Guide James Caldemeyer had two clients with him and they found the big fish at the surface struggling to survive. James netted the fish and called Lake Fork Tackle that they were coming in with it. They got in and fizzed the fish, called TP&W. David Campbell came to get the fish and asked who caught it and all three stated that they did. James told David what had happened and after checking with the local game wardens the hatchery accepted the fish. If it proves to be a pure Florida they will spawn it and later release it back into Fork.

Congratulations to James and both of his clients for saving this fish. It is doing well and noone seems to know why it had stressed. Good job on the saving of a trophy fish and great job for doing the right thing. It would have been easy for someone to claim catching that fish. but they did the right thing.

I was at Lake Fork Marina when they brought that monster in