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 Feb. 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.”
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