How do you know that? I understand you are assuming this but we don’t know that.
It seems a lot of big fish live in Wolfpack type schools when in the deep open water.
What’s to say that a large percentage of 13 lb plus bass are not taken from the lakes year after year.

very true

This could happen

I thought TPWD did some tracking devices on some of the big bass. Whatever became of that data ?

Ken Smith has some videos on YouTube, nothing posted lately about those results.

Livescope will see some biguns in the next few years. They have been out swimming in no mans land. Now they can’t hide. Your going to see some 15#+ fish.

It’s also going to drive a bunch that spring for it crazy. Not the easiest to master. Rode with Walters on Fork on day 2. Crazy how he could make the fish bite. Most of what he caught followed the bait a pretty good distance.

Best I can answer this is maybe but I do agree that the fish needs to stay in the lake.

Here is the Fact at this time....... NO SAL OFFSPRING FISH HAS EVER MADE THE TOP 50 IN TEXAS !

This program began in 1986 !

Still waiting to hear the result from the 16.40 from IVIE. It maybe the first.

I double checked the FACTS before I posted just so I had the FACTS right.

post your facts

I did post the facts above. ^^^^^^

Call TPW and talk with them I did.

I spoke with them before I posted !

Fact is correct

I speak with the biologist on a regular bases.

The SAL program has been going on for years and years!
I don't know exactly how long, but 13+ bass have been weighed in way back since it started and if those fish made it and were put back into the lake why haven't we seen the records falling after all these years?
There has to come a point where the experiment has to be deemed a success or failure you would think?

As discussed, some fish only get so big. It's been shown that 16lbs is pretty much the threshold for bass in Texas.

Deeming SAL a success or failure seems to be based on what you deem a success. Admittedly, I have not researched the original purpose of the SAL program, so I am asking for clarification not to be a smart a** - Was SAL created for the purpose of creating a state record? Or, was it created to improve the overall genetic pool (e.g., to generate larger bass in general)? Or something else? If the first, then I can understand talk of failure, but if the second I would be hesitant to call it a failure. The second seems extremely hard to quantify, especially given all of the variables - most importantly increased fishing pressure. Also, I don't know the genetic survey results, but does anyone know if the shock survey / genetic testing shows a percentage of the quality fish taken (e.g., 4#+) are genetically linked to a SAL. Regardless of everyone's views, I hope we can agree that (once caught) a trip to Athens is better than a knife and frying pan.

SAL was created to enhance awareness and marketing. Any improvement in the genetic pool is miniscule when compared to the vastly greater power of nature. There is an offshoot of the SAL program; the OWR (Official World Record) program designed to grow the biggest possible in hopes of achieving a world record.

Do I think the SAL program has worked?
Yes, I think Texas fishermen are more knowledgeable and manage resources better than most anglers.

Personally, I'd like to see the harvesting of more smaller fish--In many lakes there are too many smaller fish competing with the larger ones.

Can we add habitat to this? Habitat certainly enhances forage and lifespan!

I think the last week or so showed that there are a lot of big bass that may not have been accessible or catchable (and not everyone can do it). There are fish who never see lures their entire lives, let alone get fished for heavily, because they’re in places that are hard to fish, suspended in tree tops, and in water 99.9% of bass anglers drive over at 70 mph.