People will complain about anything. It's his fish, he could cook it up if he wanted to.

I’d be fine with him cooking it.
Does TPWD think we are dumb? It’s the two faced, hypocritical nature of TPWD. They preach non invasive species, natural habitat all day long….as they should….and then take the 20th largest bass in Texas history full of eggs out of her natural habitat to be displayed in a glass cage…..transporting a game fish outside of the lunker donation period. They will happily write your out of state friend a $300 fine if he purchased a day Texas fishing license at 2350pm thinking it would be valid starting at midnight instead of ending ten minutes later and enforce the letter of the law with no gray areas or wiggle room consideration or sympathy for the nature of humans to make honest brain farts (as they should)….but they are treating this fish and this situation as if she was caught on March 30th instead of April 2nd using an aquarium gray area. Not complaining; just pointing out some inconsistencies.

Cooking that fish would be asinine, it should have been put right back.


Go catch 5 3lbers to eat

This is why Texas will never grow a world record.


Because folks egos cannot handle not getting the opportunity at parading her around to the world famous almighty elm creek and giving her away to be stuck in a glass cage.

Wow...even with 16 Lb fish... Bass Fisherman will still find something to complain about!! I am convinced we are the most miserable bunch ever.

They will argue that the benefits of marketing the program are the priority…..not keeping with their own conservation minded donation guidelines in this instance.

Yes sir, to the point of grown adults taking the Lord's name in vain over a fish and using extremely foul language on this site in which young men are reading.

TPWD breaking their own rules and now part of the traveling circus. At this point they should just drain Ivie and see what lives in it

If you think young men are seeing negative stuff thats influencing their lives via the TFF you live under a rock. Welcome 2025.

His fish to do what he wants with it.

After visiting the Texas Freshwater Aquarium in Athens a couple of years ago right before they shut down for a full remodel, I look forward to seeing the new aquariums and the new layouts when they open back up this year.

Really nice way to spend a day with the kiddo's and the fish will only bring in more people. 1000's of people visit the Aquarium each week.

No different than everyone who has donated fish to BPS or Cabelas over the years.

The fish has had 10 years +/- of spawning genetics in the lake already. She will live her best life being hand fed in optimal conditions from now on.

Optimal conditions would be the lake she's grown to 16 pounds in... but we as humans screwed that up by yanking her off a bed (her tail is bloody) and throwing her in a glass case. I promise if the fish could talk she wouldn't call her new home optimal How many 13 pound plus bass has SAL killed in the past 10 years Chris? A lot...

No sir , JESUS is my rock and grown men taking the Lord's name in vain and using wtf over a fish is a major issue. People need to have some respect to the ONE who gave His for us and created the bass.

Well good luck JUDGING and policing the grown men on this forum. It should keep you plenty busy!!!

It is the fishermans choice on what to do with it. He could have taken it to 3 different places to have it weighed. TPW should try to spawn her then put her in the tank. She will have a better life in Athens then any where else.

WTF?