Bud's ShareLunker Program and Official Rules

Bud's ShareLunker Program
Program Description
Bud's ShareLunker Program is a tripartite venture among businesses, state government, and anglers to preserve and enhance Texas largemouth bass fisheries. Through the Program, anglers may loan largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for spawning and research purposes which include evaluating relationships between genetics and early life history, growth, performance, behavior, and competition. After spawning, TPWD personnel will contact the angler and arrange a date at which the fish can be released back into the waters from which it was caught. In return for their cooperation, participating anglers receive a free fiberglass replica of their catch, ShareLunker clothing, and recognition at the awards banquet at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. In addition, the Texas resident catching the largest ShareLunker entry of the season will be awarded a lifetime fishing license
Anyone catching a 13-pound-plus largemouth bass is eligible to participate by calling (903) 670-2226 weekdays or by paging (888) 784-0600 weekends and evenings.

Since the start of the Program in 1986, 333 largemouth bass from 58 public reservoirs have been donated.
For more information about the program, call 903-670-2226.

Official Rules for ShareLunker

1. The Program is limited to largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or greater.
2. The Program is in effect from December 1 - April 30.
3. The fish must be legally caught in Texas waters.
4. A Texas Parks & Wildlife employee will be solely responsible for accepting a fish into the program, based on the expectation that the fish will be able to survive and spawn.
5. Possession of the fish must be transferred to a designated Texas Parks & Wildlife representative within 12 hours after capture. The angler must sign a release absolving all sponsors, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department employees of any liability resulting from the loss or death of their fish.
6. Employees and families of program sponsors are not eligible for participation in the program.
Traditionally, anglers who donate live bass to the ShareLunker program for use in fish production and research efforts have been rewarded with a free fiberglass replica of their catch and an invitation to the annual awards banquet. Now, participants will also receive a three-in-one parka, a ShareLunker shirt and an opportunity to win a $1,000 cash prize through a random drawing during the annual banquet.
Each year, the program accepts live 13-pound-plus "lunker" bass from anglers. Bass loaned or donated through the program are used by TPW's hatchery staff in research to produce potentially trophy-sized bass for stocking in Texas public waters. In this way, the best, big-fish genes will be captured and passed on to improve bass fishing in Texas.

#10 ShareLunker from Lake Fork April 11, 1999 Steve Cantrell of Terrell, Texas, while fishing with a Rat-L-Trap in about six feet of water, Cantrell hooked and landed the Lake Fork lunker at about 7:30 p.m. Cantrell's largemouth bass which was the tenth lunker of the year from Lake Fork weighed 13.57 pounds.	Steve Cantrell Photo Courtesy of Star Mart
#9 ShareLunker from Lake Fork Using a white grub and relying on a lot of patience, Roger Wells of Waxahachie, Texas was able to hook and land this lunker within 15 minutes. The fish, which was caught at about 12:30 p.m., weighed 13.40 pounds. After having watched three boats not make a single cast to a large fish that was in about one foot of water, (thought to be a carp)Wells who was fourth in a line of boats working the shorelines, decided to make a cast to the supposed carp that was in water so shallow that its dorsal and caudal fins were exposed. Wells quickly realized the other boats had made a huge mistake.	Roger Wells Photo Courtesy of TP&W
#8 ShareLunker from Lake Fork April 7, 1999 Doug Moore of Richardson, TX. caught a bass weighing 13.38 in 15-25 ft. of water using a waterdog.	Doug Moore Photo Courtesy of Stella's Campground
#7 ShareLunker from Lake Fork April 6, 1999 Jim Bryan from Mineola, TX. caught his ShareLunker in 10 ft. water using a jig. The fish weighed in at 13.58.	Jim Bryan Photo Courtesy of TP&W
#6 ShareLunker from Lake Fork March 17, 1999 13.22 lbs caught by Derek Wedding in 10-15 ft. water. The bait was a waterdog.	Derek Wedding Photo Courtesy of TP&W
#5 ShareLunker from Lake Fork March 5, 1999 13.31 lbs caught by Robert Monroe of Fairfax, South Dakota. The bass was caught in 18 ft. of water using a spinnerbait.	Robert Monroe Photo Courtesy of TP&W
#4 ShareLunker from Lake Fork Feb. 28, 1999 A leisurely catfishing outing on Lake Fork turned out to be anything but routine for Fort Worth lady angler, Flo O'Brain. The 16.63 pound Bass was caught on a water dog in 15 ft. of water. Mrs. O'Brain's fish is the largest reported Largemouth Bass caught by a lady angler in Texas. The fish currently ranks as # 12 on the all time Top 50 Largemouth caught in Texas. WAY TO GO FLO!	Flo O'Brain Photo Courtesy of Lake Fork Marina
#3 ShareLunker from Lake Fork Jan. 28, 1999 Toby Edwards, a California angler visiting Lake Fork brought in a 14.02 Lb. largemouth, which was also donated to the "Share-a-Lunker" program.	Toby Edwards Photo Courtesy of Stella's Marina
#2 ShareLunker from Lake Fork Jan. 27,1999 The Budweiser "Share-a-Lunker" program received it's second entry of the year when Randy Speight of nearby Cumby, Texas donated his 13.24 lb. Randy caught the fish on a black spinnerbait.	Randy Speight Photo Courtesy of Star Mart
#1 ShareLunker from Lake Fork Nov. 24, 1998 A 13.41 lb. bass caught by Bob Lastinger of Yantis, Texas started the season off early. Pictured: Melody Edwards owner of the Minnow Bucket Marina displays the Lake Fork Trophy.	Melody Edwards Bass caught by Bob Lastinger Photo Courtesy of Gordon Krantz: Rolling Fork RV Park