This month starts the 35th season of the Toyota Sharelunker Program, which is a coordination effort with Texas Parks and Wildlife to increase the production of trophy-sized fish in Texas reservoirs.
The year-long program offers four levels of participation for catching bass over 8 pounds or 24 inches in Texas.
During the first three months of the year, anglers who reel in a 13 pound bass or larger can loan it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the Sharelunker selective breeding and stocking program.
Once a lunker is reeled in, anglers need to enter the catch data on the Toyota Sharelunker mobile app. Those who catch and donate one of the lunkers can earn legacy class status, receive a catch kit filled with merchandise, a 13 pound legacy decal for their vehicle or boat, VIP access to the Toyota Sharelunker annual awards event, and a high-quality replica of their lunker fish.
Fishermen will also get entered into two separate drawings; a legacy class drawing and the year-end grand prize drawing. Both drawings will award the winner a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree and an annual fishing license.
This part of the program runs until April 1.
For more information on this program or to report a fish, anglers can call the Sharelunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.