Quote: "I understand not wanting to donate a 13+ to a hatchery so far away; so did this develop a local culture of ignoring the Sharelunker program?"

I sure hope so..

Program needed a shot of adrenaline to drum up more interest and promotional dollars. When they changed it to 8 lbs and up, all of the sudden catching a "sharelunker" became achievable for far more people than ever before. As much as I completely understand your sentiment, I think ultimately, its been good for the program.

Agreed

Lots of folks that were just starting out or were bank fishermen had never even heard of the program, lowering the size and making it available to those who could measure, photo, and release opened their eyes. I think it was a great idea to make more people get involved. I fish at Monti a lot and I guarantee you there are some bank fisherman that bought a measuring device. Hopefully it will make more people aware of slot limits and minimum sizes for other species as well.

I don’t understand all the negativity for the 8,9, and 10+ lb classes added to the program. Your giving TPWD biologists excellent information, especially if you provide a scale sample. No different than the program at Fork years ago that asked all anglers to report catches over 7 lbs to the marinas. Take a few minutes and help out the folks that make our fisheries so awesome.

I get why the folks at Falcon don’t want their 13+ fish removed, but IF you want to get people coming back to that lake wouldn’t 100 entries of 8 lbs or better fish documented through the SAL site get some buzz stirring? Or as a guide if you certified every fish over 8 through SAL that’s boated during trips wouldn’t that be an awesome advertising point? “Blah blah guide service, over 50 fish submitted to the SAL program in 2021”. I guess if business is so good and y’all don’t need tourists to come fish the lake then it’s a moot point and all is well.

It is very similar to Florida's program now that they want the 8lb details. For those that scoff at the 13lbers 'leaving the lake', there is only a short window throughout the year. I don't see the negativity toward the program, either. Of course, beyond the two years where they lost some fish, but they appear to have learned from their mistakes. At least they realized they needed to adjust things, if not truly learning and admitting failure in some instances rather than the "Blame Game" they played.

Two years they lost fish?

Lost fish (if memory serves) = A few years back, a couple/a few donated SALs didn’t survive long into the program; never releasing eggs at the hatchery or making it back to their original lakes.

I encourage you to go back thru SL records from the beginning..

There is only one conclusion that one with open eyes can come to.

SL does not grow bigger fish faster.. It does not grow bigger fish..

It has killed many big fish..

Released SL fish quit growing after being returned to their home lake, with one exception of a few ounces I believe.. This being fish that are recaught.

It has encouraged the removal of our biggest fish from their home water that had the potential (given their huge size already) to break the state record which at one time was the goal of the program..

Don't make me use PAW'S own data to prove it.. You can do it yourself, as I have done.. And have posted before.

James, I agree with you. The enormous power of natural selection far eclipses any effect breeding 550 or so 13lbers over the course of 30 years would have on the state wide genetics of a bass population.

The secondary benefits of marketing, furthering marine biology science, increasing public knowledge, and job creation, etc do have some value.

I'm to the point that I wish TPWD would just focus 100% on its fishery management and hatchery space on Catfish, Striper/hybrids, Crappie, sunfish, and trout. That way bass fishermen would have something really valid to gripe about. Man this topic just gets beat to death on here.

Don't it though..

Problem with this rational is you can't prove that if they had not been caught they would have gotten any bigger or lived any longer.

If you listen to the (Pro’s) TPWD does the best job of any where in the USA