Hords Creek Vaults Onto ShareLunker Stage, J.B. Thomas Returns to the Spotlight

Hords Creek Vaults Onto ShareLunker Stage, J.B. Thomas Returns to the Spotlight

Feb. 20, 2026

Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030

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ATHENS - Hords Creek Reservoir just west of Coleman became the 80th waterbody in Texas to produce a Legacy Class ShareLunker entry on Wednesday (Feb. 11), followed by J.B. Thomas with its first Legacy Class Bass of the 2026 collection season on Thursday night (Feb. 12). The Toyota ShareLunker program is a cornerstone of Texas Parks and Wildlife's (TPWD) efforts to grow bigger, better bass.

Wendell Ramsey Sr. of San Angelo put Hords Creek on the board with 13.76-pound ShareLunker 688 which is also the new lake record. Ramsey Sr. is no stranger to the Toyota ShareLunker program, having reeled in 14.92-pound ShareLunker 610 from O.H. Ivie on Jan. 8, 2022.

Brandon Burks of Stephenville landed 13.16-pound ShareLunker 689, his first Legacy Class fish after previously submitting multiple fish through the ShareLunker app that were at least eight pounds or 24 inches. Brandon was right there with his dad, Donald Burks of Weatherford, when Donald landed the incredible 13.40-pound ShareLunker 592 on Feb. 23, 2021, at O.H. Ivie.

"This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Toyota ShareLunker program, and Wendell Ramsey Sr's incredible catch is proof that decades of dedication by TPWD teams are paying off-more big fish for anglers to enjoy," said Natalie Goldstrohm, TPWD coordinator for the Toyota ShareLunker program. "This program has played a key role in creating and sustaining big bass fisheries in Texas and this catch marks the 80th public reservoir to produce a Legacy Class ShareLunker in Texas. While some lakes such as J.B. Thomas are known for giant bass year after year, this is a great reminder that your favorite reservoir could hold a 13-pounder waiting to be caught and entered."

Ramsey Sr. headed to Hords Creek with a couple of long-time friends and clients to change things up a bit. He had caught a couple of nice-size largemouth bass from there a week before, so he decided to give it a shot again on Wednesday morning.

"The clouds were dissipating so we just put the boat in and idled just a quarter of a mile across the lake on a select long flat tapering point in eight to 12 feet of water," said Ramsey Sr. "I selected an umbrella rig with 3.2-inch rage till swimmers in Shad pattern. The fish out in front of us seemed to be chasing gizzard shad or some type of bait fish. We caught a couple of four pounders out of this group of fish that we were seeing on the livescope."

Ramsey Sr. then turned the livescope to the right and saw what appeared to be some bigger fish. He then went to work on getting a bite.

"I threw the umbrella rig about 65 feet out, let it go down about eight feet and started slowly rolling it," said Ramsey Sr. "One of the fish moved up behind but was gradually following it. When I got past the third fish on the bottom, it passed the other fish and quickly grabbed it. I set the hook hard and I knew it was a good fish. As it was fighting and pulling out the line, I knew it was at least eight to nine pounds. When it got to within about 20 feet of the boat and saw the fish, I quickly knew we had a big one. My longtime friend Blake scooped the fish up in the net and after really getting a good eye on it, we realized that this could be a 13-pound bass."

Ramsey Sr. quickly put the fish on his scale, and it weighed in at 13.75 pounds. They made the call to the Toyota ShareLunker program to report the catch and get the official certified weight.

"This is the second fish I've been able to weigh, with my first one over at O.H. Ivie which weighed 14.92-pounds in 2021," said Ramsey Sr. "I can't say enough about the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's ShareLunker program. Having the DNA from these fish all over the state is fascinating."

Ramsey Sr's pending record largemouth bass would eclipse Gary Comedy's record of 12.96 pounds which was set on March 19, 2011. The biggest largemouth bass catch submitted to the Toyota ShareLunker program from Hords Creek was an 11.68-pound Strike King Elite Class fish caught by angler Derric Nichols of Tuscola on Oct. 1, 2020.

On Thursday, Burks headed to J.B. Thomas, which has been one of the leading ShareLunker lakes over the past couple of years, in search of his fish of a lifetime.

"It was about 5:45 p.m. when I hooked into that beast of a fish using forward facing sonar and my signature swimjig by spittin image jigs called the ffs sniper jig in storminator pink named after my wife Stormy," said Burks. "She was suspended in about 10 ft of water over 30 ft away. Water was low 50s and extremely stained. Texas produces the biggest bass in the country because of the work Texas Parks and Wildlife puts into these fisheries!"

Once the fish was in the boat, Burks made the call to the Toyota ShareLunker program.

"It's truly amazing that almost any lake around you can have the chance to catch a fish of a lifetime," said Burks. "As a full-time guide, I get to see just how special these waters are every day and being a part of something that helps grow future massive largemouth bass makes it even more special. My dad Donald Burks caught ShareLunker 592 on a trip with me at O.H. Ivie in 2021 and I caught a 12.40 the same day. It's been pedal to the metal ever since then and I can't thank TPWD enough for everything they do to make what I do possible. It has been such a blessing. Texas is loaded with big bass and catching those big bass is my passion!"

J.B. Thomas had a breakout year in 2024 with its first two Legacy Class Sharelunkers, including the lake record and junior waterbody record. The lake had one Legacy Class largemouth bass in 2025 and produced multiple Bass Pro Shops Lunker Class, Strike King Elite Class and Lew's Legends Class entries each of the past two years.

These achievements highlight the success of TPWD's ongoing bass management efforts, which focus on habitat improvement, stocking programs, and genetic research to ensure anglers have opportunities to catch lunker-sized fish for years to come.

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 TPWD on the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 through March 31, 2026.

Legacy Class ShareLunker weights are all verified using a certified scale, but anglers may use a digital scale to get an initial weight to inform the ShareLunker response team. Once the TPWD team arrives, they can take a certified weight on site.

A list of official weigh stations can be found on the ShareLunker Official Weigh and Holding Stations website. B&B Crappie Guide Service and Bait Shop at J.B. Thomas weighed in Burks catch.

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 better manage 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 biologists 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.