Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program Adds Nearly 300,000 ‘Lunkerlings’ to AGFC Bass Stockings

“We based the number of lunkerlings stocked on the number of Legacy Lunkers the lake yielded, which boiled down to about 15,000 fingerlings per lunker donated at that lake,” Lancett said. “The exception is Lake Austell. To ensure our stocking program is as effective as possible, we adjusted the number of fish stocked there to match the lake’s smaller size. It would not make biological sense to stock the same number of lunkerlings in Lake Austell as in a much larger waterbody like Lake Ouachita, even if the donations were equal. By stocking at the right density, we ensure the fish have plenty of forage to grow into future Legacy Lunkers.”

The 50,000 “bonus fish” went to other bodies of water, primarily in southern Arkansas that were already slated to receive Florida Bass stockings.

“In total, nine additional lakes apart from the donation lakes received some of the 50,000 ‘bonus fish,’” Lancett said. “Those were Bear Creek Lake, Cane Creek Lake, Grand Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Lake Chicot, Lake Wallace, Wilson Brake Lake and Coal Pile and Merrisach Lake on the Arkansas River.”

The Arkansas Legacy Lunker program will wrap up its 2026 campaign with the end-of-year Legacy Lunker Banquet, which will take place Oct. 29, at the North Little Rock Event Center. At the banquet, all anglers who donated fish for the spawning effort will receive high-quality replicas of their fish, courtesy of Harper’s Pure Country Taxidermy and the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. The highlight of the evening will be the drawing for a fully rigged 21-foot Xpress Boat donated by Xpress Boats of Hot Springs to go home with one of the anglers who donated a Legacy Lunker. Gear and prizes from sponsors such as PRADCO, AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops and Arkansas Chevy Truck Dealers also will be available at the event. More information on the banquet and how to be a part of this groundbreaking event is available at https://onecau.se/lunker.

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