TPWD News Release

ATHENS, Texas — If you bass fish in Texas, these two phone numbers should be in your fishing license holder and programmed into your cell phone: (903) 681-0550 and (888) 784-0600.

Those are the numbers to use to report catching a largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more. Budweiser ShareLunker program manager David Campbell answers those numbers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will drive anywhere in Texas to pick up a ShareLunker.

"If I don’t answer, it’s because I am somewhere where there is no service," Campbell said. "If you don’t hear from me in half an hour, call back."

Cell phone service is spotty in many places where big bass live, so when leaving a call-back number, speak slowly and clearly and repeat your name and number several times.

Campbell also advises leaving messages at both the pager and cell phone numbers. "The pager does not tell us the number you are calling from, but the cell phone does," he said. "Even if you enter your number on the pager, some digits may be dropped if reception is poor. Don’t assume you have been successful in contacting me until I speak to you personally."

The Budweiser ShareLunker program is made possible through support from Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Since 1991, Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, has contributed millions of dollars in funding to support conservation causes and fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation programs in Texas.

Your right JP. I'll probably never need it but I put the number in my cell. You just never know.

yep, had it there for the past 2 years