It’s that time of the year again when your chances of catching that trophy largemouth bass is better than any other time. Even though we are still having some cold days coming our way, the warmups in between cold fronts are getting more frequent. The big bass are being caught in lakes all across Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists confirmed that ShareLunker 577, a 14.57 pounds, 27 inches long bass was caught at Marine Creek Lake Jan. 26. Angler Zach Sypert, who caught the 14.57 pound “Legacy Class” ShareLunker said his immediate reaction to catching a double digit bass that size was “disbelief and shock.” Sypert shared that his fish was caught on a jerk bait, a Rapala X-Rap. ShareLunker 577 is an offspring of Lunker 410 which now calls the Athens TFFC as home.

Genetic testing conducted by TPWD fisheries biologists using a clip from ShareLunker 577’s fin found she is not only the full sister to ShareLunker 566, the 13.07 pound bass caught by angler Ryder Wicker from Marine Creek Lake in February 2017, she’s also the daughter of ShareLunker 410, a 14.48 pound bass caught by angler Edward Reid from Lake Conroe in March 2006.

The top five ShareLunker producing lakes in 2018 included Lake Fork with 73 entries and Sam Rayburn Reservoir with 21 entries. The other lakes were Lake Conroe, Lake Athens and O.H. Ivie Lake.

Lake Fork was also the top producer of 13 pound or larger “Legacy Class” bass last year with three entries, including a 13.06 pound bass caught March 11, a 13.00 pound bass caught March 8, and a 15.48 pound bass caught March 2. Sam Rayburn Reservoir produced a 13.06 pound bass March 31.

Last year, four of the ‘Legacy Class’ fish spawned successfully at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Lake Fork and Sam Rayburn received their share of the offsprings. Other lakes receiving bass were Twin Buttes Reservoir, and Kurth Reservoir.

Congrats to Gilbert Miller of Midlothian, he's the winner of the Toyota ShareLunker program's year-end $5,000 @BassProShops shopping spree and annual fishing license.

Complete information on TPWD’s new ShareLunker program can be found at: https://texassharelunker.com/

Photo courtesy TPWD