No problem. I was editing my post as you were correcting yours. I simply wanted to be clear that I did not believe your mistake was intentional.

All new management strategies should be derived from research programs in controlled settings. That is the only way to compare input to output. With any type of wildlife, it is extremely difficult to control all the factors that might contribute to changes in the population. Because of this, it takes many years of data collection to statistically confirm theories.

With that being said, how would taxpayers feel about footing the bill for TP&W to build a few lakes sufficient of sufficient size to mimic natural conditions (i.e. reproduction, thermocline, etc) that the public would not have access to for oh lets say 15 years? Here we have an individual who has the same (if not greater) love of LMB that every one of you who are bitching has, but actually has the means to help the future of fishing in Texas. How many of you would dedicate that much to leave a lasting legacy in this sport? Isn't sacrificing 7% of this year's crop of fingerlings worth the possible outcome? Money that TP&W may have spent on travel expenses for a few trips to stock and monitor Jalisco Lake is much more well spent than giving my license fees to some tree-hugging social club that wants to provide contraception for black panthers or some other nonsensical idea.

I personally think that we won't see any more "glory days" on public waters until a few new lakes are built. There will be good years and good fish here and there, but not the kind of consistent trophy production that rewrites the Texas top 50. The first decade or so in the life of a reservoir will always be the most productive due to the vast amount of biomass that is available during its infancy. That is what it will take to fully realize all that TP&W has learned in fisheries management...

Guys, come on, read what I said, I have no ability to sell one dime worth of fishing trips for 15 years! The State is in control, period, because that was the terms of what they proposed to me, take it or leave it. Furthermore, this is not a reward for some rich fat cat...I did not pay anything for the fry, but I have had to pay for building the lake they are going into, and for taking care of it for the next 15 years, while they do their studies and whatever else they may want to do. And do not presume to understand what kind of financial burden that has placed on me and my family to pursue this crazy dream, or to know how wealthy I may or may not be. Will they raise funds for the State program by selling some fishing trips on down the road when it gets really good? I don't know, but they have that right if they choose to, because they are in charge, and not me. Will they even do some charity fund raisers or take a lucky John Q Public lottery winner on the trip of a lifetime? I don't know, but they could if they wanted to. The bass were stocked here as part of a research project the State was interested in to measure the potential of prime nutrition, and that is it. What I am doing is unique because of the long growing season down here, and because of the lake and water resources the ranch had been blessed with when I purchased it. Don't make this into something beyond what it is: the joining of forces of a guy with a great water quality and nutrition program, together with the State's genetics experience to see what we can do to make this state proud, and to learn what we can.

And to compare it to hunting a high fenced small piece of property is ridiculous, and goes against all that each of you know about bass fishing. Come on guys, think. Bass won't come to a corn feeder, in fact they won't even move to a water release site where prawns and shad are pouring into the lake to feed them. I know, I tried! Bass are ambush predators who are not out rushing about in search of food. Bass can't be patterned with digital cam tracker cameras, and bass can't be bagged from 400 yards away. Bass have to be presented just the right lure, in just the right way, from within feet of their locations or less, and enticed to strike, which is no certainty, especially in the older ages. Perhaps most significantly, bass are not spatially limited to the surface of the ground, but instead are vertically dispersed throughout the column of water depth in addition to the same horizontal dispersion we see in deer, and except for when you might catch them on beds, you can't even see them most of the time! By the time you add in their much smaller size, I can just tell you with 100 % certainty after having had an opportunity to go after both species, that locating and then catching a specific monster bass on the 90 acre intensively managed Lake La Perla, is like finding a needle in a haystack, as compared to locating and bagging a monster buck, on even a 10,000 acre low fenced ranch.

I posted this because way back when Jordan Shipley posted his story about La Perla, I was asked if I was buying Share Lunker fry and I said no. Now I have ended up with them through another route that worked out for me several months ago. I wanted to share this change with you for transparency purposes and because I thought it was something you should all be interested in as Bass lovers and Texans.

I also believe you should be proud of the Share Lunker program, as it has made a huge impact for Texas fisheries. I don't have to donate any of my own Share Lunker qualifiers in the future from my other lake back to the program, but I will, because I believe in the importance of the program. I also believe that in the end, more of her offspring will survive predation by coming back into the lake as fry, than would have made it on their own by staying in the same lake from the egg stage on. I say this based on what my private fisheries biologist who is not connected to the Lunker program has told me for years about stocked fry versus fry raised in the lake by fish.

I believe it is a win win scenario then when a Share Lunker is donated, as other lakes benefit when a portion of the fry are stocked into various lakes around the State, and the donor lake benefits on the basis of what I explained above. As I understand it, over the years, a very small percentage of the fish have gone to a few contracted lakes on private property for research purposes as was planned from the start. I have been told that there were no plans to do anymore, until they saw the opportunity with me, and so, here we are. I had hoped to include you in the unfolding story, so those are my thoughts.

Yeah, I am shocked at where some of you are running with this, and not sure if I will continue to post given how crazy some of this speculation has gone. We will see where this latest text leads to, then decide. I was very touched by the warmth and kindness of the readership in response to Jordan's initial post months ago. Many of you asked for me to keep you posted as we moved along. This change has taken me aback.
Gary

Amen Ken A., I totally agree with all you say. Ever since the article came out in Bassmasters, people are just assuming my lake is crawling with easy to catch giants, and the world record coming down is eminent, but the evidence Ken quotes and the results throughout this country says that for me to even threaten the State record, much less the World Record, is a million to one long shot. I have seen a huge change in my fish once I started boosting nutrition with the forage ponds, and I am excited about that, but who knows what is possible? I am simply driven to do the best job I can, where I am, and to enjoy my days on the water with the adrenal rush that a fat, healthy bass population provides like nothing else.

And Ken I am so glad you mentioned California. Lake Dixon, where Dottie was grown, is I believe not much bigger than La Perla Lake. Furthermore, the big bass there are grown on primo nutrition provided by rainbow trout that are stocked by human hands. Where is the criticism for the California lakes who have modeled this process? Why is that not looked at as being like shooting fish in a barrel, or killing a tame buck in a small enclosure? The fact is, the less hungry a bass is, the harder it is to catch, as witnessed by the mind boggling hours anglers spent to legally catch and not foul hook Dottie.

It seems that ever since I posted our fees, some people have changed how they view us, but the truth is, I have yet to sell one trip. I followed the advice of my biologist who felt that this was what it was worth, and would help us keep the pressure as low as we can. I am sorry if it makes us seem exclusionary or elitist. This was not my intent, and I am not that. I am just an addicted bass fisherman like the rest of you.
Gary

Horseplay, I would agree with you if this was the case, but where, in anything I have written, or in anything the Outdoor writers have written, does it say that I paid for these fish, and that I will be able to charge people to fish for them after they get big???? Show me! Please people, read the words from those directly involved, and not of some speculator before you criticize. This is one of the main reasons I wrote the report, to prevent ignorant speculation, and mistakenly turn people against one of the most incredible programs to boost bass fishing this State has ever seen. There is no reason Horseplay for you to change your loyalty to the Sharelunker program. It has not done anything wrong or violated any statute or objective for the program.

And private pond owners buy fishing licenses and fishing tackle too, and there are tons of us in this State. Just because we may not spend our time adding to the pressure on public reservoirs does not mean we are not part of that public you mention. We too have a vested interest in this program, and could argue that the limited numbers that have been stocked on private property is totally appropriate for that reason alone, not even counting the research advantages of a more controlled environment. Not trying to be rude back to you Horseplay, just to cause you to think.
Gary

I applaud you sir in your efforts. Pay no attention to the naysayers. Thank you in advance for lending a helping hand in making
Texas fisheries some of the best in the World.

God Bless you for that Shawn...I needed that....and with that...maybe now I can get some sleep...big case to operate on at 7AM.
Thanks Man,
Gary

Dr. Schwarz:

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to provide more details regarding your arrangement with TPWD and your goals for the projects you have undertaken.

Unfortunately for you there are those here that don't let the lack of actual facts (or their not reading and comprehending the actual facts) stand in their way of making super-hero-like leaps to conclusions. I am hopeful you will not be so discouraged that you become reticent to continue to provide updates on the progress of La Perla and Jalisco. It is unlikely I will ever have the opportunity to fish one of your water bodies, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in the particulars and results of your projects. I find it all very interesting. And I can dream...

I wish you GREAT success in these endeavors, and I certainly believe whatever the results, the fishing community as a whole, and Texas in particular, will benefit greatly.

Hey MPowell,

I lied. I could not sleep. The issues here and the question over the size of Lake Dixon made me keep turning over and over in this bed. So I went to Google, looking,....again,.... and this time, I finally found it. Dottie's home, Lake Dixon in California, is smaller than La Perla lake, and even smaller than Jalisco if the forage pond acreage is added to the total, which I believe is a no brainer to do. CALIFORNIA'S FAMOUS LAKE DIXON IS 70 ACRES, and in 2014, they stocked 27,000 pounds of trout! They do at least that amount every year, exceeding my prawn contribution in weight to my La Perla Lake bass, but about equal to what I will be able to do at Jalisco for the State's bass. Granted those trout are for their customers to fish for, but they are also what grew an almost WORLD RECORD fish.

MPowell you brought me to tears...for real. Thank you. There is no reason to have embarked on this insanity of a pursuit but for the love of the chase, and for the desire to make people proud. It appeared all of that was going up in smoke with this chaotic internet stuff. It still may, but your words and those of the last poster were hugely needed, along with the other prior supportive posts, but it is incredible how much a critic hurts if you do happen to care what people think. "Like water off a duck's back" never worked for me.

My wife would have already left me over this Field of Dreams if she were normal, but thankfully she follows Gods word and sticks it out. I thank God for her. I also thank God for the Share Lunker Program, for all who have helped support it, and for Allen Forshage who has dedicated his life to it. He makes my passion for Bass and for making Texans proud of me look like "Ned In The First Reader." Drop him a note of encouragement too if you get a chance, all of you who believe in what he has done. He is a heck of a lot tougher than me, and more hardened by the years of dealing with critics, but he still cares, and he still hurts. I believe that Texas needs him, and I believe that Texas needs this program.

Now MPowell I am going to try again to do this and get to sleep: 2:47 AM and 3 hrs to alarm sounding. (By the way I am going to kill Jordan Shipley for introducing me to the Texas Fishing Forum!!!)
Night,
Gary

"...and by the way, I am going to kill Jordan Shipley for introducing me to the Texas Fishing Forum)."



...And I will if I can, I promise. Not because of these issues, but because I don't have the time for another passion!

Yep,still awake. 3:40 and counting. My divorce may be imminent in spite of a Godly wife!).

i always look foward to your progress reports. keep up the good work.

Dr Schwarz,
Follow your passion, sir. Please don't concern yourself with what is said on this forum. As you can see from the number of my posts, I don't say a lot. But I do enjoy following what happens on this site. It's kind of like watching Honey Boo Boo, Lizard Lick Towing, Duck Dynasty, or any number of the unreal reality shows...its just kind of interesting to see what is going to get posted next by someone with little knowledge of the facts or the same convictions of the original poster and some of the content seem to come out of far left field. I grew up in Pennsylvania before starting and retiring from the Army. Hunting was my family's life and we often saw the TV shows about south Texas and had the same "ignorant" opinion about big deer being caged, fed extremely well, and then released into a small pasture for the purpose of filming the "hunt." It wasn't until I spent most of my career in and out of south and central Texas did I realize what you and others have done for the hunting industry, providing incredible research opportunities for improving deer management, and providing the chance for a Dad to take his kids on a hunt of a lifetime...me and my boys have benefitted from your efforts. I'm sure you experienced critics at the beginning of Tecomate also.
So, do what makes you happy, what your Family can support, and what you feel is right. It may take years, but if just one 12 year old kid can look at his Dad with wide eyes and a huge smile after catching a great bass because of your efforts, none of the criticism will matter. Something good will come from this (and inevitably there will be some setbacks), so we should all just give it a chance. And we will fish La Perla before my boys leave the nest...the memories will be worth the cost.

From their Florida Bass hatchery program, and sorry I was mistaken on the 750K, the actual number was 517,886.

Ok, thanks nwest. I thought you were referring to fry from the SAL program and OWR.

Gary,

Keep on keeping on. You blazed a trail for all of us who were interested in improving habitat and nutrition for whitetails. Now you're using your resources to attempt the same with LMB. And forget the high-fenced fishing naysayers. I get that for fishing Camelot Bell (40 acs.) all the time. Folks who have never fished there simply can't believe that one can go to that fishery and not have 10 pounders jumping in the boat. "It's not fair" and is "shooting fish in a barrel" and "anyone can catch fish in that setting" are just a few of the gripes. I've been skunked out there more times than I care to admit. They're Florida bass and they are finicky. But when they're on, they're on and there are lots of huge bass to be caught.

If you had listened to the negativity when ya'll began the Tecomate experiment, you would have never attained your goals. You did attain and surpass those goals. So, though those words may hurt, I know you will not let them deter you. I believe your partnership with the state will yield valuable research data and huge fish. I wish you nothing but the best as you embark on this 15 year journey.

Fouz

Look at the SAL data of all the fish caught since the program started. SALs are caught less frequently, and are smaller on average. Compare all the SALs caught from 1985 to 1999 against all the SALs caught from 2000 to today, less SALs and the SALs have gotten smaller.

I created an excel spreadsheet and sifted through the data and it is definitely factual information that is public. If I can figure this out then surely SAL program can recognize this and they are probably looking for an alternate way to produce the fish since genetics hasn't produced it.