $1,800 value – are only $5. Participants can purchase entries anywhere Texas hunting and fishing licenses are sold or online at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/buy/. They can also buy an entry over the phone by calling 1 (800) TX LIC 4 U (895-4248). Entries received for the Dec. 30 drawing that do not win will be automatically entered for a second drawing that will be held on June 30. The deadline for entering the second drawing will be June 27. There were more than 11,500 entries in the two drawings last year, raising more than $56,000 for on-the-ground conservation projects. The proceeds from the drawing fund TPWD projects such as fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration and land conservation. Only Texas residents are eligible to win the Lifetime License. Participants may purchase as many entries as they like, and the winner may also give the license as a gift to a friend or family member who is also a Texas resident. For more information on rules and to find a local retailer where you can purchase an entry, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/lifetime. (July 13 Update)  Biologists sampling Texas coast to prepare for oil spill impacts Teams collect environmental samples at 21 locations in advance of Deepwater Horizon spill impacts News Release – News Images Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are working their way down the state’s long coast line collecting environmental samples so that a baseline record is available to gauge any impact in Texas from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The effort is part of a plan developed by multiple natural resource trustee agencies in coordination with BP. TPWD is leading specialized five-person teams of scientists who are systematically collecting data at 21 locations up and down the coast. These samples will be used to characterize beach conditions, water chemistry, benthic invertebrates (living creatures in shallow water, mud and sand), and other "indicator" factors. The department is partnering with the other natural resource trustee agencies for Texas, including Texas General Land Office, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to complete this effort. A NOAA contractor is accompanying each team to provide chain of custody quality control and oversee the shipping of samples, which go to contracted out-of-state laboratories for analysis. Sampling on the upper coast began Monday. As of Thursday, samples had been collected at five locations from the Port Arthur area to West Galveston Island. The process is expected to be complete within two weeks, though higher-than-normal tides, rain and flooding associated with the tropical disturbance in the western Gulf of Mexico may delay operations. Besides the baseline sampling, TPWD is ready to assist with logistical support for GLO and the Coast Guard in oil spill response and clean-up operations. TPWD support will come in the form of boats, logistics, and trained staff with expertise in dealing with HAZMAT situations. TPWD has already worked with partner agencies to provide information on important or sensitive Texas ecological areas, such as coastal parks and refuges. TPWD has been monitoring the Deepwater Horizon situation since shortly after it occurred on April 20. Early on, the department began planning for possible contingencies and these plans are now being executed. For oil observed in Texas waters or shorelines call the Texas General Land Office oil spill reporting line at 800-832-8224. (July 6 Update)  Big Bass Retire to Little Lake News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—What happens to a big bass after it spends 10 or so years at a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) hatchery making little bass to be stocked into Texas lakes? Fittingly, after rendering noble service to Texas anglers by producing untold thousands of fish, the big bass get to retire to a lake to live out the rest of their lives. About 100 retired largemouth bass brooders from the A.E. Wood State Fish Hatchery in San Marcos made a 5.5-hour trip to Lake Moss outside Gainesville June 23 in the care of TPWD fisheries technician Mike Pereira. “These fish are from the class of 1996,” Pereira said. “They are 14 years old, and typically their egg production decreases as they age.” Largemouth bass are believed to live up to 20 years, so the fish have several years to enjoy retirement and perhaps make more little bass in Lake Moss. Since the fish were all pure Florida largemouth bass, the stocking will improve the genetics of the fish in the lake, which are already good—the lake record largemouth weighed 13.25 pounds. Lake Moss was last stocked with Florida largemouth bass in 1982. Lake Moss is an 1,140-acre impoundment on North and South Fish Creeks in Cooke County north of Gainesville. The City of Gainesville maintains two boat ramps on the lake and charges $35 for an annual boat permit. For more information on the lake, contact the city of Gainesville at (940) 668-4500. The fishing in Lake Moss is managed by biologists from TPWD’s District 2A Inland Fisheries office located near Pottsboro. Lakes managed out of this office include Texoma, Bridgeport, Lavon, Nocona and Ray Roberts as well several smaller reservoirs. “Our electrofishing survey in 2006 showed Lake Moss had an extremely high population of largemouth bass, but most were under the legal limit of 14 inches,” said TPWD fisheries biologist Bruce Hysmith. “The stocking of these large brooders should give anglers the opportunity to catch some really nice bass. Too, the offspring from these fish should in time impact the overall largemouth bass population structure.” Translation: The fishing is about to get better in Lake Moss. These fish may be retired, but they are still working to make fishing better. (June 29 Update)  Texas Parks & Wildlife Gears Up for Alex Game Wardens Heading for Valley; Coastal State Parks Curtailing Operations AUSTIN – In advance of a growing Tropical Storm Alex, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department today announced the closure of three state parks in the lower Rio Grande Valley effective today and the deployment of game wardens to South Texas to assist with emergency operations. Fifty game wardens are enroute to a staging area in Mercedes. With 17 airboats and 33 shallow-draft vessels, they will be on standby to assist with any necessary search and rescue operations. In addition, a TPWD mobile command vehicle with a satellite system, computer capabilities and dispatchers is being sent to the Valley. The three parks being temporarily closed – Resaca de la Palma in Brownsville, Estero Llano Grande in Weslaco and Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley in Mission – operate as World Birding Center sites. They are primarily day use parks only, though Bentsen offers primitive camping. Camping reservations for Mustang Island and Goose Island are being cancelled through at least Thursday and no new ones are currently being accepted, but if the storm stays on its current westerly track, it’s anticipated campgrounds will be open for the busy Fourth of July weekend. Mustang Island has closed beach camping in anticipation of high tides propelled by Alex’s strong winds. However, at present, water-and-electric campsites remain open, and two RV campers are staying for now. State park personnel from throughout the state have been dispatched to the lower Texas coast to assist with the relocation of critical equipment, such as mowers, tractors, gators and vehicles, further inland to Falcon, Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon state parks. TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division field office in Brownsville has been boarded up and equipment moved to safe storage. The division’s Corpus Christi marine development facility has been made storm-ready and its personnel are on standby to evacuate if need be. For the latest information about Alex’s impact on Texas state parks and other TPWD operations, visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us. (June 22 Update)  Anglers and Biologists to Meet in Athens August 7–8 Alton Jones to speak at Saturday evening dinner Media Contact: Craig Bonds, (903) 566-1615, ext. 202; craig.bonds@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologists will host a meeting with anglers interested in learning more about fisheries management in Texas at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens on Saturday, August 7. The meeting will include an angler-biologist fishing tournament on Lake Athens Sunday morning that will feature demonstrations of fish-friendly tournament weigh-in procedures and fish care. BASS Elite Series professional angler Alton Jones of Waco will address the group at the Saturday evening dinner. “Fisheries biologists and anglers share many common interests and concerns,” said meeting organizer Craig Bonds, TPWD’s Inland Fisheries regional director for East Texas. “We all want to make fishing the best it can be in Texas, and anglers have played, and will continue to play, a significant role in improving fish habitat in Texas reservoirs, reporting and removing invasive species and implementing best fish-care practices designed to conserve the resource and improve fishing.” The meeting’s goals are to provide a forum for anglers and fisheries biologists to interact and communicate with each other, provide examples of previous collaborative fish habitat improvement projects and opportunities for future work, and communicate the latest information on proper fish care. Saturday morning sessions will feature examples of angler-biologist collaboration on a variety of projects from fish habitat enhancement on Lake Holbrook to fish attractor projects in Central Texas reservoirs to giant salvinia removal on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Afternoon sessions will detail examples of possible future projects as well as information on the Toyota ShareLunker program, treating largemouth bass for overinflated swim bladders and methods for keeping bass healthy after being caught. The Sunday fishing tournament on Lake Athens, adjacent to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, will allow biologists and anglers to fish competitively with and against each other, but the main purpose will be to demonstrate how to handle and release fish in order to assure maximum survival of tournament-caught bass. Anglers do not have to participate in the tournament to attend the Saturday meeting. Preregistration is required since lunch and dinner will be furnished on Saturday. To obtain a meeting schedule and registration form, contact Jimmie Green at the TPWD Inland Fisheries office in Tyler: (903) 566-1615, ext. 200; jimmie.green@tpwd.state.tx.us, or visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/calendar. (June 15 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker Season Payoff Underway News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—Anglers who catch Toyota ShareLunkers receive a lot of recognition—ShareLunker clothing, press coverage and a fiberglass replica of their catch—but the program is really about what is happening now. ShareLunker babies are being delivered and stocked into the lakes where their mothers came from as well as other public reservoirs and private lakes that had fish entered into the program. On Monday about 2,200 fat, healthy ShareLunker fingerlings were stocked into both Caddo Lake and Lake O’ the Pines by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inland fisheries technicians from the Marshall office. Fingerlings were also stocked Monday into Lake Livingston and Purtis Creek State Park lake. The fingerlings were harvested early Monday at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens from the pond where they had been growing for the last month. They were trucked to the lakes, transferred to a tank on a boat, and released into the lakes in places with good places for them to hide and grow. During the remainder of this week, ShareLunker fingerlings are scheduled to be stocked into Choke Canyon, Amistad, Casa Blanca and Falcon on Tuesday; Lakes Austin and LBJ on Thursday; and Lakes Fork and Nocona on Friday. The two private lakes that contributed Toyota ShareLunkers are scheduled to receive about 500 fingerlings each next week. Because of O.H. Ivie’s contribution of 11 ShareLunkers during the season, it will receive the most, some 5,000 fish. A video and photos of Monday’s stockings are at www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Others are being used in the Operation World Record (OWR) program. “Since the ShareLunker program started we have tried to spawn the lunkers before returning them to the lakes,” said TFFC director Allen Forshage.” Many of the offspring have been used as brood fish that have produced fingerlings stocked into public lakes. Today we spawn the fish as part of a selective breeding program, Operation World Record. The OWR fish are being evaluated in public lakes to determine growth over time. We have completed four years of this evaluation. Besides creating a separate brood stock of OWR fish, we also plan to incorporate these fish into the production brood stock at A.E. Wood Hatchery in San Marcos and the new John D. Parker East Texas State Hatchery near Jasper. This will spread the impact of these fish across the entire state, not just the lakes that have produced ShareLunkers.” Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (June 8 Update)  Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame to Induct Two News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS—Two former long-time employees of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Athens June 5. Honorees will be the late Edward W. Bonn of Denison and Philip Durocher of Austin. Bonn was one of three fisheries biologists hired in 1946 by what later became TPWD. As many new reservoirs were built to serve Texas’ growing population, a sport fish able to utilize open-water habitat was needed. Under Bonn’s leadership and direction, experiments were carried out with striped bass, a marine species, to develop ways to stock them into Texas lakes. Bonn also worked to develop methods to cross striped bass with native white bass to produce hybrid stripers. Both species now furnish recreation and food for large numbers of anglers. Bonn was also responsible for training many biologists and technicians who came to work for TPWD as the department grew. “Ed was always a very thorough and exacting biologist who was so influential to me in my early training,” said retired fisheries biologist Charles Inman. “He loved fishery management and certainly helped make Texas fishing what it is today.” Also inducted into the Hall of Fame will be Philip Durocher, who served as the director of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division for 19 years and retired at the end of 2009. Durocher went to work at TPWD as a research specialist in 1974 and served as chief of research and management from 1984 until he became Inland Fisheries division director in 1991. Durocher’s most visible contribution was shifting the philosophy of fisheries management from one of maximum sustained yield to one of optimum sustained yield, especially regarding largemouth bass. Maximum sustained yield emphasized harvest, and largemouth bass were viewed primarily as a food fish. Durocher recognized that adopting a system of selective harvest that allowed bigger fish to live and reproduce would enhance the bass fishery and make largemouth bass a sport fish, increasing the economic value of the fishery. Under his leadership Texas adopted a statewide 14-inch minimum size limit and five-fish daily bag limit for largemouth bass in 1985. From that point management practices were refined and tailored to fit specific reservoirs. The result was a largemouth bass fishery that is generally acknowledged to be the best in the nation and a vital part of the Texas economy, generating some $2 billion in economic impact each year. Durocher was also instrumental in attracting top fisheries professionals from across the nation to manage all Texas fisheries using a science-based approach. He recognized the need to modernize the TPWD hatchery system and worked for the creation of the Freshwater Fishing Stamp to replace one aging hatchery and make improvements to the others. Also under his leadership, a trophy bass fishery was created at Lake Fork, the Neighborhood Fishin’ Program was established, a partnership was forged with Toyota to create the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, and a series of studies were carried out that proved the economic value of fisheries in Texas. Videos about the honorees can be viewed in the News section of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s YouTube channel. Two other individuals will be recognized at the awards banquet with Honorable Mention plaques, professional angler Lonnie Stanley of Huntington and the late Allen Crise of Glen Rose, a long-time fly-fisher whose passion was teaching others the art of casting. (June 1 Update)  Boaters and Anglers Urged to Help Curb Spread of Zebra Mussels from Lake Texoma Invasive species can damage fisheries, boats, water treatment plants and pipelines Media Contact: Texas—Larry Hodge, (903) 670-2255, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us; Oklahoma—Micah Holmes, (405) 522-4872; mholmes@odwc.state.ok.us ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) officials are asking all users of Lake Texoma to assist in stopping the spread of invasive zebra mussels to other water bodies in Texas and Oklahoma. “Zebra mussels have become well established in Lake Texoma after having been introduced into the lake by boats trailered in from other states,” said Brian Van Zee, regional director for TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division. In addition to being found in Lake Texoma, zebra mussels have been introduced into lakes in the Arkansas River drainage in Oklahoma. “Zebra mussels have the ability to attach to any hard surface left in the water—boat motors, docks, pipes and even cans and bottles,” Van Zee continued. “The larval stage of zebra mussels can also be carried in water left in livewells or bait buckets.” Boats being transported from Lake Texoma to other water bodies pose the greatest threat of spreading zebra mussels to other water bodies. At present the only way to deal with that is for boat owners to be responsible and to inspect, clean, drain and dry their boats before moving them from Lake Texoma to another lake. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is asking anyone transporting a vessel that has been used on Lake Texoma to another water body to take the following precautions. (1) Clean all vegetation, mud, algae and other debris from the boat and trailer. (2) Drain all water from the motor as well as the livewell, bilge, bait buckets and any other compartments or systems that hold water. (3) Dry the vessel and associated equipment for a minimum of 7 to 10 days during the months of May through October or for 15 to 20 days from November through April. These drying times are approximations, and conditions such as cooler air temperatures, higher humidity and whether or not the vessel is kept in dry storage should be considered. These are the easiest preventive measures that boat owners can do to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels. However, boats and other vessels that have been kept on Lake Texoma for an extended period of time and are infested with zebra mussels may require additional cleaning procedures. Power-washing with water at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit and flushing the motor, bilges, live-wells and other water intake systems with 140-degree water will kill zebra mussels. To be effective the water coming out of the flushed systems needs to reach 140 degrees to ensure the entire system was exposed to water hot enough to kill the mussels. If it is not possible to clean the internal systems or compartments using 140-degree water, the use of either straight vinegar or a chlorine bleach and water solution (one-half ounce bleach to one gallon water) can be effective at killing zebra mussels as long as the mixture is kept in contact with the mussels for 20 to 30 minutes. Clean water should be used to flush the chemicals and dead mussels from the boat following treatment. Boat owners should check with their manufacturer to be sure using these chemicals will not void their warranty. Large vessels with complex water intake systems such as those used for cooling the engine, air conditioning or personal sanitation may require decontamination by a boat mechanic or marina. A video showing how to decontaminate a boat can be viewed at http://100thmeridian.org/Video/Clean.asp. Additional information on zebra mussels and other invasive aquatic species in Texas is at www.texasinvasives.org. Information and videos on the Lake Texoma zebra mussel infestation can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Parks-and-Wildlife-Inland-Fisheries-District-2A/127480703935872?v=wall&ref=ts. This Facebook page will be updated with additional information on Lake Texoma as it becomes available. Since zebra mussels were discovered in Lake Texoma, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has suspended pumping water from Lake Texoma to Lake Lavon, which supplies their water treatment plant in Wylie, said Denise Hickey, public relations coordinator for NTMWD. “While zebra mussels do not have a negative impact on the quality of water supplied to our customers, they can clog pipelines and equipment, greatly increasing maintenance costs,” Hickey said. “Zebra mussels are very good at filtering out the zooplankton and phytoplankton that are the basis of the aquatic food chain for fish and other aquatic organisms,” Van Zee said. “Zebra mussels have the potential to impact the valuable fisheries in Lake Texoma and other lakes. Because of the damage they can do to water pipelines, water treatment plants and anything left in the water, they are a potential problem for everyone in Texas, not just anglers and boaters.” Under the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Penal Codes, possession or transporting of zebra mussels in Texas is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, jail time up to 180 days, or both. (May 25 Update)  Boating deaths decline in Texas, safety advocates want to keep it that way News Release Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us May 18, 2010 AUSTIN — Deaths from boating accidents on Texas public waters decreased last year compared with the year before and Texas game wardens, boater education proponents and others hope to keep the numbers trending downward. The decrease in 2009 came after an unprecedented spike in boating accident deaths in 2008, the highest in more than ten years. “We don’t know for sure what caused the decrease in boating deaths, but we do think two contributing factors are saturation law enforcement and educational outreach,” Parrish said. Statistics compiled by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department show that 207 boating accidents on Texas public waters in 2009 led to 139 injuries and 38 deaths, compared with 272 accidents, 175 injuries and 62 deaths in 2008. Of the fatalities last year, 25 of the deaths occurred in open motorboats. Only one death was attributed to a personal watercraft. “While we hate that anyone died in a boating accident last year, we are very encouraged to see that the number of deaths fell so dramatically,” said Game Warden Maj. Jeff Parrish, the state’s marine safety chief. “The trick this year is going to be to keep these numbers down and hopefully see them decrease even more.” Last year, in the course of 192,882 boating compliance vessel checks, game wardens issued 9,705 citations and 9,928 warnings. The most common violation was not having a sufficient number of life vests available. Wardens issued 2,488 citations for that offense. Additionally, they arrested 220 persons for boating while intoxicated. One trend that continues to worry those in marine law enforcement is that most water deaths are connected to one-boat accidents – capsizing, running aground, collisions with fixed or floating objects or falls overboard. “Staying safe while boating is simple as one, two, three,” Parrish said. “First, wear a personal flotation device. The new inflatable jackets are lightweight and comfortable, and they save lives. Second, don’t drink and boat. Third, take a boater education course.” Parrish said studies show that taking a boater education course can cut accident rates in half. Even seasoned boaters can benefit from the 6-hour basic course, plus earn possible boat insurance discounts. Last year, 36,014 participants benefited from water safety programs sponsored by TPWD. (May 18 Update)  Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center to be Part of Nature Challenge 2010 Media Contact: Z. Segal, Trinity River Audubon Center, (214) 309-5812; zsegal@audubon.org ATHENS—Families will be fanning out across North Central Texas this summer in search of outdoor adventures as part of Nature Challenge 2010. In addition to connecting to their local environment, participants will be able to win prizes for visiting the most sites, compiling the best scrapbook or taking the best photo during their travels. Theme of the event is Mission: Possible. During the 11 weeks of the event, families will visit as many participating parks and nature centers as they can. Each site will provide information in English and Spanish on specific activities to be completed at that location. Families will keep a record of all their adventures for judging. “Nature Challenge 2010 is an ideal way for families to explore the outdoor recreation opportunities in their local area,” said Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, education director at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. “The activities designed for each site will take several hours to complete and will involve families in hands-on outdoor fun and nature exploration. Just ask for the Nature Challenge worksheet at the admissions booth, then go enjoy all that TFFC has to offer.” Opening ceremonies will be held at the Trinity River Audubon Center from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 22. Persons interested in learning more are invited to attend and complete their first mission. The contest will close with an awards ceremony at River Legacy Living Science Center in Arlington August 14. Sponsors of Nature Challenge 2010 include Texas Agrilife Extension, Texas Forest Service and Houston Wilderness. More information, a list of all the sites that can be visited and on-line registration are at http://www.texasnaturechallenge.org/. (May 11 Update)  Texas State-Fish Art Contest Winners Announced Student artists invited to participate in "Art’s Better Outside" event in July — Texas State Artist Sam Caldwell to create original artwork with students News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us May 10, 2010 ATHENS — Officials at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens have announced the winners in the Texas division of the 2010 Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. First, second and third-place winners and honorable mentions are awarded in three grade-level divisions: grades 4–6, 7–9, and 10–12. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic funds cash prizes for Texas winners: $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place in the 10–12 division. Prizes in the 4–6 and 7–9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75 for second; $50 for third. First-place winners also receive a travel allowance for themselves and their family to attend the national contest and exposition, which will take place at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens July 16–17, 2010. The 2010 winners for grades 4–6 in the Texas division of the contest are: First place, Nasa Xu, Cinco Ranch Junior High, Katy; second place, Michelle Cho, Nolan Middle School, Killeen; third place, Cain Schoenfeld, Cuero Intermediate School, Cuero. Honorable mentions in grades 4–6 went to: Jousha Torres, Columbus Junior High-Riverside Campus, Columbus; Dakota Miller, Mildred Elementary, Corsicana; Austin Neill, Athens Intermediate School, Athens; Kaylee Chadwick, Cornerstone Christian School, San Angelo; Hannah Wells, Cornerstone Christian School, San Angelo; Kara Langford, Criswell Elementary School, Forney; Alyssa Searcy, Grandview Junior High, Grandview. Winners for grades 7–9 are: First place, Brady King, homeschool, Livingston; second place, Callie Clayton, Highland Park High School, Dallas; third place, John Herndon, Liberty High School, Liberty. Honorable mentions for grades 7–9 were awarded to: Leena Gonzalez, Vanguard Academy Charter School, Pharr; Jocelyn Cantu, Vanguard Academy Charter School, Pharr; Jordan Suarez, Vanguard Academy Charter School, Pharr; Ruvi Villareal, Vanguard Academy Charter School, Pharr; Skye Koehl, Columbus Junior High-Riverside Campus, Columbus; Joseph Wilson, Little Cypress Junior High, Orange; Tyler Freeman, Little Cypress Junior High, Orange. For grades 10–12 the winners in the 2010 Texas division of the State-Fish Art Contest are: First place, Anh Thu Do, Liberty High School, Liberty; second place, Meagan Bishop, Highland Park High School, Dallas; third place, Bonnie Leung, Lake Travis High School, Austin. Honorable mentions in grades 10–12 went to: Stacey Spitz, Robert E. Lee High School, Tyler; Callie Hudson, Phoenix Charter School, Greenville; Lorenzo Leyva, Del Rio High School, Del Rio; Reina Chen, Plano West Senior High, Plano; Hailey Sowden, Highland Park High School, Dallas; Ana Hernandez, Presidio High School, Presidio; Austin Linkinhoker, Cedar Park. The public portion of the State-Fish Art Expo will be held July 17, 2010, and will feature fishing, instructional seminars and demonstrations and a display of all the state and national contest winners. Plans are being made for a day-long schedule of events with food booths and outdoor activities and displays that the public can enjoy in addition to viewing the artwork and voting for the People’s Choice Award. The public can also vote for the People’s Choice Award online at http://www.wildlifeforever.org/. Public admission to the expo and related activities will be included with paid admission to TFFC. One outstanding piece of artwork each year is selected for the Art of Conservation Award, and a commemorative stamp featuring the artwork is produced for sale. Proceeds from sales of the stamp are used to fund conservation projects. The 2010 winner will be unveiled at the expo. The expo will include an outdoor fair with food and activities. Artists will demonstrate their craft; some will have their artwork available for purchase. Texas State Artist Sam Caldwell will display and sell his work and will also create an original watercolor with student assistance during the day. Sculptor Terry Jones of Jewett will display and sell examples of metal sculptures recycled from used objects. Jones’s work has been displayed at the Texas State Fair and is widely collected. Jamie Williams of Meaningful Memories Photography will demonstrate outdoor photography. Potter Brenda Hennesey will demonstrate how to throw pots and let kids get their hands dirty. Members of the Henderson County Art Club will display their work and demonstrate techniques. Also appearing will be members of the Society for Creative Anachronism demonstrating fly-tying and sword-fighting. The U.S. Forest Service Amigos del Bosque will feature reptile displays (touching encouraged) and fire prevention; Smokey the Bear will be available for hugs and photos. The State-Fish Art Contest is a project of Wildlife Forever. Located in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Wildlife Forever is a non-profit multi-species conservation organization dedicated to conserving America’s wildlife heritage. Working at the grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to "on-the-ground" efforts. Wildlife Forever supports habitat restoration and enhancement, land acquisition, research and management of fish and wildlife populations. For more information on the State-Fish Art expo, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc. For information on Athens-area lodging, dining and attractions, visit http://www.athenstx.org/. (May 4 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker Season Ends with Big Day at O.H. Ivie Double dipper and new lake record come out; four others go back in Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us Media Contact: For more information: Greg Conley, (903) 566-2518 office, (903) 520-3821 cell, greg.conley@tpwd.state.tx.us Media contact on event day: Larry Hodge, (903) 343-2872 cell; (903) 670-2255 office; larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us ATHENS, Texas — April 30, the last day of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s 2009-2010 Toyota ShareLunker season, brought proof that sometimes it’s a good idea to pay attention to those "funny feelings" you get now and then. Jerry Bales of Hico had two big fish in his livewells, and he had a feeling one of them was big enough to become a ShareLunker-13 pounds. But when the fish was weighed at Elm Creek Village Marina at O.H. Ivie, an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, the scale read only 10 pounds. Disappointed, Bales and his fishing companions were already headed back to the lake when one of them said, "I think we weighed the wrong fish." Sure enough, they’d taken the fish from the wrong livewell. When the right fish was weighed, it came in at 16.08 pounds, making it not only Toyota ShareLunker 503 but also a new lake record that bested the old mark by nearly a pound and a half. Bales’s fish missed being the largest entry of the season by only 0.09 pounds. That honor, and Angler of the Year title, go to Keith Burns for the 16.17-pounder he caught from Caddo Lake March 20. However, Bales takes over the number 19 spot on the top 50 list of biggest bass caught in Texas. Bales’s catch also made the current season the first since 1992-1993 to have two or more 16-pound-plus entries into the ShareLunker program. Wesley Pullig of Eden had a funny feeling when he headed for O.H. Ivie that morning. He was scheduled to meet ShareLunker program manager David Campbell to return ShareLunker 477 to the lake. He caught that fish January 21. "I just had a feeling I might catch another one," Pullig said. He was right. Not long after he put his first ShareLunker back into the lake, he caught his second, a 13.24-pounder that became ShareLunker 504, bringing O.H. Ivie’s number of entries for the season to 11. Other ShareLunkers returned to O.H. Ivie on April 30 were numbers 495, 499 and 500. Besides coming from the same lake, Toyota ShareLunkers 503 and 504 have something else in common: They are the only two entries to be caught on the last day of the season. Pullig joins a very small group of anglers who have caught more than one ShareLunker in the same season. Scott Cupit caught two from Lake Fork in 1990; Bill Lozano caught one from Mill Creek and one from Lake Fork in 1991; Richard Mims caught two from Lake Casa Blanca in 2004; and David Utz caught two from Lake Ratcliff in 2006. In a class all by himself is Jim Gore, who caught ShareLunkers 33, 34 and 42 from Lake Fork in 1989. One of those fish, No. 34, was the only male ShareLunker. It was accepted to be used as a broodfish because, at 6.5 pounds, it was the biggest male largemouth bass David Campbell had ever seen. Pullig is believed to be the only angler ever to catch a second ShareLunker on the same day he put another back into the lake. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person receives a lifetime fishing license. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://tamus.pr-optout.com/Url.aspx?513992x840877x-1094313. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (April 27 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker 502: Lake Amistad News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us April 22, 2010 ATHENS — Lake Amistad moved into sole possession of second place in the number of Toyota ShareLunkers produced this season on April 21 when Marion Merritt from Florida caught ShareLunker No. 502. Merritt’s 13.87-pound bass was the fourth to come from the border’s Big Friendly during the current season. Lake Fork has produced three fish. O.H. Ivie Reservoir is way ahead of the pack with nine entries. Merritt was fishing in 14 feet of water in the San Pedro Canyon area west of U.S. 277 when the fish took a 10-inch Berkley Power Worm in green pumpkin. Toyota ShareLunker 502 brings the total number of fish entered into the program this season to 31, only five fish short of the record 36 entered during the 1994-1995 season. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://tamus.pr-optout.com/Url.aspx?513992x827028x-658808. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (April 20 Update)  Lake Austin Produces Toyota ShareLunker 501 News Release General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406 April 12, 2010 ATHENS — Lake Austin continues to be the sleeper among public water bodies pumping out largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more. April 11 Jim McDaniel of Cedar Park caught Toyota ShareLunker 501 from the Colorado River reservoir. The fish weighed 13.01 pounds and was 20.5 inches in girth and 26.5 inches long. Lake Austin has now produced two ShareLunkers this season and nine overall. One more entry will put the lake into double digits with Amistad International Reservoir (11 entries), Falcon Reservoir (11), Choke Canyon Reservoir (13), O.H. Ivie Reservoir (14), Lake Conroe (16), Sam Rayburn Reservoir (23) and Lake Alan Henry (25). Only Lake Fork, with 246 entries, has made it to triple-digit territory. McDaniel was fishing in 8 feet of water with an undisclosed lure when he caught the fish. Water temperature was 65 degrees. McDaniel’s fish was the thirtieth to be entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program this season. The all-time record number of entries is 36. The ShareLunker season runs through April 30, and with water temperatures slowly rising, additional entries are likely. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (April 13 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker 500 Angler Collects Big Check Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation pays $6,670 for big bass from O.H. Ivie Reservoir News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us April 12, 2010 ATHENS — So far this season O.H. Ivie Reservoir has produced nine largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more that have been entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program. All were special fish to the anglers who caught them, but the ninth was a little more special than the others: Sam Callaway of Corpus Christi will collect $500 a pound for his catch, a total of $6,670. Callaway caught Toyota ShareLunker No. 500 at 9:20 a.m. April 9 using a Zoom Magnum eight-inch lizard in watermelon/red. The 13.34-pound fish was immediately taken to an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, Concho Park Marina, where it was held for pickup by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) ShareLunker program manager David Campbell. The fish, which is 20.5 inches in girth and 26.25 inches long, now rests in the Lunker Bunker at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. Callaway caught his big bass on the first day of the Permian Basin Oilman’s Bass Invitational, an annual event that raises money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The sixteen tournaments held to date have raised more than $1.5 million for the cause. All participants in the tournament are subject to a polygraph test. Participation is limited to 250 two-person teams and is by invitation only. Callaway placed eighth in the tournament. "Since the tournament is held to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the payouts are not huge," Callaway said. "Mine will amount to a couple of thousand dollars. Catching the fish was a huge piece of luck-a blessing. It’s one of the greatest things that’s ever happened to me as a fisherman, and I’ve been fishing for 29 years." Callaway’s $500 per pound reward continues the practice of rewarding centennial catches of entries into the ShareLunker program that began with Jason Baird’s catch of ShareLunker 400 from Lake Amistad on February 28, 2006. That fish paid the Gypsum, Kansas, angler $400 a pound. Callaway will also receive a rod and reel package valued at $650 from G. Loomis and Shimano. With almost three weeks to go in the current ShareLunker season, speculation now turns to how many fish will be entered into the program this season. Callaway’s fish brought the total to 29, which is well above the program’s 23-year average of 20. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person receives a lifetime fishing license. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://tamus.pr-optout.com/Url.aspx?513992x818173x-744357. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (April 6 Update)  Three-Lunker Weekend Puts Race to Toyota ShareLunker 500 in High Gear Only three fish to go to reach the 500 mark News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us April 5, 2010 ATHENS — Three more Toyota ShareLunkers have been added to the season’s tally, and spawning of the big bass is about to begin at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. The Race to 500 count reached 497 late Sunday with the entry of a fish from Lake Amistad. On Saturday O.H. Ivie Reservoir produced its fifth and sixth Toyota ShareLunkers of the season. Steve Hand of Snyder kicked off the big weekend about 9:50 a.m. April 3 when he caught Toyota ShareLunker 495, a 13.22-pound largemouth, on O.H. Ivie. He was fishing in 10 feet of water using a Zoom six-inch lizard. At three o’clock that afternoon Mark Worthington of Abilene landed Toyota ShareLunker 496. That fish bit a seven-inch red shad Senko in 10 feet of water on O.H. Ivie. Both fish were weighed and held for pickup by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) ShareLunker program manager David Campbell at Concho Park Marina, an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station. "It was an awesome feeling," Steve Hand said. "I never felt the bite. I just moved the worm a little bit, and she nudged it. I felt the weight and set the hook, and the fight was on." Hand is an old hand at fishing Ivie. "I fish Ivie probably 15 to 20 times a year," he said. "I think everybody who fishes O.H. Ivie realizes that the fishing this year way exceeds anything in the past except the first two or three years when the lake was new. The last two or three years the lake has produced a lot of good fish. I think a lot of that is because of what you all [Texas Parks and Wildlife Department] do-spawning fish out, bringing them back, putting them back in the lake. And the bass fishermen all appreciate it. Without [TPWD], we wouldn’t have the fish we have." Mark Worthington’s day ended up a lot more interesting than it started. "I didn’t have a whole lot of luck until the last cast of the day," he said. "We were fishing off the north island with a seven-inch red shad Senko. I tossed it in a tree, and I guess she was sitting in the top of the tree. She put up a real good fight. She swam out to deep water instead of staying in the tree and pulled drag several times. Then I had trouble getting her to fit in the net she was so big." Worthington agreed with Hand that the fishing on O.H. Ivie is a bass angler’s dream. "The fishing has always been good here," he said. "It’s probably one of the best eight- to 10-pound lakes in the state. We fish Falcon and some of the other lakes, but I really like Ivie." At about 7:30 p.m. April 4, Joseph Burgi of Del Rio was fishing in 20 feet of water at Marker 7 on Lake Amistad when he caught a 13.34-pounder on a pumpkinseed Berkley Power Worm. Burgi took his fish to Anglers Lodge, an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, where it was picked up by TPWD staff from A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery in San Marcos. David Campbell picked the fish up there and arrived in Athens shortly before noon April 5. Burgi’s fish is the third this season from Amistad. Lake Fork has also produced three fish this season. The three big bass arrived at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens just as hatchery staff began pairing female ShareLunkers with males in preparation for spawning. A video of that process is at www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. ShareLunker offspring are stocked into lakes that produced entries into the ShareLunker program during the current season. So far this season 26 fish have come from 13 public lakes and two private ones, all of which will be receiving lunker offspring, assuming the big bass cooperate. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person receives a lifetime fishing license. The angler who catches Toyota ShareLunker 500 will receive $500 a pound-a minimum of $6,500-for the catch. In addition, G. Loomis and Shimano will award the angler a rod and reel package worth $650. Because of the value of the prize package, ShareLunker 500 will be X-rayed, and the angler will be required to take a polygraph test to prove that the fish was legally caught and entered according to program rules, which require that fish be turned over to TPWD within 12 hours of being caught. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (March 30 Update)  Lake Nocona Sends Its First ShareLunker to Athens Race to 500 heats up as big bass pour into the Lunker Bunker News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us March 30, 2010 ATHENS — Add Lake Nocona to the growing list of lakes that have produced their first-ever Toyota ShareLunker during the current season. Don Wilborn of Sherman caught Toyota ShareLunker 493, a 13.34-pound largemouth bass, from Lake Nocona March 29. Wilborn was fishing in eight feet of water. Lure type was not reported. The fish was transported to The Tackle Box in Pottsboro, where it was held in a large aquarium until picked up by ShareLunker program manager David Campbell. "I really believe it is possible to catch a ShareLunker almost anywhere you fish in Texas," Campbell said. "Lake Nocona is now the thirteenth lake to produce a ShareLunker during the current season and the fourth lake to produce its first ShareLunker this season." Other lakes producing their first 13-pound-plus bass this season are Livingston, Lyndon B. Johnson and Lake O’ the Pines. The ShareLunkers from all three of those lakes were also new lake records; Lake O’ the Pines set two new records in less than a week. New lake records were also set for lakes Casa Blanca and Caddo. ShareLunker 493 is not a new lake record for Lake Nocona. A 13.4-pound fish caught in 1997 still holds the top spot. That fish was not entered into the ShareLunker program. "We stocked Florida largemouth bass into Lake Nocona in 1981 and 1982," said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologist Bruce Hysmith. "We collected 30 bass in 2007 and found that two of them were still pure Florida largemouth bass. The pure Florida genetics are still in the lake." The significance of pure Florida genetics is that those fish tend to grow faster and bigger than native northern largemouth bass. Texas began stocking Florida largemouth bass in the 1970s. Only pure Florida largemouth bass are used in the selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. ShareLunkers from the current season are spawned and the offspring stocked into lakes that entered fish into the ShareLunker program during the season. Most anglers elect to have their ShareLunker returned to the lake after the end of the spawning season. ShareLunker 493 is the twenty-second fish to be entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program during the current season. Only seven fish remain to be caught to reach the 500 mark. The angler who catches that fish will receive $500 per pound and a rod and reel package from G. Loomis and Shimano. All ShareLunker anglers receive a fiberglass replica of their catch and ShareLunker clothing. If a Texas resident catches the largest entry of the season, he or she receives a lifetime fishing license. The current leader is Keith Burns of Jefferson with a 16.17-pound fish from Caddo Lake. All prizes are furnished by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish must be turned over to authorized TPWD personnel within 12 hours after being caught. Entries are not official until accepted by TPWD. Entry numbers are assigned in the order phone calls reporting catches are received by David Campbell. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (March 23 Update)  Two Lake Record Toyota ShareLunkers Caught March 20 News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us March 22, 2010 ATHENS, Texas — A snowy blast chilled Spring’s debut in North Texas, but northeast Texas lakes were smokin’. Both Caddo Lake and Lake O’ the Pines produced new lake records. Keith Burns of Jefferson caught Toyota ShareLunker 487 from Caddo Lake, a 16.17-pound brute that ranks 16 on the list of the 50 largest bass ever caught in Texas. The previous record weighed 16.01. The fish bit a Senko in five feet of water. The fish also vaulted Burns into the lead for Angler of the Year honors. The Texas resident who catches the biggest fish of the season receives a lifetime fishing license from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation in addition to other prizes awarded to all the anglers. James E. Hollis of Longview caught the new record for Lake O’ the Pines-13.2 pounds-while fishing in a tournament. That fish was not only the new lake record but also the first ShareLunker from the lake. The former lake record was 12.74 pounds. Hollis caught the fish on a lizard in five feet of water. "I’m not saying what color lizard," he said. The two-fish weekend coming in the midst of rain and snow driven by fierce north winds increased the possibility the current season will see the 500th fish entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program. The angler who catches that fish will receive $500 per pound for his or her catch-a minimum of $6,500. The two catches also illustrated the importance of weighing big fish as soon as possible after the catch and calling ShareLunker program manager David Campell to report 13-pound or larger fish immediately. Hollis caught his fish at 7:15 a.m. but did not report it until after the tournament weigh-in that afternoon. Burns caught the Caddo fish at 11:30 a.m. and called it in shortly thereafter, so became entry No. 487, while Hollis’s fish became No. 488. "Fish that meet all the entry qualifications are numbered in the order we receive the calls from the anglers," Campbell explained. "The ShareLunker program rules require that fish be turned over to TPWD within 12 hours after the catch, since the sooner we begin caring for them the better chance they have of survival. We encourage anglers who catch a fish they think might weigh 13 pounds to have it weighed and put into a minnow tank at a marina or official ShareLunker weigh and holding station as soon as possible." Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. (March 2 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker 484 Comes from Lake Lyndon B. Johnson First ShareLunker from LBJ smashes lake record News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us March 8, 2010 ATHENS — With the exception of Lake Austin, Colorado River lakes in the Texas Hill Country have never produced bass weighing 13 pounds. That changed Sunday, when Lloyd Ward of Horseshoe Bay saw a huge bass cruising near the bank in three feet of water. "I pitched my jig in front of her, and she swam over and ate it," he said. The fish tipped the scale at 13.7 pounds when weighed at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, headquarters for the Toyota ShareLunker program. The previous record for Lake LBJ was a 12.55-pound fish caught in 1989. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) stocked northern largemouth bass into the lake in 1971. Florida largemouth bass were stocked in 1976, 2001 and 2002. "Those fish are now old enough to weigh 13 pounds," said ShareLunker program manager David Campbell. Ward knows his big fish is not the only one in the lake. "I saw two others today that were just as big," he said. Besides Lake Austin, O.H. Ivie and E.V. Spence reservoirs are the only other main-stem Colorado River reservoirs to have produced entries into the ShareLunker program. Both those lakes are located in West Texas far upstream of Lake LBJ. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas. Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program will receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and be recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens on June 5, 2010. In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, that person will receive a lifetime fishing license. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, are posted on http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (March 2 Update)  Toyota ShareLunker 500 Will Be Catch of a Lifetime for One Lucky Angler Texas Parks and Wildlife Offering $500 per Pound Prize for 500th Fish News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us March 1, 2010 ATHENS — Most ShareLunkers — 13-pound-plus bass caught between October 1 and April 30 — are caught by ordinary anglers who enjoy a brief flurry of fame and get a fiberglass replica of their catch and some ShareLunker clothing. The angler who catches the 500th entry into the Toyota ShareLunker program will get all that and a little something extra: $500 a pound for every pound the fish weighs. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is offering the prize to mark the 500th lunker milestone and celebrate the success of the Toyota ShareLunker Program, which began in 1986. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation is providing the prize money. A fish that meets the minimum 13-pound weight for entry into the program will be worth $6,500. A 14-pounder would garner the angler $7,000. And should someone catch a new state record weighing, say, 18.2 pounds, they would take home a cool $9,100. Not bad for someone who just went out to do a little bass fishin’ on a day off from work, which is exactly how most ShareLunkers are caught. ShareLunkers have now been caught from 58 public reservoirs and more than a dozen private lakes, and all of them are capable of producing ShareLunker 500. Part of the reason for that is the reward a lake gets for producing a ShareLunker: a portion of the fingerlings produced by ShareLunkers that season. ShareLunkers — which are all females — are paired with males that are ShareLunker descendants, and the resulting spawns are stocked into the lakes. "Everything we know about genetics leads us to believe that fish that are produced by parents that grew big are more likely to grow big themselves," said Allen Forshage, director of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, where the ShareLunker program is headquartered. Many anglers choose to have their fish returned to the lake where it was caught following the spawning season. ShareLunkers are typically eight to 10 years old, but bass may live as long as 20 years, so they may produce more offspring after they go back home. Survival rate of the big fish during the process is slightly better than 70 percent and has improved dramatically in recent years as biologists have learned more about caring for big bass and as anglers have become more educated about how to take care of fish until they are picked up by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists. The last thing any angler wants to happen is have a big bass die after being caught. "Two things will do more than anything else to help these fish survive," said David Campbell, ShareLunker program manager. "First, handle the fish correctly. Wet your hands before touching the fish, and hold it by the lower lip with one hand with your other hand under the rear of the fish supporting its weight. Holding it just by the jaw can injure the jaw, and if the fish cannot feed, it will die. Second, don’t leave a big bass in the livewell all day. Get it to a marina with a minnow tank, or an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, as quickly as you can. The less the fish is stressed, the better chance it has to survive." And of course, as soon as you have the fish weighed on a certified scale and know it qualifies for the program, call Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or page him at (888) 784-0600. He or another TPWD staffer will pick the fish up within 12 hours seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Remember that an entry is not official until it is accepted by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employee authorized to do so. In the case of multiple fish caught on the same day, the times the calls from the anglers are received by David Campbell will determine the order. For information on the Toyota ShareLunker program, tips for caring for big bass, and a list of official ShareLunker weigh and holding stations, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. And one more thing. Good luck. We’d love to present you with that check for $500 a pound-and the bigger the fish, the better we’ll like it. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. Keep track of the race to catch 500 on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. Become a fan and you will receive updates on Facebook. (Feb. 23 Update)  Toyota ShareLunkers: No. 479 from Amistad; No. 480 from Livingston News Release – News Images Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us Feb. 22, 2010 ATHENS — Fish lightning struck twice Sunday, 10 minutes and 500 miles apart. Fishing on Lake Amistad, Robert Robles of Del Rio caught Toyota ShareLunker 479, a 13.5-pound bass. At almost the same time, Robert Laird, Sr., of Livingston set the hook on a 13.19-pound fish that is now Toyota ShareLunker 480. Robles was fishing in about 30 feet of water in Evans Creek using an Amistad Tackle Flutter Spoon. His fish was weighed and held for pickup at Angler’s Lodge, an official Toyota ShareLunker Weigh and Holding Station certified by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to care for big bass. Laird was fishing in six to eight feet of water beside the U.S. 190 bridge across Lake Livingston. He was using a Bagley crankbait. His fish was held for pickup in a minnow tank at Kickapoo Bait and Tackle in Onalaska. Laird’s fish is the first ShareLunker entered from Lake Livingston and is the new lake record. The fish also was the big fish in the Polk County Bass Club tournament Laird was fishing in and helped him win. The fish bested the previous record of 12.45 pounds caught Feb. 16, 1987. Lake Livingston is not known as a big bass lake, and some of Laird’s friends doubted him when he said he had a fish over 10 pounds to weigh in. "They didn’t want to believe me on Lake Livingston," he said. "When I pulled her out of the bag, all their eyes flew open." Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://tamus.pr-optout.com/Url.aspx?513992x701695x-1008907. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. Information and updates on the Toyota ShareLunker program can also be found on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Parks-and-Wildlife-ShareLunker-Program/301838055900 and searching for Texas Parks and Wildlife-ShareLunker Program. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (Feb. 16 Update)  Fly Fish Texas Coming to Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center March 13 News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us Feb. 11, 2010 ATHENS — Fly Fish Texas is your one-stop shopping center for everything there is to know about fly-fishing in Texas, and it takes place March 13 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center. "Fly Fish Texas is a great show and the only event of its kind," said Walter McLendon of Lufkin, who has organized the show since its beginning. "Other shows cater to people who are already fly-fishers, but we try to introduce people to fly-fishing." "We take people from ‘This is a fly’ to ‘This is a fish-you’ve caught one,’" explained Allen Crise, who co-chairs the casting lessons. Fly Fish Texas emphasizes hands-on learning and immediate application of newly acquired skills. Visitors can collect aquatic insects from the center’s streams, tie a fly to imitate one of those insects under the supervision of a skilled tier, learn to cast it from a certified fly casting instructor, then use it to catch a rainbow trout from one of TFFC’s stocked ponds or streams. Vendors will be displaying and selling fly-fishing gear, and seminars will brief visitors on where and how to fly-fish in Texas fresh and salt waters for a variety of species. The program will include presentations on fly-fishing locations such as Caddo Lake, the Texas Hill Country, the middle Texas coast and the Bolivar Peninsula. Speakers will also detail where fish are and how to fish for them, how to fish the white bass run, fly-fishing for carp, flies for spring bass and other species-specific information. In addition, instruction will be available on rigging a kayak for fly-fishing, ferruled leader making, Spey rod casting and double-hauling. For a complete schedule of activities and seminars plus a video of the event, visit http://tamus.pr-optout.com/Url.aspx?513992x693689x680784 and click on the Fly Fish Texas link. The Dallas Fly Fishers will teach classes for beginning fly-fishers; pre-registration is required and is available by calling Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. Event sponsors include Sabine River Authority, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites — Athens, Orvis, Temple Fork Outfitters, Red Hat Rentals and Mariner Sails. (Feb. 9 Update)  Choke Canyon Sends 15-Pounder to Toyota ShareLunker Program ATHENS — Another South Texas reservoir that has benefited from rains several years ago is kicking out big bass. On February 6 Richard Flores of Seguin pulled a 15.09-pound largemouth from Choke Canyon Reservoir while flipping a 10-inch plastic worm in 12 feet of 57-degree water. That fish is now Toyota ShareLunker 478. Flores’ fish continues a string of big bass that is significant. Of the seven fish entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program so far this year, three have weighed 14 pounds or more and one more than 15 pounds. Average weight of the entries thus far this season is 13.9 pounds. Last season the average weight of five fish entered through mid-February was 14.19 pounds. That average was swelled by a 15.45-pound lake record from Choke Canyon and a 15.93-pound lake record from Lake Conroe. In the 2007-2008 season only one fish had been entered by mid-February, a 13.06-pounder from Lake Conroe. In the 2006-2007 season the five fish entered by mid-February averaged 13.34 pounds. Flores took his fish to the Calliham Store, an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station, to await pickup. The fish was 26.5 inches long and 21.75 inches in girth. Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available. The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects. (Feb. 2 Update)  Riechers Named TPWD Coastal Fisheries Director News Release – News Images Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us Jan. 29, 2010 AUSTIN — Following an extensive nationwide search, Robin Riechers has been selected to lead the Coastal Fisheries Division at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Riechers began his career with TPWD in 1988 and has served in various roles within coastal fisheries, most recently as the Science and Policy Director. Riechers assumed his new position Feb. 1. "Robin brings a wealth of institutional knowledge about the key issues and challenges facing our state’s coastal fisheries resources," said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. "He has demonstrated strong leadership skills and the ability to bring consensus among diverse stakeholder groups." Riechers has played key roles in coastal fisheries conservation and management during his tenure at TPWD, including development and implementation of commercial fishing limited entry programs for shrimp, crab and finfish credited with resource sustainability. On the recreational fishing side, Riechers helped develop innovative strategies for conservation and management of the state’s spotted seatrout and flounder, and protection of seagrass. "Our valuable coastal resources are under increasing pressure from a variety of environmental, developmental, and societal factors," said Ross Melinchuk, TPWD Deputy Executive Director for Natural Resources. "Robin Riechers possesses the resource knowledge, leadership skills, and strategic vision necessary to lead the Coastal Fisheries division through these challenging yet exciting times." Riechers began his career at TPWD as an economist in the Coastal Fisheries Division where he implemented and managed the human dimension program that plays an integral part of the agency’s coastal fisheries policy making today. "When I stepped into the job here we were known as one of the best conservation resource divisions in the country and we still have that reputation today. Working with the Coastal Fisheries team I want to ensure we continue that legacy," Riechers said. "We have the finest conservation professionals in the nation and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead such a consummate group of individuals." He has represented the department on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council since 2000 and he served as the first ever two term chairman of the Council in 2006 and 2007. Riechers noted the multitude of challenges facing Texas coastal resources on a regular basis, including natural impacts from storms, freezes, red tide, the ongoing issue of freshwater inflows to keep our bays healthy, and the increased demands and special interests or our users. "As we see more pressure on the resource from a growing population, our goal is to work closely with the various user groups to ensure a healthy future for Texas coastal resources ," said Riechers. "Our challenge is to effectively manage a limited resource for the benefit of all stakeholders." Riechers received his Masters degree from Texas A&M University. (Jan. 26 Update)  Fly Fish Texas Coming to Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center March 13 News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us Jan. 22, 2010 ATHENS, Texas — Whether you are an experienced fly-fisher, a rank beginner or someone just wanting to find out more about "fooling fish with feathers," you need to be at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens on March 13. The annual Fly Fish Texas event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to teach everything from tying a fly to catching a fish in one day. All Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center. For a seminar and activities schedule, video and speaker biographies, visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc and click on the "Fly Fish Texas" link. Persons interested in receiving basic fly-fisher certification at Fly Fish Texas should preregister for classes by March 11. Morning and afternoon classes will be offered and are limited to the first 20 people to register for each session. To register, call Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. (Jan. 19 Update)  Texas Tackle Factory to Produce "Hackberry Hustler" Team Texas Tackle Factory has announced a new partnership with Hackberry Rod & Gun. TTF and HR&G are teaming up to release the legendary "Hackberry Hustler" soft-plastic lure. HR&G has been hand-pouring this dynamite bait for years, using it to catch of big speckled trout and redfish. TTF has begun the process of molding the Hustler for mass production. Look for this bait to be available in all the favorite, fish-catching TTF colors in the spring. (Jan. 12 Update)  Texas Fisheries Biologists to Hear of Changes Coming to Texas News Release Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us Jan. 7, 2010 ATHENS, Texas — Texas fisheries biologists know their jobs are changing. On January 22 a trio of experts will give them a glimpse of what the future may hold at the annual meeting of the Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. The meeting will take place in the Richard M. Hart and Johnny Morris Conservation Center at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center here. Dr. John Nielssen-Gammon, Texas State Climatologist, will address the topic "Texas Climate: Past Changes and Future Projections." Dr. Karl Eschbach, Texas State Demographer, will discuss the changes taking place in the Texas population. And Dr. Scott Bonar, leader of the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, will address the topic "An Evolving Profession: How Fisheries Management Has Changed in the Far West." Later in the day and on Saturday other speakers will address subjects dealing with both freshwater and saltwater fisheries, including the state of Texas bays and estuaries, invasive aquatic species, and management of various fish species. A complete conference agenda can be viewed at http://www.sdafs.org/tcafs/meetings/2010_Athens/Program_at_a_glance_2010.pdf. Many of the presentations will feature the work of biologists and researchers from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), universities and related businesses such as impacts of invasive suckermouth catfish on the San Marcos river and solving the mystery of fish kills at Fairfield Lake from 2003-2009, while others will report on such topics as the state of the spotted seatrout in Aransas Bay and the impact of Hurricane Ike on oyster reefs in Galveston Bay. Members of the media are invited to attend any or all of the sessions to gather information and interview presenters. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by e-mail to Larry Hodge, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us. All meetings will take place in the Richard M. Hart and Johnny Morris Conservation Center at TFFC. For directions, visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc or call (903) 676-2277. If you have questions about the program, please contact Ken Kurzawski, ken.kurzawski@tpwd.state.tx.us; (512) 389-4591. (Jan. 8 Update)  Coastal Anglers Asked to Assist During Freeze Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot 512-389-4701 or steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us AUSTIN, Texas – Coastal anglers are asked to be mindful of conditions during extreme cold weather, particularly the impacts a saltwater freeze event can have on game fish populations. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and game wardens are closely monitoring the saltwater freeze event along the Texas coast and while it does not appear severe enough to warrant closing certain fishing areas, there are things anglers can do to help protect red drum, spotted seatrout, snook and other aquatic resources. Game fish, including spotted seatrout, red drum, sharks, snook and triple tail may only be taken by pole and line, and it is unlawful to take or attempt to take a fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). In addition to killing game fish in shallow bay waters, a hard freeze can also cause surviving fish to congregate in a few deeper areas where they become sluggish and prone to capture. “The high mortality that a freeze can cause may deplete fish stocks for years,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division Science and Policy Director. “Protection of the surviving fish during the few days when they are especially vulnerable to capture would likely shorten the time period for overall recovery of coastal species, especially spotted sea trout.” Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freezes. There were three major freezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish were killed. By adhering to the regulations and practicing conservation during the freeze, anglers can help ensure a continued healthy future for Texas coastal fisheries. Anglers and coastal residents can report any freeze related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish by contacting TPWD’s Upper Coast Regional Office at (281)534-0100 or the Lower Coast Regional Office at (361)729-2328. On the Net: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/freeze/