Solomon: NFL not walking its talk when it comes to Deshaun Watson case Wright said the lake is generally about 85 percent Florida strain genetics. When the water level is adequate, TPWD stocks the lake heavily with Florida strain largemouth bass. Ivie is strong, another reason anglers witnessed a perfect storm this year. The genetic quality of the largemouth bass population in O.H. This equipment helped anglers find big fish in 20 feet of water early in the season. Improved sonar technology, such as the Garmin Panoptix LiveScope, was another component that contributed to the fast start on O.H. The carp die-off was only short term, but did help the bass, Wright said. The sick, lethargic carp were easy targets for the largemouths, and fisheries biologists found carp tails sticking out of bass mouths while sampling the lake. A virus swept through the lake’s common carp population in October 2020, which was advantageous for the bass. Other factors played into the spectacular season on O.H. I think ultimately that culminated in what we saw this spring.” “There was so much space and so much food from 2018 to now, those fish had pretty much unlimited food and space and were growing like crazy. “So, it was basically a brand-new reservoir,” said Lynn Wright, a district fisheries supervisor for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The once-exposed vegetation and flush of floodwater nutrients created ample habitat for bass. The lake rose nearly 30 feet and expanded to 15,000 surface acres. From 2010-2018, the lake averaged about 5,000 surface acres and was below 15 percent capacity for a while.Ī rainy Fall 2018 began to turn things around, and the water level continued to rise through the spring of 2019. The major drought that began in 2010, though, was a detriment. Ivie filled up after its impoundment, then receded from the late 90s until about 2005, and a few wet years mixed in bolstered the lake. It is a relatively young lake, impounded in 1990. Ivie, which is on the Colorado and Concho rivers and about 55 miles east of San Angelo, has been subject to extreme water-level fluctuations, typical of many West Texas waterbodies. Ivie can primarily be attributed to a favorable water level. Ivie, Windham and Denison’s fish were not taken to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

It was pretty surreal.”īecause 10 ShareLunkers had already been donated from O.H. I mean the fact that two friends from the same town, local guys, finally catching big fish like that over there. “It’s the best lake by far that I’ve ever fished.” It’s just an unbelievable lake,” Denison said. When he got her in the boat, he had ShareLunker No. “I’ve never had a fish fight like that before.” “When I set the hook, she went crazy,” said Denison. Denison’s Power Tackle rod was doubled over. He said he saw the fish in the clear water but never saw her move to bite. Only a few hours later, and within 300 yards of where Windham caught his, Denison hooked into a Legacy Lunker while fishing with his son, Cameron.ĭenison returned to where he saw a big fish earlier in the day and tossed in a swimbait. Windham was able to wrestle the bass back and landed her. A 13.65-pound bass hammered it and took off straight for a tree. Windham chunked a Strike King Rage Bug into about six to eight feet of water. They forgot the net in the rod box, a sure-fire way to ensure they’d need it. Windham, a veterinarian in Brownwood, was the first to catch the bass of his life while with his fishing partner, David Duncan. And they both chose to head to the locals’ favorite lake on a gorgeous, sunny day with little wind and big potential.Īnglers Josh Jones, left, and Brett Cannon, right, with ShareLunkers caught at Lake O.H. They both suffer the same affliction: A bass fishing addiction. Windham and Denison started fishing together in high school and have maintained a friendship ever since. Jeff Windham and Greg Denison both grew up in Brownwood and Windham and Denison’s brother, who was also out on the lake that day, played basketball together. Ivie’s last two Legacy bass of the collection season. This time, two childhood friends would catch O.H. Later that day, Weatherford’s Jim Smith would pull No. The lake even delivered the ShareLunker program’s 600 th Legacy milestone on March 14, when San Angelo’s Jason Gaston caught a 13.76-pounder. Ivie was so prolific this season that there were days multiple Legacy Lunkers were hauled from the reservoir. A total of 23 Legacy Lunkers were registered during the collection season, the most since 36 in 1995. Ivie helped carry one of Texas’ best ShareLunker seasons ever.

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