Texas Border Business
New Year’s Day 2026 marks the launch of the 40th season of the Toyota ShareLunker Program, a milestone for Texas’ nationally renowned largemouth bass selective breeding and stocking initiative.
Since 1986, anglers from across Texas and beyond have cast their lines with the dream of catching a Legacy Class largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more. During the first three months of each season (Jan. 1–March 31), anglers who land a Legacy Class fish may loan it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for captive spawning at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Offspring from these fish are raised and stocked into public waters statewide, strengthening Texas’ reputation for producing trophy bass.
“For 40 years, the Toyota ShareLunker Program has partnered with anglers to grow bigger, better bass and elevate Texas into a world-class fishing destination,” said Natalie Goldstrohm, Toyota ShareLunker Program Coordinator. “Every Legacy Class fish advances selective breeding efforts that benefit bass fisheries statewide. This season celebrates the anglers, TPWD Inland Fisheries staff, and partners who make this success possible.”
The program enjoyed a standout 2025 season. Nine public lakes produced Legacy Class Lunkers, including O.H. Ivie, Richland-Chambers, Lady Bird, J.B. Thomas, Alan Henry, Tawakoni, Sam Rayburn, Tyler, and Toledo Bend—bringing the total number of Texas lakes with Legacy entries to 79. Lake O.H. Ivie again led the way with six Legacy fish. Highlights also included a new Lady Bird Lake record (14.05 pounds) set by Willie Pipkin, four anglers catching their second Legacy Class bass, and the program’s first-ever recapture of the same Legacy fish by Ross Gomez two years apart.
Anglers who catch and loan a 13-plus-pound bass earn Legacy Class status and receive sponsor-provided rewards, including a replica mount, branded apparel, decals, VIP access to the annual awards event, and entries into two drawings that each award a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree.
Beyond the Legacy season, the year-round Toyota ShareLunker Program offers three additional entry levels for bass weighing eight pounds or measuring 24 inches or more. These entries provide critical data to TPWD biologists and include catch kits, decals, Bass University subscriptions, and eligibility for the year-end grand prize drawing.
Catches can be reported via the Toyota ShareLunker mobile app, online at TexasShareLunker.com, or by calling the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550.
The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible through Toyota’s title sponsorship and additional support from Lew’s, Strike King, Bass Pro Shops, AFTCO, Bass Forecast, Bass University, and Lake Fork Taxidermy.
