Monster largemouths are hard to come by, which is what makes catching them such a thrilling experience. For most anglers, reeling in a lunker over 13 pounds is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Doing it more than once is proof of some serious fishing prowess. But crappie angler Ross Gomez completely defied the odds when he caught the same Texas trophy largemouth bass, not just once, but twice from the same spot two years apart.
In February 2023, Gomez landed a 13.22-pound largemouth bass while fishing Lake Alan Henry Reservoir, near Lubbock, Texas. Two years later, on Feb. 12, 2025, Gomez caught another massive bucketmouth from the same dock, this one weighing 14.78 pounds.
“I was actually standing in the same exact spot on the dock that I caught the fish the first time,” Gomez tells Outdoor Life.
With the wind howling and the fog moving in, Gomez says the weather was far from ideal. The day was a lot like the first time he caught the big largemouth when the wind blew hard out of the north and the wind chill dipped to 25 degrees. Both days, Gomez had the water all to himself.
“You can’t catch them unless you’re casting that rod. In my experience, some of the worst days are the best fishing days,” Gomez says. “My advice is don’t let the weather dictate when you’re going to go fishing. As long as you’re safe, just get out there and do it.”
Gomez wasn’t even targeting largemouths either time. Gomez, an avid crappie angler, was tossing a green and white paddle tail, hoping to catch a few panfish. He dropped his Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder in the water to see where the crappie were sitting.
“When I put it in the water, there was nothing on the screen. Like, nothing at all. But I figured I was out there, so I might as well give it a shot,” Gomez says. “I threw that paddle tail about three or four times, and she hit the bait. I felt this steady pressure, almost like when you get snagged. Then she started taking line.”
With only 8-pound line and a 5-foot crappie rod, Gomez had to adjust the drag and let the fish tire. He also forgot his net that morning, so when he finally got it in close to the dock, he had to perform some gymnastics to get the fish out of the water without snapping his gear.
“I laid on my left side and held my rod above my head. I angled it back toward my feet so that I could get her closer,” Gomez says. “Then I struggled with my left hand, which was hard because I am not left-handed, to try and grab her. She finally came across perfect, and I was able to reach down and and pick her up.”
His two impressive catches make Gomez a two-time member of the Toyota ShareLunker program’s Legacy Class, which recognizes anglers in the Lone Star State who catch trophy largemouth bass that weigh at least 13 pounds between January and March of each year. Legacy Class members also loan their catches to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for spawning season. Launched in 1986, the ShareLunker program borrows and breeds the biggest bass caught in the state to beef up the Lone Star largemouth genetics.
Shortly after Gomez submitted his 2025 lunker, TPWD confirmed through genetic testing that his most recent catch (ShareLunker 674) was the same fish he submitted in 2023 (ShareLunker 641).
As part of the program, TPWD will gift Gomez a replica of his catch, which he plans to hang on the wall next to his 2023 replica of the same fish. Meanwhile, ShareLunker 674 is spending another breeding season at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center before being released back into Lake Alan Henry Reservoir. Hopefully, TPWD will also release thousands of her fry into Texas waterways.
Gomez’s Texas trophy largemouth spawned 33,649 fingerlings in 2023, according to a TPWD press release. After its initial stay at the fisheries center, TPWD released the fish more than 3 miles from the dock where Gomez hooked it.
“This catch is a testament to the great fish care TPWD provides at our hatchery, ensuring these Legacy bass remain healthy so they can be returned to the reservoir,” Toyota ShareLunker program coordinator Natalie Goldstrohm said in a statement. “It’s incredible to see her caught again — proof that our efforts give other anglers a chance at landing a fish of a lifetime, sometimes even the same fish twice.”
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Gomez says his ShareLunker catches may have converted him to bass fishing. He and his wife recently bought two Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot 120 kayaks.
“I’m looking to upgrade from dock fishing, but I’m not quite ready to move to a boat yet,” Gomez says. “I figure it’s time to get out there and start doing some real fishing.”
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