So here's how it all happened. I got talked into going fishing this morning by the service director. It was very cold. My plan was to just watch football all day. He said to let's just go out and fish there area where we launch. Fish until 11 and go watch the game. We catch 6-8 fish mostly small fish but a gas
Small keepers. I made a 3 rd cast to the same small little area to give my back seat boater first crack at a prime spot. He doesn't get to go out much. So I though it's the least I could do. I felt the fish inhale my bait with pressure still there so I set the hook. Landed the fish. We were so fired up. Weight 13.2 13.3 on my hand held scale. Share lunker just opened. Took her to the barge. 13.5 on his scale. But it's not certified. After talked lt TPWL several times it was determined taking the fish to bass pro wouldn't work for me reasons mentioned earlier. Plus their holding tank is empty. So the nice ppl at whole sale live bait in lewisville were kind enough to pick the fish up at barge and take it to their property to hold it. They do have several large tanks that are well aeratited. They weighed her they on their scale with out me present bc I had to cross the lake. He said on his scale she weighed 14.1. TPWL finally made it out around 1:40. He weighed her on their certified scale at 12.80. I was bumped out about that. Felt bad that I had TPWL drive out for no reason. Kept the guy late at the bait shop stayed late for no reason. Launched my boat at tower bay and released her. She was so strong that I could even hold her to help revive her from the trip once I got her into the lake. She swam straight for the bottom. I waited 20 min to see if she would come back up and she didn't. So I left and felt better that I didn't kill a giant.

They are only taking them to the hatchery for spawning purposes Jan-March. Sharelunkers caught outside of that window are evaluated on site and returned to the angler so hopefully this one will be going back into Lewisville.