Timothy J. Bister

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) began the ShareLunker program (currently sponsored by Toyota) in 1986 to promote public involvement in the management of trophy largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; LMB) fisheries in Texas. The program provides anglers an opportunity to donate trophy LMB (≥ 5.9 kg) to a selective breeding and stocking program managed by TPWD, with the goal of increasing the production of trophy-sized fish in Texas reservoirs. Although the program was known to be successful at promoting trophy LMB fishing in Texas, it was not known whether selective breeding...

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) die-offs attributed to largemouth bass virus (LMBV) occurred during 1998 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir and 1999 at Lake Fork, Texas. We assessed largemouth bass electrofishing catch per unit effort (CPUE), mean length at age 3, relative weight (Wr), and angling success before (pre-LMBV) and after (post-LMBV) fish kill periods to address concerns that LMBV had negatively impacted the largemouth bass populations and fisheries at these two popular Texas reservoirs. There was no decline in angling catch rates, mean length at age 3, or Wr in the post-LMBV...

We compared relative abundance, size distribution, growth, and harvest of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) before and after implementation of a 178-mm minimum length limit at 144-ha Purtis Creek State Park Lake (PCSPL), Texas. Relative abundance [catch/hour of electrofishing (CPUE)] was significantly lower in post-regulation years (1993-1995, 243/hour) than in pre-regulation years (1990-1992, 520/hour). However, this decline was likely more attributed to recruitment patterns than to regulation effects. There was no significant difference (P = 0.18) between pre- and post-regulation bluegill...