Texas Fishing Forum

4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why???

Posted By: LoneStar64

4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 01:50 PM

The Sharelunker program ends April 30th and there are only 6 fish in the program. Why is there a decline this year? Is it the heavy rains and high water? Is it just a cycle in the fish? Are the fish's gene pool just getting crossed with non Florida gene fish so much that the big fish era is over? Or could it be people are not just turning the fish in to the program anymore??? Is it game over for big fish in Texas?
Posted By: snickers

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:00 PM

Grass and water
Posted By: Jarrett Latta

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:01 PM

What's this Sharelunker program you speak of?
Posted By: KB1953

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:10 PM

How many are still alive in the program? loco
Posted By: RedRanger

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:34 PM

Originally Posted By: KB1953
How many are still alive in the program? loco


I know of 4 that died of "Broken Jaw", I wasn't aware that 2 more had entered SAL.

I hope TPWD gets rid of SAL, Waste of time and money......
Posted By: westxbass82

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:39 PM

stir

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Posted By: big mike

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 02:51 PM

I think more people are starting to realize it's best for the fish and the fishery to just let it go. I caught my 13.02 lb bass at Fork on 4-30-08. Took some pics, let it go, and got me a replica.
Posted By: KB1953

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 03:19 PM

thumb
Posted By: Fish Killer

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 04:49 PM

To each their own on donating fish
I will if I'm lucky enough to catch one

Low water out west
High water out east
Lack of grass and the weather was screwy this year so the spawn wasn't typical
Mix that with some messed up winter month weekends and boom The season is over

Looking forward to giving it a try again next year
Posted By: Jpurdue

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 05:30 PM

I'm no expert, but I would think the massive amount of rain did not help the big fish situation on the short term. The peak of share lunker catches usually occurs in mid March. This March virtually all of East Texas was swamped with rain and probably 10-15 degrees cooler than normal. Lots of rain equals muddy water, and cold muddy water does not favor the angler. On the upside we've got full lakes and given all the structure in that fresh water we should have a bountiful spawn with awesome survival rates.
Posted By: grout-scout

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 05:53 PM

Originally Posted By: Jalwine
I'm no expert, but I would think the massive amount of rain did not help the big fish situation on the short term. The peak of share lunker catches usually occurs in mid March. This March virtually all of East Texas was swamped with rain and probably 10-15 degrees cooler than normal. Lots of rain equals muddy water, and cold muddy water does not favor the angler. On the upside we've got full lakes and given all the structure in that fresh water we should have a bountiful spawn with awesome survival rates.



None of the other lakes in Texas had this issue, only the East side did.
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 05:57 PM

I've been bass fishing since the program first started in 1986 so after all those years you would think that there would be scientific evidence that the program is a huge success, but where is the evidence?
The idea was to remove the eggs and have them artificially spawn in the hatchery and then take those supposed superior genetic fry and stock them into the lakes and where again is the proof that it's working?
The PR side of SL is a big success in that it still rakes in the sponsors and media coverage but where are those big bass that are the original purpose of the program?
Stocking of the Florida strain bass is the only success I've seen over the years but that can be done without the SL program.
Yes, after 29 years of trying to change the genetics, there are still those who will continue to believe in the program and claim that TPWD is never going to be wrong, but I guess since it's run this long continuing to let it run longer won't make a whole lot of differnce.
Someday someone in TPWD will admit that in Texas with our dry mostly weather and up and down less than ideal lake conditions contribute to the SL experiment being just a dream.
Posted By: Jpurdue

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 06:05 PM

East Texas is where the majority of the share lunkers come from. Fork alone has coughed up almost half of them over the years.
Posted By: Igofish2

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/26/15 11:33 PM

At first I thought " How Great it would be to catch #xxx SAL " I've come to realize that it's the survival of the fittest. It takes both the strongest female and the strongest male to have the strongest offspring. The missing link in SAL is the MALE.
Posted By: grout-scout

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 12:09 AM

Originally Posted By: Jalwine
East Texas is where the majority of the share lunkers come from. Fork alone has coughed up almost half of them over the years.



True; but name one lake other than Fork that is babied by TPWD? What decade were the biggest bass caught out of Fork?
Posted By: Douglas J

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 01:32 AM

RIP angel
Posted By: SkeeterRonnie

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 01:57 AM

4:6 mortality rate... Not good!
Posted By: chickenfried76

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 02:51 AM

I think Elvis said it best, "If you turn in every 13lb fish you catch, then how do they ever grow to be a lake record."
Posted By: Rickmb

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 03:04 AM

Perhaps we quit trying to breed them and feed them trout like they do in California.
How much would it cost to dump in a bunch of trout compared to other programs.
Posted By: HooksetBrother - Adam

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 03:33 AM

I've heard rumors they were planning on stocking trout in Lake Palestine. Not sure why with our max depth being 43 feet deep survival rate and summer lake temps trout wouldn't make it. I'm from Washington state where trout are abundant but can't see why they'd stock them unless to feed the bass. Palestine had pumped out 2 sharelunkers last 2 years in Jan so maybe they're gonna baby lake Palestine a little. I'll never understand why 100% of the fry do not go back to the Lake it was caught. Obviously that bass genetics thrived on that certain body of water. Yes releasing the fish to spawn in its own lake keeps genetics in lake but you can't guarantee those fry make it and I think that's the only good with share lunker but I would bet the bass spawning in its own lake with the best buck bass it could find would have better results than some buck bass that's been sitting in some tank with lazy sp*rm... Sorry couldn't resist.
Posted By: Phil Clark

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/27/15 03:42 AM

Except for the fact that a sl offspring is now the lake record on Lake Naconiche
Posted By: NoWeighers

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 02:26 PM

Originally Posted By: Phil Clark
Except for the fact that a sl offspring is now the lake record on Lake Naconiche


Funny thing is that the parent of that fish was from Falcon.. And it was not even a pure Florida. That's how whack the the methodology of SL is.. Or was.. There is no telling how many of the fish from the early days were not pure Floridas due to innacurate genetic testing.

It does not have to be a pure Florida to be a monster..

Monsters come from good conditions for extended periods..

And conditions will win out over genetics every time.. Nature will provide us with truly big fish, if conditions will allow..

If we allow them to get to giant porpotions, before we eat em, mount em, or kill them otherwise..
Posted By: Razorback

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 03:00 PM

Lack
Of
Grass

At least in the lakes that have historically pumped out the greatest number of SALs.

That's the long-term answer. In the short term, the high muddy water in East Texas has made it difficult for most fishermen.
Posted By: Gary R

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 03:16 PM

Originally Posted By: grout-scout
Originally Posted By: Jalwine
East Texas is where the majority of the share lunkers come from. Fork alone has coughed up almost half of them over the years.



True; but name one lake other than Fork that is babied by TPWD? What decade were the biggest bass caught out of Fork?


Lake Athens, which the Fisheries Center is on the shoreline.
Posted By: Ken A.

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 03:29 PM

Originally Posted By: LoneStar64
Is it game over for big fish in Texas?


It's not all Doom & Gloom for the Texas lakes boys.

All lakes cycle. The pendulum swings back & forth.

Here is a random sampling of the number of SALs turned in over the last 15 years:

2000 - 23
2001 - 5
2006 - 32
2009 - 17
2010 - 33
2014 - 9
2015 - 6

It will be very interesting to see what the influx of freshwater will do for the local lakes.

This is the first time Fork has been full in how long? Four years?? If I were you I wouldn't be hanging up my rods just yet....
Posted By: JacksonBean

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 03:31 PM


Good point Ken. And now there's all that shallow cover which should really help the forage base and the bass.

I like the direction the pendulum is heading.
Posted By: CTA

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/28/15 05:20 PM

Keep in mind that a lot of folks caught big fish and instead of releasing they went to the frying pan. Remember the stories at Falcon and Amistad of 8-9lber's being cleaned?

IMO, more of the big fish need to be released and more the the smaller fish should be removed for the frying pan.
Posted By: Bass72

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/29/15 12:44 AM

Austin would have put out some BUTTTTTTTTTTT Grasscarp are king now in that lil ole mudd hole. Funny the locals complained the water they were drinking smelled fishy...Honey that's not fishy that's carp [censored]
Posted By: jcombsiv

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/29/15 11:51 AM

Only Austin area lake that will turn out a SL will be Town Lake (Lady Bird). Slot lakes where people actually keep under the slot fish will, or at least some of them, will help grow some of the big bass. As long as those lakes have water and cover.
Posted By: patriot07

Re: 4 days left and only 6 fish in 2015 ShareLunker program, why??? - 04/29/15 11:59 AM

Only 6 fish this year? It's because I haven't been able to fish enough. If I'd gotten out a few more times, we could have at least gotten into double digits. cool
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