Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3½ months later
Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3½ months later
A Texas fisherman caught a lake-record 14.05-pound largemouth bass at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, making it one of 14 bass in the state that qualified for the 2025 Toyota ShareLunker Program.
Willie Pipkin caught the lunker bass on February 5 and then, as part of the ShareLunker Program for bass 13 pounds and bigger, loaned the fish to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use in its selective breeding and stocking program. Qualifying bass are known as Legacy Class ShareLunkers.
Pipkin, joined by wildlife officials, released the bass back into Lady Bird Lake on May 22, as reported by MySan Antonio.
Video of the release was posted last week by the TPWD on its Facebook page.
'He just released her back into the lake to let the legend live on,' TPWD wrote in its post.
'Anglers provided 14 Legacy Class ShareLunkers from nine different public lakes across the state of Texas,' the TPWD reported in a press release. 'Another new waterbody recorded its first Legacy Class fish, and O.H. Ivie, the reigning waterbody champion for the past five seasons, finished 2025 with six of the 14 total Legacy Class entries.
'O.H. Ivie retained its designation as the undisputed leader with 59 Legacy Class fish during the five-year span. The lake sprinted across the finish line in 2025 with three consecutive Legacy Lunkers to close out the collection season. The West Texas hotspot accumulated 12 Legacy Class Lunkers in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and amassed a record-shattering 15 ShareLunkers in 2023.'
The program runs from Jan. 1 to March 31 each year.
'With new lakes joining the Legacy Class ranks, and returning favorites like O.H. Ivie continuing to impress, it's clear that lunker bass fishing in Texas is thriving,' program coordinator Natalie Goldstrohm stated. 'Every ShareLunker catch helps Texas Parks and Wildlife Department advance bass genetics, fisheries management and angler recognition across the state.'
Photos courtesy of the TPWD.
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