I think it is not a good program for the lakes that these fish are being taken out of. Maybe good for the state.
I agree if these fish are taken out it makes it harder to grow a state record.
And unlike some I think about 90% of the 13 plus fish are donated to the program. Not many get put back in.
Most everyone wants their 15 minutes.

What if those 13 plus pound fish spawn in their home lake ?
Would that help the genetics in that lake

Good thought it would be nice to know

I'm as over the sharelunker argument as I am the MLF vs BASS argument. Clearly most bass anglers in Texas don't support it, so I'm not sure why they keep this thing going. I've always supported the program in the past, but TPWD has yet to prove that the Sharelunker program has made a single contribution toward improving the likelihood of catching a State Record giant bass in Texas lakes. Or if they have proved that point, I have not seen it. The reality is that the answer to the OP's question is that no matter the genetics, we likely no longer have the proper ecosystem to grow a state record bass. No matter what genetics we stock.

Personally, I'm to the point that I wish TPWD would just go back to stocking native northern bass in our lakes again. Especially the lakes in the northern half of the state. Most of the literature I read these days leans toward the fact that our Texas lakes have aged, become silted in, and have become devoid of aquatic vegetation. Those factors plus increased pressure lead many to believe that no matter how good the genetic are, our lakes simply will not ever be able to grow the State Record giants that the sharelunker program and the Florida Genetics stocking program aim to achieve. So why even deal with the negative attributes of Florida genetics when the environments we are putting them in are not capable of supporting the desired goal of State Record giants? Why waste the time and money on the Sharelunker program when we are putting those bass in the same environments? Seems to me that all we are accomplishing with the Sharlunker program is wasting money. Likewise, all we are accomplishing with stocking of Florida genetics is breeding a group of fish that are harder to catch and hate anything that resembles cold water. Like the OP, I'm just thinking out loud. I'm sure someone way smarter than me will tell me where I am wrong here.

[quote=BigDozer66]They are mostly returned to the lake (minus the very few that die) but I have often wondered what kind of trauma they might endure when transported to and fro?

They are mostly returned to the lake (minus the very few that die) but I have often wondered what kind of trauma they might endure when transported to and fro?

Good points
Maybe efforts should be how to grow Hydrilla and better the water quality and forage base


[quote=Tx Tree Grower]I'm as over the sharelunker argument as I am the MLF vs BASS argument. Clearly most bass anglers in Texas don't support it, so I'm not sure why they keep this thing going. I've always supported the program in the past, but TPWD has yet to prove that the Sharelunker program has made a single contribution toward improving the likelihood of catching a State Record giant bass in Texas lakes. Or if they have proved that point, I have not seen it. The reality is that the answer to the OP's question is that no matter the genetics, we likely no longer have the proper ecosystem to grow a state record bass. No matter what genetics we stock.

Personally, I'm to the point that I wish TPWD would just go back to stocking native northern bass in our lakes again. Especially the lakes in the northern half of the state. Most of the literature I read these days leans toward the fact that our Texas lakes have aged, become silted in, and have become devoid of aquatic vegetation. Those factors plus increased pressure lead many to believe that no matter how good the genetic are, our lakes simply will not ever be able to grow the State Record giants that the sharelunker program and the Florida Genetics stocking program aim to achieve. So why even deal with the negative attributes of Florida genetics when the environments we are putting them in are not capable of supporting the desired goal of State Record giants? Why waste the time and money on the Sharelunker program when we are putting those bass in the same environments? Seems to me that all we are accomplishing with the Sharlunker program is wasting money. Likewise, all we are accomplishing with stocking of Florida genetics is breeding a group of fish that are harder to catch and hate anything that resembles cold water. Like the OP, I'm just thinking out loud. I'm sure someone way smarter than me will tell me where I am wrong here.

What if those 13 plus pound fish spawn in their home lake ?
Would that help the genetics in that lake