So far there has been only one ShareLunker largemouth bass entered in 2015-2016 season, the 13.2 lb fish that was caught in November from Sam Rayburn. The folks at TPWD are forecasting a total catch of 25 fish.
Roy Euber, 51 years old, caught the first ShareLunker, 13.2 lbs., of this season, number 564, Nov. 2.
“I have been fishing Rayburn for a long time and has caught a lot of big fish this year – five over nine, five over 10, a 11, 12 and now a bass over 13 pounds.” He normally fishes the mid lake areas of Rayburn, usually in the bridge area. The fish was certified over 13 pounds at the scales at Jackson Hill Marina.
“I try to fish the areas that don’t have a whole lot of pressure on the fish. Them fish are all over, really, but right now deep brush piles are key locations
I caught Euper by phone as he was fishing on Rayburn. He had a big fish pick up the 10” worm he was fishing with. I could hear the drag on his reel screaming as he fought the fish. “He’s about a five pounder. I thought he was a bigger fish than that,” he said when he netted the fish. That was his second bite of the day. “It was just sitting still while I was talking to you, and he got on it. He picked it up and started running with it.” His favorite worm is a Mann’s Jelly Worm in a black/grape color, but the black/blue tail has caught a lot of fish for him. “I’m thinking tomorrow is probably going to be better, but I have to work tomorrow. Earlier he had a big bass break off in about the same place he caught the big (ShareLunker) fish.
The ShareLunker was caught on a Rebel deep diving, chartreuse/blak crankbait.
He is not a stranger to bass tournaments. “I have won some money here and there. Me and my dad use to fish a lot of them, but he passed away, so I just quit fishing a lot of them now. I’m sure I will get in some more, but I’m just waiting on the right time.
He caught the 13.2 pound fish about 3:15. It was cloudy in the morning, kind of windy, a north wind blowing, and it had started to clear.
In his opinion, does the time of the day make a difference when he ties into a big fish?
“I try to fish most of the cold fronts, before, after, and during. I get a lot of my big fish in bad weather. Most of the fish are caught before the frontal passage and during the front as it comes through. “When the front is coming through, I try to be on the water. When that pressure starts dropping, it seems like they begin biting.”
TPWD’s Toyota ShareLunker program encourages anglers who have caught 13-pound-plus largemouth bass to lend or donate the fish to TPWD for spawning purposes. At the end of spawning season, the ShareLunker will be returned to the angler for live release, or the angler may donate it permanently to the program. Either way, the angler receives a fiberglass replica of the catch made by Lake Fork Taxidermy, ShareLunker clothing, and recognition at an annual awards banquet held at TFFC. In addition, the Texas resident catching the largest entry of the season is awarded a lifetime fishing license.
Euper’s 13.2 pound bass spent just four days in captivity. It was rejected by the program because it did not have pure Florida bass genetics and released back to Euper.