Angler Makes Colossal Catch of Monster Bass on Lake Nacogdoches
Have you ever used a 6th Sense Provoke Deep Diver bait to catch a bass?
Not to sound like an advertisement, but that's exactly what Jack York of Emory, Texas used to land the latest ShareLunker in the 2023 season. With a weight of 13.51 pounds, this bass puts York into the rare Legacy Class of 13 pounds or better.
(Jack also knows the best way to hold the fish for the camera so that it looks to be twice its size)
York caught ShareLunker 634 Monday, January 23, while fishing on Lake Nacogdoches. He started fishing in the morning and landed several nice fish. Later, he tried his luck in some deeper water, about 15 feet.
“I was using a 6th Sense Provoke Deep Diver bait and cast it way over her and called her up off the bottom,” said York. “Nacogdoches has a lot of big fish, and it was an awesome experience to be able to land one of this size out here. I have caught a bunch of 10-, 11-, and a 12-pound fish but to catch a 13-plus pounder to record a new personal best was exciting.”
York’s catch was certified at 13.51 pounds and is the second overall Legacy Class fish donated to the program this year. Nacogdoches has now produced a Legacy Class fish in three of the last four collection seasons.
“It is great to see Texas reservoirs like Lake Nacogdoches producing Legacy Class Lunkers in back-to-back years,” said Natalie Goldstrohm, ShareLunker Program Coordinator. “We will be performing genetic testing on ShareLunker 634, and it will be interesting to find out if she has any relation to the other Lunker bass caught from Lake Nacogdoches in previous years.”
Nacogdoches boasts six total Legacy Lunkers dating back to 1996. Kellie Renfro of Lufkin landed a 13.27-pound ShareLunker 628 in 2022;
Joe Castle’s 15.34-pound ShareLunker 583, caught in 2020, holds the current lake record.
During the first three months of the season (January through March), anglers who reel in a 13-plus pound bass can loan it to TPWD for the ShareLunker selective breeding and stocking program. These anglers call the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 through March 31.
Anglers who catch and donate one of these 13-plus pound Lunkers earn Legacy Class status, a catch kit filled with merchandise, a 13-plus pound Legacy decal for their vehicle or boat, VIP access to the Toyota ShareLunker Annual Awards event and a high-quality replica mount of their Lunker fish from Lake Fork Taxidermy. These anglers will also receive entries into two separate contests — a Legacy Class drawing and the year-end Grand Prize drawing. First place in either wins a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree and a resident (or non-resident) annual fishing license.
For updates on the Toyota ShareLunker program, visit facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram/, @texassharelunker on Instagram and online at TexasSharelunker.com.