do they still get the same recognition as they would if their fish had survived?

Yep
They caught it

see part of me thinks you are right and they deserve to be recognized, and part of me says that they don't really deserve the honors if their fish isn't going to contribute to the success of the program

no offense, but I feel dumber for having just read this .....

So if you caught a Sharelunker and it died in transport or some time later at the facility, and the death had nothing to do with you, the angler, you shouldn't get the same recognition? That's erroneous.

Do you think they should be on a different honors board for killing a sharelunker?
Maybe the killalunker program.

Give the guy a break, he caught a bass over 13#'s, I'm sure he didn't want it to die.

lol no if it was in the hands of TPWD when it died that is one thing, but if you bring in a gut hooked fatty and try to enter it as a share lunker that is totally different

I realize that this could be viewed as a response to the sharelunker that JUST DIED, but it really isn't and if you read into it that way, then you are misunderstanding the original posting

to the guy that caught 550, I mean no disrespect, but the death of that fish brought this question to my mind...

and the idea of a second sharelunker board for fish that died is not a bad idea... lol

x2 I absolutly feel dumber for having read it. I'm glad I did not write it.

Share a Lunker is a good program.

Kill a Hydrilla not so much.

Some of that Lib. Colorado is showing C.T.











Just kidding.

The fisherman caught the fish and that's the fact so he or she should get full credit dead or not!

I think it would be a great idea for TPWD to hand out a little flyer with fishing license, showing how to properly relieve pressure on a deep-caught fish. I was working for an outfit called Northland Cable News back in the day when the state record was caught and was priviledged to go out to the fisheries dept. in Tyler for press day and see that fish up close about 2 days after she was caught. Amazing. Anyway...as I recall, Mr. Cambell said she went belly-up several times the first day but he finally nursed her back to health. She would have died if it wasn't for someone that knew how to relieve the pressure. It can be done, but most people just don't know how. If we're gonna fish for that size fish in deep water....we owe it to the sport to at least learn the basics. My 2 cents....

News Flash....
Sometimes fish die after they get caught. It isn't really that big a deal.
We all fish for the catch of a lifetime, if it dies that doesn't take away from the accomplishment. If the idea is to never have a bass die from being caught then the only answer is to never fish for them.

The TPWD has a outstanding angler program where you fill out some paperwork and send it in you will get a certificate for catching the big fish EVEN if it died in your care, but if the fish is dead before the share lunker people show then it would be useless in the program. In a case where tge fish dies in the care of the TPW then you should get all the same rewards as did the others. My

Folks get kinda touchy about another guys fish. Its a shame that it died but hey it happens sometimes. Its a great program and some of the fish wont make it but the program serves a greater good for all to enjoy. I saw more than 50 fish over 8 pounds floating in front of the dam at fork being eaten by turtles in the summer of 99. My dad suggested that we put them in livewell and take them further north, we made about 9 trips but who knows how many survived?