I don't know if anyone has ever caught a lake record out of a kayak? Not me lol , but I wonder how you would go about it if you did and not endanger the fish! The process? It could happen to one of Us and I would like to know what steps to take to protect the fish and get it noted!

I guess it would depend on the species of fish. I can keep a big catfish alive on a stringer for days. But a stripper would die quick.

I caught a crappie on hubbard that was LONGER than the lake record, but it didn't weigh as much; and the record goes by weight

The best way is to do a catch and release record or a big fish through TPWD.
Here is the link to the process.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/rules/release.phtml

It's real easy. I have several.

On that same line of thought...what if you caught a fish large enough for the share lunker program??

Caught a record stickfish once. No one cared but me though....

I would call one of my guide friends to bring their boat so I could put it in their live well until TPWD showed up.

Yep... like Jerry said it's not that difficult to get a C & R record at most places if you're so inclined.

As for the kayak sharelunker, my fairly non-extensive research reveals that there have only been two submitted to the program since its inception.

One at Purtis in 2012...



And one at tiny Lake Ratcliff in 2006...


No idea about the Ratcliff fish, but I know the Purtis fish died pretty soon after it was taken to Athens a few miles down the road. I don't really blame the angler for wanting to submit the fish, but you can google newspaper articles where he recounts catching it down past the island and how it took him like 2 hours to get back to the ramp by paddling with it in his lap and stopping to dunk it ever so often. Not surprising that the fish was so stressed it didn't make it.

If I caught a teenager during sharelunker season, I think I'd definitely try to flag a bass boat in the area to see if they'd help me out by putting it in their well. If I was very close to a ramp I'd consider tying it on a stringer while someone came but only if water temps were such that the fish wouldn't be stressed. Most likely though neither of these scenarios would happen and I'd be too far to try and submit it to the program. I'd much rather have the pics and the memory than the guilt of stressing and possibly killing the fish.

Same here, I pretty much already determined in my mind that "if" it does happen it will be CPR'd and I will not bother with the Sharelunker program. Would be nice to get the recognition but not at the expense of the life of the fish.

Some good info guy's! I've thought about this what if for a while now! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

So the way I read the article state records go by length? I always assumed it was by weight are am I missing something?

The catch, photo, release record (cpr) is by length. The regular records go by weight, with the length notated on the side for some.

The problem with CPR records is you have to have a witness.
Purtis Creek has a Official Share lunker weigh station.


If I'm in the yak and catch a Sharelunker I will CPR, I'm not going to take any un necessary chances with that kind of fish.
I might submit a Catch and Release record if I had a witness and could do so without additional risk to the fish.

For water body records, you can have your own certified scale. You can even have the scale certified after you catch the fish. I think they give you 60 days to have the scale certified. I had mine certified through IGFA. I think it cost me $40? Must be a member as well. Take lots of pictures of the fish and the fish on the scale.

Water body catch and release records are by length. These you can get for lakes and for some ponds in city parks. The top three catch and release record holders on Grapevine were done from kayaks- Grapevine records. Robbie holds a couple other lake records for catch and release.