AGFC Celebrates Homecoming for Legacy Lunker Largemouth Bass

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s hatchery and Black Bass Program staff returned 18 healthy, double-digit largemouth bass to lakes across Arkansas in May, marking one of the final steps in the official inaugural year of the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program.

The fish, donated by Arkansas anglers from January through March, were held at the newly renovated Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke. There, they enjoyed quiet days and nights with little competition for food or space in raceways segregated by their home watersheds. They remained at the hatchery to spawn with specially selected Titan Maxx Florida bass from Red Hills Fishery in Georgia to maximize the growth potential of their offspring.

“It’s just a really cool program,” Jeremy Risley, AGFC Black Bass Program Coordinator, said. “We’re taking female fish that are proven to grow to trophy size in Arkansas waters and matching them up with males that have the markers to create trophy offspring. By working with Red Hills, we’re cutting years off the development of our trophy bass genetics program.”

Will Lancett, Legacy Lunker Program Coordinator, said 14 of the 18 anglers were able to attend the release of their fish.

“That was really neat,” Lancett said. “Almost all of the anglers were able to place their fish in the exact spot they came from—not just the same lake, but the same spot. A few even brought friends and family to be a part of the release. Brady Smith, who caught the final fish of the collection period, said, ‘Most people get a once-in-a-lifetime experience to catch a double-digit fish, but returning that fish is an even better feeling. I get to see her again for one more look before she swims away.’”

Lancett noted that all of the fish were healthy when returned, having fully recovered from both their initial capture and the spawning season. Hatchery staff maximized the results of the spawn while keeping the health of the fish as the top priority.

“If we had two or three fish from one lake, then we let them stay in the same raceway, but we maintained separation by watershed for spawning and to prevent spreading anything when the fish were returned,” Lancett said. “The Ouachita and Hamilton fish, for instance, did very well in a raceway together, but the fish from Atkins and Monticello had spaces all to themselves.”

Lancett said the fish received a thorough health check and were treated for any external parasites when they arrived at the facility, and hatchery staff kept a daily eye on them throughout their stay.

“Most of the fish looked really good when we released them, and about half of them had even gained some weight from the time they were caught.“

AGFC Fisheries Chief Tommy Laird said he couldn’t be more proud of the collaboration between  Lonoke hatchery staff, regional fisheries biologists and the Black Bass Program for this generational project to improve Arkansas’s bass fisheries.

“You could almost hear a cheer at AGFC Headquarters in Little Rock when we received word that the last of the fish collected from January through March was swimming in her old home again,” Laird said. “A couple of these fish had lived at the Joe Hogan Hatchery since the second week of January. They were treated to exceptional care by hatchery staff during their stay, but I’m sure there’s no place like home.”

The final piece of the Legacy Lunker Program is currently in progress, as hundreds of thousands of eggs have hatched, creating offspring that will be stocked in Arkansas lakes soon.

Lancett is also looking forward to the end-of-year Legacy Lunker Banquet, which will take place Oct. 29, at the North Little Rock Event Center. At the banquet, all participating anglers will receive high-quality replicas of their fish, courtesy of Harper’s Pure Country Taxidermy and the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. More information on the banquet and how to be a part of this groundbreaking event is available at https://onecau.se/lunker.

“It’s going to be a public event to celebrate bass fishing in Arkansas as well as these incredible anglers,” Lancett said. “The highlight of the night will be the drawing for the fully rigged 21-foot Xpress Boat donated by Xpress Boats of Hot Springs. Anglers who turned in a Legacy Lunker fish will be eligible for that drawing, and we’ll have other great gear from PRADCO, AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops and other sponsors to hand out. Keep an eye out for the announcement as we finalize details of the event.”

The buzz around the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program and other outdoor recreation-based efforts in Arkansas has attracted the attention of many organizations reaching out to become sponsors. Arkansas Chevy Dealers have doubled down on their investment in the outdoors, sponsoring the Legacy Lunker Program as well as offering financial support for fishing derbies and outreach efforts through the AGFC Education Division.

Visit www.agfc.com/legacylunker for more information on the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program, including details of each catch from the inaugural season.

####

CUTLINES:

FISH NEAR WATER
Brady Smith, who caught the last Legacy Lunker of the season, was one of 14 anglers able to be present during the release of their fish back to the spot where it was caught. AGFC photo.

YOUTH WITH BASS
Bennett Bullard holds his Ouachita Legacy Lunker before releasing it back to the lake. Ouachita produced three fish for the Legacy Lunker program in 2026. AGFC photo.

BASS INSPECTION
Joe Hogan Hatchery Biologist Dylan Stockman prepares Legacy Lunker Number 14 for her return to Lake Hamilton. She was caught and released by Michael Elmore. AGFC photo.

RELEASE
AGFC Fisheries Supervisor Dylan Hann releases Legacy Lunker Number 4, which was caught by Jeff Pate, back into Millwood Lake.