The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission returned 18 largemouth bass weighing in at double-digit pounds to lakes across the state in May, marking the conclusion of the first year of the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program, officials said.
The fish were originally caught by Arkansas anglers between January and March and donated to the program. They were then held at the renovated Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke, where staff maintained the fish in controlled raceways separated by watershed to support health and spawning management.
While at the hatchery, biologists paired the donated female bass—selected for their trophy-size growth traits in Arkansas waters—with male Florida-strain bass sourced from Red Hills Fishery in Georgia. Officials said the breeding strategy is designed to improve genetic potential for larger fish in future Arkansas populations.
AGFC Black Bass Program staff said the approach is intended to accelerate development of trophy bass genetics in state waters by combining proven large-growing fish with selectively sourced broodstock.
Officials said all 18 fish were evaluated for health during their time at the facility, treated for external parasites when necessary, and in some cases gained weight while in hatchery care. After spawning activities concluded, the bass were returned to the same lakes and, in many cases, the same locations where they were originally caught.
Program coordinators said 14 of the 18 anglers were present for the releases, with some returning fish alongside family members and friends. Officials said the return process was designed to allow anglers to release their fish directly back into their home waters.
The AGFC said the fish were monitored throughout their time at the hatchery and maintained in conditions intended to minimize stress while preventing disease transmission between water systems.
Fisheries staff said hundreds of thousands of eggs produced through the program have already hatched, with offspring expected to be stocked in Arkansas lakes in the future as part of ongoing management efforts.
Commission officials described the program as a collaborative effort between hatchery staff, regional fisheries biologists and black bass specialists aimed at improving trophy bass fishing opportunities statewide.
A year-end Legacy Lunker banquet is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the North Little Rock Event Center, where participating anglers will receive replicas of their fish and take part in prize drawings, including a boat donated by sponsors.
Officials said interest in the program has drawn additional sponsorship support from outdoor industry partners and organizations involved in fisheries outreach and education programs across Arkansas.
