February 4, 2026 - The 2025 Toyota ShareLunker season rewrote the record books again thanks to 469 anglers who entered a record 1,071 lunker largemouth bass into the program throughout the year from 93 Texas public waterbodies.
The total included 714 in the Bass Pro Shops Lunker Class (weighing between 8 and 9.99 pounds or at least 24 inches), 335 Strike King Elite Class (weighing 10 to 12.99 pounds), 14 Legacy Class (weighing 13 pounds or more and caught between Jan. 1 and March 31) and eight Lew’s Legend Class Lunkers that were 13 pounds or more caught outside the collection season.
These entries provided valuable data to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists across Texas in their ongoing efforts to manage largemouth bass populations. Anglers also submitted 201 DNA samples from their catches in 2025. The samples enable TPWD biologists to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
In 2025, there were several notable findings from the DNA analysis.
The 14.78-pound Legacy Class ShareLunker 674 caught by Ross Gomez at Alan Henry was a recapture of Legacy Class ShareLunker 641 from Alan Henry in 2023, also submitted by Ross. This is the first time in program history that the same angler caught the same fish twice in public waters.
In addition, a 10.20-pound Strike King Elite ShareLunker caught by Gary Ripkowski at Bois d’Arc Lake is a direct offspring of Legacy Class ShareLunker 596 caught by Josh Jones in 2021 at O.H. Ivie. The fish was spawned at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC), so TPWD biologists know the fish from Bois d’Arc Lake is four years old, which demonstrates a tremendous growth rate.
In addition to helping produce bigger, better bass for Texas lakes, anglers who enter their big bass catches in the program receive special recognition and prizes, including an entry into a year-end drawing to win a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree.
“We thank everyone who contributed their lunker bass and genetic samples to the Toyota ShareLunker program,” said Natalie Goldstrohm, Toyota ShareLunker coordinator. “The 2025 ShareLunker season has officially wrapped up, and we’re thrilled to celebrate it with the year-end grand prize drawing. We’re excited to announce that Jennifer Fisher’s catch was randomly selected as the winner among all eligible 2025 entries, earning a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree. Don’t miss your chance—submit your lunker bass through the ShareLunker app or website for the 2026 season and help us continue building Bigger, Better Bass in Texas!”
Fisher reeled in her 9.85-pound Bass Pro Shops Lunker Class fish on March 20 at Joe Pool Reservoir in the Fort Worth area. Fisher is from Phoenix, Arizona, and traveled to Texas to fish and attend the Bassmaster Classic. In the final minutes of her fishing trip, she landed her fish, which was a new personal best.
“My husband and I travel every year to the Bassmaster Classic wherever it’s held and we hire a guide to take us out on a local lake to go fishing,” said Fisher. “We set up a trip with guide Gilbert Miller to fish at Joe Pool on that Thursday and it started off as a cold and chilly day. The day was going good and we were catching 1-and 2-pounders, but that evening we had dinner reservations, so we had to be off the lake at a certain time.”
Time was winding down for Fisher, so they trolled around and looked for a new spot. Right before the catch she only had five minutes left to fish before they had to head back to the dock.
“I had my line in the water and Gilbert was cleaning up the boat and then I got the bite,” said Fisher. “When I brought the reel up, I knew it was a large fish and I’m fighting this fish around the back of the boat. I finally got it to the side of the boat and brought this fish in, and I’d never seen eyes this big on a fish. We weighed it, measured it, took photos of everything and Gilbert said Jennifer you need to submit this to the ShareLunker program.”
Being from Arizona, Fisher hadn’t heard of the Toyota ShareLunker program prior to her visit to Texas.
“I submitted the fish and received my ShareLunker hat, which I wear all the time, the stickers and items from the catch kit,” added Fisher. “I was in shock when I found out I had won the drawing and at first did not believe it until I saw the ShareLunker email from Natalie and realized this is real. I also want to say a big thank you to our guide Gilbert because had it not been for him, his boat, availability and getting me to that spot I would never have caught this fish. The ShareLunker program is awesome, and I hope to come back to Texas and catch an even bigger fish.”
Fisher wasn’t the only angler to have a memorable experience with the Toyota ShareLunker Program. Christian Gladfelter of Abilene entered a season high 112 catches followed by Larence Lee of Tolar with 94 entries.
The largest fish of the 2025 season was submitted on April 2 by Cullie Belveal of Lindsay, Okla. His 16.39-pound Lew’s Legend Class ShareLunker was reeled in at O.H. Ivie and became the 19th heaviest largemouth bass in Texas history. This fish was a recapture of Shawn Strength’s Lew’s Legend Class entry on Nov. 15, 2023, which at the time weighed 16.65 pounds and was the 13th largest in Texas history.
J.B. Thomas led all waterbodies with 442 entries during the 2025 season followed by Lake Fork (104), Toledo Bend (89), O.H. Ivie (52) and Lake Conroe (24) to round out the top five. The complete list of 2025 entries can be viewed on the Toyota ShareLunker archives page.
“The 40th anniversary season has arrived! After an epic 2025, we’re ready to see Texas anglers make history in 2026,” said Goldstrohm.
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 the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 through March 31, 2026.
Anglers must weigh their potential Legacy Class fish on a certified scale. 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 to TPWD fisheries biologists, helping them continue to create bigger, better 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 researchers for genetic analysis. Anglers who contribute a sample to the program will receive a Lew’s 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.
