January 1 marked the beginning of another New Year and the start of another Toyota ShareLunker Legacy Lunker collection season.
Legacy Lunkers are Texas- caught female largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more that are reeled in between Jan. 1 March 31 and subsequently loaned to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for selective breeding and stocking. Healthy fish are transported to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens in a special hatchery truck for spawning in hatchery raceways. Most are later returned to their respective lakes.
Each fish is genetically tested to determine the roots of its DNA. Those with pure Florida genes are kept separate from intergrades (Florida/ northern strain cross). Scientists believe Florida bass are genetically superior to intergrades.
