Texas -

Gulf States Toyota is officially the new sponsor of the ShareLunker Program.  The current season, which opened October 1, marks the 24th year of the program. Three fall entires brought the total to 474 fish that have been entered into the program. Those fish have come from 57 different public reservoirs and more than a dozen private lakes.

Sometimes, the stress of capture and handling 13+ pound bass can result in septic bacterial infections in the fish. The “Lunker Bunker” at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center provides an intensive care, controlled environment with a special “Code Blue” cart that improves the odds for survival. The Code Blue cart is a mobile unit that recirculates water in the tank through a special filter, chiller, and untraviolet light sterilizer that kills bacteria. Treating both the fish and its en-vironment has greatly reduced, if not eliminated, death loss from septic infections. Last season, 100% of the ShareLunkers that were transported to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and kept in the lunker control tanks survived.

SHARELUNKER #472

Lanny Smalley caught the first Toyota ShareLunker of the season, September 28, from a private lake near Ben Wheeler, Texas. It weighed exactly 13 pounds and measured 26.75 inches long and 18.25 inches in girth.

SHARELUNKER #473

Paul Detwiler of Tyler caught this 14.43-pound bass from a private lake near Athens on November 16. He was fishing in 5 feet of water with a Strike King lipless crankbait. It was 27.5 inches long and 21.75 inches in girth.

SHARELUNKER #474

Tennessee resident Debbie Baker got an early Christmas present December 20, when she caught this 13.26-pound Toyota ShareLunker in Lake Falcon. Baker was fishing in 25 feet of water with a Brushhog shortly after noon when the fish struck. It measured 25 inches long and 20.125 inches around the girth.

Anyone legally catching a 13- pound or larger largemouth bass between October 1 and April 30 can enter it into the ShareLunker Program by calling the toll-free pager at (888) 784-0600. For complete information, rules, and tips on caring for big bass, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker.