O.H. Ivie Lands First Legacy Class Largemouth Bass of 2025

O.H. IVIE – It didn’t take long for the first Legacy Class largemouth bass of the 2025 Toyota ShareLunker collection season to land in an angler’s boat. It was also fitting that the fish came from O.H. Ivie, the reigning lake champion for each of the past four collection seasons.

Brady Stanford of Millersview reeled in a 13.13-pound ShareLunker 670 on Thursday night to kick off the collection season on just its second day. O.H. Ivie has amassed 53 Legacy Class ShareLunkers over the past five collection seasons with Stanford’s fish bumping the total to 54. 

“The new Toyota ShareLunker season sparks excitement as anglers hope to catch a trophy bass and contribute to Texas' world-class fisheries,” said Natalie Goldstrohm, Toyota ShareLunker program coordinator. “We're eager to see what fish are caught and what milestones are achieved this year.”

Stanford fished with his father in the morning but stayed on the lake on his own for the afternoon, checking a few different spots and then heading over to some areas that he knew had big fish lurking under the water.

“I pulled up to one of the spots and within five minutes I had the fish on,” said Stanford. “As soon as I got her in the boat, I knew she was going to be at least 13 pounds. I weighed her and the fish was a little over 13 pounds on my scale, so I called Concho Marina and let them know I needed to use their certified scale. We weighed the fish and then called TPWD to collect her.”

ShareLunker 670 is the second Legacy Class fish submitted by Stanford. His first came on Jan. 23, 2022, with a 15.03-pound ShareLunker 613 at O.H. Ivie. He has also had three clients catch Legacy Class lunkers in the past two years.

“I’ve been through and have seen the process to submit a Legacy Class a few times before and each time I’ve been impressed about how easy it is to get ahold of TPWD to submit the fish,” said Stanford. “They help walk you through every step of the process and are there within an hour or hour and a half to get the fish, provide care and transport it to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC). They answer any questions I have right away and it’s always impressive to see the program firsthand.”

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 the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the ShareLunker selective breeding and stocking program. These anglers can call the ShareLunker hotline at (903) 681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 through March 31, 2025.

Anglers must weigh their potential Legacy Class fish on a certified scale. A list of official weigh stations can be found on the ShareLunker Official Weigh and Holding Stations website. Stanford used the certified scale at Concho Park Marina to weigh ShareLunker 670.

Anglers that catch and loan 13-plus pound lunkers earn Legacy Class status, receive a catch kit filled with merchandise, 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, ShareLunker branded apparel provided by AFTCO, and Bass University will provide a swag pack and annual subscription. 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 provides vital data to TPWD fisheries biologists, helping them continue to create bigger, better 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 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 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 researchers for genetic analysis. Anglers who contribute a sample to the program will receive a Lew’s baitcast reel valued at up to $200 while supplies last, with a limit of one reel per angler. Anglers who send in a genetic sample will also get a three-month subscription to Bass University. Instructions for submitting DNA samples are located on the Toyota ShareLunker website.

The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible in part by the generous 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.