Often times those that have the most knowledge of big bass support the program. Is it the perfect solution to bigger bass in every lake.... no. Is it possible that it will diminish the chance of that fish growing to a huge state record type weight... yes.

Now, with that being said I still support it. It benefits the overall fishing in the state instead of one angler catching one huge fish. The dying thing is a bunch of nonsence. I think those fish have about as good of a chance in the hands of those guys in Athens as they do with anglers taking a bunch of photos and putting that fish back in the water. The thing is, no one gets the death rate of the fish that got put back into the lakes.

The SAL that I was lucky enough to catch was caught, and turned in 3 times from a lake 7 hours from Athens! If you take care of the fish, it will likely live.

Basically, there are a few downsides to turning in a fish, but I think it is good for fishing in Texas in general.

Pretty quick too bash those not in the know. Theres not one thread in here just outright bashing the program. But David dont you think a little more expanding the goal of the program could be enhanced by a bait program or vegitation in so many of the lakes they have invested the hatch into all these yrs. That how the private guys aprouch it and it seems to work well in priviate impoundments. I think thats all some of us are saying.And some of us that are saying really have know idea if thats a fisable goal. So please enlighten us . Without your insults. Thank you.

Pretty sure a bait and vegitation program would result in a pretty nice increase in fishing license cost and we all know what happens when that happens!

I look at the program in this light: think about what an angler would do with a 13+ lb bass if there was no SAL program.

It is the fish of a lifetime, so my guess is that the majority would have the fish mounted. If they didn't have it mounted, surely there would be a prolonged photo session, as well as a long stay in the livewell while the angler shows off his catch...which all leads to the increased chance that the fish won't survive.

Of course, there are a good few who would snap a picture or two, and throw it back in quickly. But it would be a minority imo. I'm a huge advocate of CPR, but if I caught a SAL-sized bass, I'm not even sure I could resist having it mounted.

With the SAL program, an angler has that incentive to give up the fish to the TPWD where it will most likely survive to be caught again. Because face it, the SAL program is a very sexy accomplishment for any angler.

They spend tons restocking shad now yr after yr in lakes that get hit by GA. I would support a tax on my bass equipment if the money was really going to a expanded program.We have great fisheries in tx but I would bet many would support a program if viable.

Fish care is the most important factor, as stated by guys on here. If they aren't taken care of after the catch they most likely will develop some sort of infection from the stress.

I think a few years ago most of SAL died at Athens while they were trying to breed them.

Seems like that was kept hush hush

I fixed what I thought you were trying to say....haha

Why doesnt someone smarter than I do one of those polls we see on here from time to time, and everyone can voice their position without pushing their personal agenda on everybody else.

Did the fish in your sig tell you that?

I like the SAL program, but one of the things i would like to see improved with it is stocking the offsprings in more varities of lakes. I'm sure there is alot of research into which lakes would produce larger bass and so these lakes recieve more of the offsprings, but there only seems to be a handful of lakes that these SAL offsprings are getting stocked into. Share the wealth and give some of these other lakes an opportunity to grow.

Let me ask a question.. Why are there big fish caught out of one lake and not another?? Why has lake Fork produced so many giants? Where did the original "Sharelunker" come from? It must have been an Alien fish from a different freaking planet cause before Sharelunker there was no possibility of a fish weighing 13 pounds.. And all the 13 pound fish around now have to have come from that fish.. Cause if we don't breed 13 pound fish we will never have any more 13 pound fish.. What a crock of [censored]..

Florida Bass are the reason that Texas Bass Fishing is what it is and nothing else. Man's attempt at manulipation has made No, None, Zero, Nada, Zip difference in the size of the biggest fish.. In Fact the program is self defeatist when it comes to producing the biggest of fish. It has caused the death of a lot of the biggest fish caught in TEXAS. When you want to remove every one of the biggest fish from a lake how do you intend to ever break a lake record, or a state record, or a world record.

And when it comes to Falcon, it becomes absolutely ludicrous.. And before you jump on me about my opinion of SL and the Texas stocking schedules.. Look at the History of stockings in Texas.. Look at Falcon. It is embarrasing.. Look at the bigger fish caught since the inception of Sharelunker.. All downhill.. Do the research.. Don't just take for granted because someone said so that the fish in Texas are getting bigger.. The State record is 20 freaking years old! The overal fish size in Texas has improved.. But it has no correlation to SL.. It has only to do with Florida fish..

Wanna know why I am pissed off about SL? Cause we get pissed on when it comes to stocking.. Falcon will never recover the fry that that will be removed from the lake by the removal of these fish..

Want your local lake to be full of thirteen pounders?? Think putting SL hatch in there is gonna turn it into the next Fork? Ain't gonna happen.. If your lake ain't growing any 13's now, it ain't gonna grow any any time soon. I fished Medina Lake all my life.. You remember.. the lake that held the state record for fifty(50) years.. State's first thirteen pounder.. (Do the research) Throwing SL fry in the water don't make no lake no trophy lake..

So put a bunch of Florida babies in all the lakes. Give special atention to the lakes that have the potential to produce giants. And then it will be like going to Disneyland when you get to go to one of the top tier lakes.. And it won't cost you $80 to get in the gate..

Your answers....... Fork has produced all those giants because that lake has been TP+W's baby. Look at the stocking record you speak of. Forks fish get fed on a regular basis, and those fry that survive have plenty to eat. Those were original brood fish most likely. Unfortunetly they don't live 20 years such as how long the state record has lasted. They didn't only bring fry here when florida's first came to Texas. There were large brood fish as well that Mr. Kemp brought in.
Before ShareLunker no 13's ? Surely you remember the date of Mr. Maggee's state record from home.
How can you remove all the big fish from a lake ? They aren't caught all that often. Florida's are notoriously finicky, and I would venture a comment that both your lake and my lake has a state record swimming in it somewhere.
The program is not self defeatist. Where would these 13 or bigger fish go if not for the program ? Some people release them, yes. Most would go to the taxidermist. Gives them an alternative.
The only thing that has cost the lives of the biggest fish in Texas is POOR FISH CARE from the beginning of capture to the time they get picked up, in which at that point they get the best care available. That part AT LEAST is changing a bit with educating anglers on fish care, which is what you should be doing as well. Thank you also for complaining to FLW about their fish care. Every little bit helps..... New SAL tanks put in at our remote lakes has helped as well, especially with the fish care training the individuals who run them have received.
Those two SAL's from Ivie......who do you think assisted with their care ? I did, and that was by phone and BOTH of them are alive and happy in their new home. Hopefully I will be there when they bring them back and release them.
Stocking history for Falcon ? Seems your pond has done quite well considering everyone thinks your the #1 destination right now. Looks like they restock themselves quite well. Now the white bass and stripers, well, they could do some more of that.
The bigger fish have not come as quickly anymore because the brood stock has died off. The remaining has crossed with the Texas strain and growth has not been as quick.
You speak of florida's.......... How many giants have come from the STATE OF FLORIDA here lately. NONE.
Overall fish size has nothing to do with the program ? How can you prove that ? What is to say the 13+'s that were caught out of your pond recently were not ShareLunker brood ? You can't. They don't always announce it when a stocking truck pulls up and dumps a load into a lake. And shoot, it only takes 7-8 years to grow one in your pond.
Never recover the fry ? You get some of the fry from that fish AND the fish back if the angler chooses to put it back.
Unless you kill out all the texas strain, putting pure florida's in isn't gonna help all that much other than making a brood class year and keeping the ratio of floridas to texas strain in check.. That is what a lot of the $80 in the gates do that you mentioned.
Where is your research that putting SAL fry into the lake won't turn it into another fork ? Where do you think Fork gets their stockings from ? THE SAL PROGRAM.
And think about this..... we got 500,000 fry just recently from our sharelunkers. That's not bad considering it was just 7 or 8 individual fish. And they are all still swimming here in the lake because they brought them (SAL'S) back and released them. Hopefully they are still alive. I'll take that any day of the week, floridas, SAL's or not. No, neither of our lakes get anywhere near as much stocking as Fork or other impoundments as the stocking records attest. But we take what we can get.. Some do quite well on their own.
You have disneyland at your back door. Take care of it.........
Not arguing with ya James, but you asked. Just sharing some facts AND my opinion just like I respect yours.

Show me some FACTS that prove SL is growing bigger fish..If this is such a great program, where have all the 16's 17's and 18's gone?? Not that there were ever that many..

Brood fish? Were these the holy grail of fish? No other fish could ever get that big again? I don't think so..

Fact is that most bass won't make it to 10 pounds. And it is a true treasure when you find one.. Yes we have a fish factory down here.. We make a lot of fish when conditions are right. And we have been blessed the last few years with some good conditions.. And many of the big fish that are being caught right now are the remnants of a two year cycle of great spawns. But we have had some poor years in between, and we will again in the future. But with all this being said, where's my new state record? Hell where's my new Lake record? Our lake record is nearly 20 years old..(So is the state record BTW) Seems like with all the new technology and huge number of people fishing down here it should have happened.. The lake should be full of them with all of these SL babies we have received..

You would have gotten 500,000 bass anyway.. I don't think it has ever been a pre-requisite that you had to turn in a SL to get stocking. Lakes are stocked that need stocked. That's why they do shocking surveys..

Does Falcon need stocking? Not right now.. We've got about all the bass we can support.. But we will in the future. And we'll see if PAW will ride to the rescue when it happens.. And history is not the best.

SL is more about publicity that results. Kind of like the Cowboys.. But it gets people excited. Yeah.. That's a good analogy.. Texas Bass Fishing is kind of like the Cowboys. And the SL fish are like the Cowboy Cheerleaders.. Beautiful.. Flashy.. Gorgeous.. They look great on the screen.. And Everybody wants to nail one..

But after it was over I'd still drop the Cheerleader off at her house.. And I'll choose to do the same with a 13 plus bass.. I'll leave her lying exhausted on her bed.. And by the next day, she'll be ready to do it with someone else..

I think when you boil it all down it comes down to getting your 15 minutes.. And a good replica is not that expensive, when you consider what we spend on fishing.. Give the fish and the lake a break.. Turn her loose..

Breeding fish is a science. And until the Global Warming Scam, science usually deals in facts. So show me some FACTS that prove SL has made bigger fish in Texas. And don't confuse stocking Florida Strain Bass with the SL program..

I'm waiting..

i kinda agree with both arguments, it seems like catching a SL is more about getting to say you caught one and get your name in the paper and on the internet, but if it does keep those fish from going in the freezer and on the wall, then it is worth it. the trick with that is actually keeping those fish alive.

but in all reality, the best case scenario would be to have a state wide reverse slot limit that would make it illegal to keep bass over a certain length. that way the big ones would have to go back in the water.

Good Analogy