Sharelunker program is not hurting our big fish population. Tournaments and overstocking are.
Everyone likes to see big fish brought to the scales, but that kills more fish across the state of Texas in one weekend than the Sharelunker program might kill in a season. IF everyone wants to see larger fish being caught then have a statewide length limit of 20". Anything over 20" must be turned loose. That will help the survival of big fish and encourage people who might actually keep bass for food to keep the smaller fish which require more food intake for growth.
I personally believe the biggest thing that has hurt the large population of big fish in Fork is overstocking. From the first stocking in 1979 to 1994 TP&W put over 700,000 fingerlings in Fork. We had the largest number of big fish over 13 lbs in the 90's. Then, from 1995 to 2011 they have stocked over 9 million fingerlings. Yes, that puts a lot of fish in the water for the increased number of fisherman that have flocked there since the 90's but it has also drastically increased the competition for food. This timing was critical because of the age of the fish over 13 lbs at the time when they are dying of natural causes to the time of younger fish having to compete for food to grow to that magical size. Also, the LMB virus killed a lot of fish during this critical time.
Certainly fluctuating water levels have had a negative impact on the bass population as well. Every lake that I have fished in the last ten years with a good grass content that was diminished has suffered in bass population. Fork, Amistad, Choke Canyon, and Ray Roberts. When the grass population was healthy the fish population was healthy. Some lakes that do not have grass do benefit from fluctuating water levels to some degree, such as Falcon. It allows natural vegetation growth to occur during low levels that provide food and nutrients when the water level is up, but this is a more temporary occurrence. Year long forage such as milfoil, hydrilla, and coon tail have a more lasting effect on the fish population.
There is no debate on whether genetics improves the quality of a fish, animal, vegetable or anything else for that matter. The question is, How much impact has the Sharelunker program had on the quality of bass in our lakes? That can be debated but I am happy that Texas has the only program I know of designed to try to increase the chance of me catching a 13 lb+ fish. And we as taxpayers are paying very little for it!
So James, I appreciate everything you do for the conservation of bass fishing and care and handling of big fish. You are a valued resource to all bass fisherman who visit that piece of paradise called Falcon Lake. But, you need to realize that tournaments kill more big fish than the sharelunker program. I have seen it first hand too many times. Until you start chiming in to change the tournament requirements then I think you need to just let it go. It is not costing you much if any money and has probably made you a LOT of money from selling tackle to all those who have been to your store in search of that "Sharelunker" from Falcon Lake. Plus, it is much more enjoyable to read your fishing reports than your bashing of the sharelunker program every year.

Tournaments are not hurting the Big Fish Population, that is BS..

Tournaments are not hurting the Big Fish Population, that is BS..

Bunch of Keyboard Biologists....LMAO..

As opposed to the "real" biologists at TPWD that took an 11 lb'er from Toledo to Athens instead of the 14 lb'er that they were supposed to take ??


That degree may look good on paper, but if you can't tell the difference between a 14 lb'er and a 11 lb'er .............

Experience carries over in any industry or field.
Just my 2 cents.