— Fish lightning struck twice Sunday, 10 minutes and 500 miles apart.

    Robert Laird, Sr., of Livingston set the hook on a 13.19-pound fish that is now Toyota ShareLunker 480 according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) reports.

   “Laird was fishing in six to eight feet of water beside the U.S. 190 bridge across Lake Livingston. He was using a Bagley crankbait. His fish was held for pickup in a minnow tank at Kickapoo Bait and Tackle in Onalaska.

Laird’s fish is the first ShareLunker entered from Lake Livingston and is the new lake record.”

   The fish also was the big fish in the Polk County Bass Club tournament Laird was fishing in and helped him win. The fish bested the previous record of 12.45 pounds caught Feb. 16, 1987.

    Lake Livingston is not known as a big bass lake, and some of Laird’s friends doubted him when he said he had a fish over 10 pounds to weigh in.

    "They didn’t want to believe me on Lake Livingston," he said.

    "When I pulled her out of the bag, all their eyes flew open."

    Fishing on Lake Amistad, Robert Robles of Del Rio caught Toyota ShareLunker 479, a 13.5-pound bass at almost the same time as Laird, TPWD reported.

    Robles was fishing in about 30 feet of water in Evans Creek using an Amistad Tackle Flutter Spoon. His fish was weighed and held for pickup at Angler’s Lodge, an official Toyota ShareLunker Weigh and Holding Station certified by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to care for big bass.

    Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between Oct. 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at 903-681-0550 or paging him at 888-784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code.

    Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours.

    Now onto the report…

    North Sabine---Waders are still taking a few nice trout along the Louisiana shoreline and around the islands on slow-sinking plastics and Catch 2000s. Reds remain fair in the bayous on shrimp and soft plastics. Flounder fishing has improved slightly with a few more fish moving in.

    South Sabine---Redfish remain fair around drop-offs on live bait and dead shrimp. Very few reports of trout.

    Sabine Pass---The jetties are good for sheepshead on shrimp fished under a popping cork and on a light jigheads fished near the rocks. Black drum are fair to good on crab and dead shrimp.

    Sabine River---Redfish are good in Black’s Bayou on live and cut mullet. Flounder are fair on jigs tipped with shrimp fished along the mouth of the bayous.

    Calcasieu (Big Lake )---The Hackberry Rod and Gun Club reports scattered catches of reds and specks over shell. Trout are fair over mud flats near the ship channel on slow sinkers. Flounder are slowly starting to trickle in.

    Sam Rayburn---Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials report largemouths are fair on tequila sunrise and pumpkinseed soft plastics. White bass are fair on live minnows and watermelon spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Catfish are fair on frozen shrimp, live minnows, and stinkbait.

    Toledo Bend---Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials report largemouths are fair on watermelon and June bug soft plastics, and on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are fair on live minnows, frozen shrimp, liver, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

TOLEDO BEND: Normal Pool Level: 172.0 Current Pool Level: 171.26 Was 169.69

RAYBURN LAKE: Normal Pool Level: 164 Current Pool Level: 164.30 Was: 163.13

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Normal Pool Level: 85 Current Pool Level: 81.17 Was: 81.57

Chester Moore, Jr. is The News Outdoors Editor