Jim Franklin, of Hemphill, reeled in 14.23-pound ShareLunker 695 on a fishing trip Wednesday afternoon
March 10, 2026 – Toledo Bend Reservoir in East Texas was front and center again with its second Legacy Class entry of the 2026 Toyota ShareLunker program collection season. The Toyota ShareLunker program is a cornerstone of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) efforts to grow bigger, better, bass.
Jim Franklin, of Hemphill, reeled in 14.23-pound ShareLunker 695 on a fishing trip Wednesday afternoon. Not only was it the second Legacy Class fish from Toledo Bend this year, but the 12th overall of the collection season, which runs through March 31. Drake Wadsworth of Stonewall, Louisiana produced the waterbody’s first Legacy Lunker this year; 13.10-pound ShareLunker 687 caught on Saturday, February 7.
Toledo Bend has now produced 11 Legacy Class ShareLunker entries along with multiple Lew’s Legend Class (13 lb.+ April through December) entries. Eric Weems holds the current official lake record for a largemouth bass with his 15.32-pound catch on July 3, 2000.
“Catching a Legacy Class ShareLunker truly becomes the fish of a lifetime for most anglers,” said Natalie Goldstrohm, TPWD coordinator for the Toyota ShareLunker program. “Seeing another bass of this caliber come from Toledo Bend highlights the incredible opportunity anglers have when they get out on this reservoir.”
Franklin had caught a lot of fish during his time on the water over a few days but hadn’t landed a massive largemouth bass. That all changed on his Wednesday trip to Toledo Bend.
“I’d been disgusted a little bit that I hadn’t caught a ten-pounder or nine pounder yet this year so I did something completely different,” said Franklin. “I went to areas of the reservoir I hadn’t been in the last two years or so. The day had not been very good to me, and I was about to give up, but I stopped at one last spot. A friend called me and I caught a 3.5-pound bass, cast again while I was talking to him and I had a five pounder get off. I told my friend I have to let you go because I think I’m on some fish and then made two more casts and I caught the fish.”
Franklin said he caught the fish about 25-30 feet away from his boat on a Carolina rig and once the fish was on the hook, the fight was on.
“I was by myself and it was total chaos,” said Franklin. “My net was put up, and I ran circles around my boat about three times, and she stayed on top and put on a show the whole time. Finally, she gave up and I caught her. When I got her in the boat, I was shaking like a leaf, and I got my scale out. I zeroed it out and thought I had raised her off the deck completely, but apparently, I hadn’t because my scale said 13.57 pounds. I thought holy cow, I just caught a Legacy Class ShareLunker, and this has been a dream for a long time.”
Franklin made the call to the ShareLunker program to submit the fish and get the verified weight, which came in at 14.23 pounds. The catch also proved to be a new personal best for Franklin.
“I think the ShareLunker program is the greatest thing that we as anglers could possibly have,” said Franklin. “The fact that they take these fish, let them spawn, make fingerlings and then release the fingerlings along with the ShareLunker back into the lake, I don’t think there is a better program. I’ve spent a lot of time in other states where they don’t have these programs, and they want to do something similar to what we have here in Texas. I can’t thank Toyota and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department enough for what they do for bass anglers in our state.”
About the ShareLunker Program
During the first three months of the season (Jan. 1 through March 31), anglers who reel in a 13-plus pound bass can loan it to TPWD for the ShareLunker selective breeding and stocking program. These anglers can call TPWD on the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 through March 31, 2026.
Legacy Class ShareLunker weights are all verified using a certified scale, but anglers may use a digital scale to get an initial weight to inform the ShareLunker response team. Once the TPWD team arrives, they can take a certified weight on site.
A list of official weigh stations can be found on the ShareLunker Official Weigh and Holding Stations website.
Anglers who catch and loan a 13-plus pound lunker earn Legacy Class status, receive a catch kit filled with merchandise donated by program sponsors, a 13lb+ Legacy decal for their vehicle or boat, VIP access to the Toyota ShareLunker Annual Awards event, a high-quality replica mount of their fish from Lake Fork Taxidermy and ShareLunker branded apparel provided by AFTCO. Anglers also receive entries 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.
The year-round Toyota ShareLunker Program offers anglers three additional levels of participation for catching bass over eight pounds or 24 inches in Texas public waters. Each of these levels provide vital data for TPWD fisheries biologists, helping them better manage bass in Texas.
Anglers who enter data for any lunker they catch greater than eight pounds or 24 inches also receive a catch kit, a decal for their vehicle or boat, a one-month subscription card to Bass University and an entry into the year-end Grand Prize Drawing to win a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree. ShareLunker entry classes include the Bass Pro Shops Lunker Class (8 lb.+), Strike King Elite Class (10 lb.+) and Lew’s Legend Class (13 lb.+).
Once a qualified lunker is reeled in, anglers need to enter the catch data on the Toyota ShareLunker mobile app – available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play – or at TexasSharelunker.com.
In addition to providing basic catch information, anglers have the option to send a DNA scale sample from their lunker bass to TPWD biologists for genetic analysis. Anglers who contribute a sample to the program will receive a Lew’s baitcasting reel while supplies last, with a limit of one reel per angler. Instructions for submitting DNA samples are located on the Toyota ShareLunker website.
TPWD and the Toyota ShareLunker program are once again partnering with AFTCO on the AFTCO Guide of the Year award for the 2026 ShareLunker season. The AFTCO Guide of the Year award recognizes a fishing guide who contributes to conservation and enhancement of largemouth bass in Texas.
The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible in part by the generous title sponsorship of Toyota. Toyota is a longtime supporter of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and TPWD, providing major funding for a wide variety of fisheries, state parks and wildlife projects.
Additional vital program support comes from Legend Class category prize sponsor Lew’s, Elite Class category prize sponsor Strike King, Lunker Class category prize sponsor Bass Pro Shops, AFTCO, Bass Forecast, Bass University and Lake Fork Taxidermy.
For updates on the Toyota ShareLunker Program, visit facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram/, https://www.instagram.com/TexasShareLunker/ or TexasSharelunker.com.
