Every October in Texas, something shifts.

It’s not just the air turning a little cooler or the days growing shorter—it’s the quiet understanding among anglers that somewhere out there, a fish of a lifetime is about to be caught.

And when it is, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to hear about it.

Beginning October 1, 2010, entries will once again be accepted into the Toyota ShareLunker program—one of the most influential fisheries programs ever developed in the country. For 25 years, it has quietly shaped the future of bass fishing in Texas, one giant fish at a time.

The rules are simple.

Any angler who legally catches a largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more—from public or private Texas waters—between October 1 and April 30 qualifies. A quick call to program manager David Campbell sets things in motion, with TPWD personnel retrieving the fish within 12 hours.

But catching the fish is only half the job.

Keeping it alive is what matters most.

“Proper care and handling of big bass is perhaps the single most important factor in their survival,” Campbell emphasizes. Last season produced 33 ShareLunker entries—29 of which survived—a testament to anglers taking that responsibility seriously.

Preparation is key.

Have your livewell ready before you ever make a cast. Keep a net within reach. Carry the ShareLunker phone number with you. And once that fish is in the boat, don’t waste time—get it to a marina tank or certified holding station as quickly as possible.

More tournaments are beginning to recognize this as well, weighing potential ShareLunkers immediately and transferring them to proper holding tanks instead of leaving them confined in livewells for hours.

Because time—and conditions—matter.

A big bass held too long in a small livewell faces stress, rising temperatures, declining oxygen, and increasing ammonia levels. Additives can help, but nothing replaces space and good water quality.

A Legacy Built One Fish at a Time

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the program, and the numbers tell the story.

To date, 504 ShareLunkers have been entered, coming from 61 public reservoirs and nearly two dozen private lakes across Texas. What started as a bold idea has grown into a cornerstone of modern bass management.

At the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, these fish become more than memories—they become the future.

Through selective breeding, their offspring are stocked back into Texas waters, improving growth rates and increasing the odds that the next generation of anglers will encounter even bigger fish.

For those who enter a ShareLunker, the rewards are fitting.

A replica mount, a certificate, official recognition, and a place at the annual banquet in Athens. Land the biggest fish of the year, and you’ll walk away with a lifetime fishing license—a prize that carries its own kind of weight.

More information, including care guidelines and program rules, is available online , along with updates and angler stories shared throughout the season.

More Than a Program

The ShareLunker program has done more than grow big bass—it has changed how anglers think.

It has advanced fish care practices, expanded catch-and-release awareness, and helped establish a network of weigh and holding stations across the state. It has brought national attention to Texas bass fishing, with anglers from across the country chasing a shot at a 13-pound giant.

It has even pushed the science forward—supporting genetic research that allows biologists to track lineage, study growth rates, and refine breeding programs that continue to improve fisheries statewide.

All of it built without expanding staff—powered instead by partnerships, sponsors, and anglers who understand the value of what they’re holding.

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Because in Texas, a big bass isn’t just a trophy.

It’s an opportunity.

An opportunity to contribute to something bigger than a single catch…
to pass along better genetics, stronger fisheries, and a richer future.

And somewhere, right now, one of those fish is swimming—
waiting for the right cast, the right moment,
and an angler ready to do it right.