HORSESHOE BAY — While the 1950s and 1960s saw Lake LBJ earn a national reputation for angling, it hasn’t been known for producing “lunker” bass.

That may change now that Horseshoe Bay resident Lloyd Ward caught a 13.7-pound largemouth bass on the reservoir on March 7.

The fish set a new lake record, which broke the previous one in 1989 when Charles Sohne caught a 12.55-pound largemouth.

Ward donated the female bass to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Share-A-Lunker campaign, which will use the fish for its selective breeding program.

The angler told TPWD officials he saw the fish swimming in about 3 feet of water off the bank when he tossed his lure over to it.

“I pitched my jig in front of her, and she swam over and ate it,” he said.

TPWD spokesman Larry Hodge said the bass is the first from Lake LBJ to be accepted by the Share-A-Lunker program.

“We’ve had several from Lake Austin, but that’s the only one I know of from the Highland Lakes chain,” he said. “There have been some caught out of O.H. Ivie and E.V. Spence (reservoirs) who were entered in Share-A-Lunker, but those lakes are further up the Colorado River.”

In order for a largemouth bass to qualify for the selective breeding program, it must weigh more than 13 pounds and have been legally caught between Oct. 1 and April 30.

Hodge said fish turned over to the state under the program are used to produce offspring for stocking in Texas lakes in hopes of creating more large bass.

The program was established in 1986 — under the name Operation Share a Lone Star Lunker — to promote catch-and-release fishing. Anglers could also turn the qualifying bass over to the TPWD for the breeding program.

Hodge said it typically takes eight to 10 years for a bass to hit the 13-pound mark. And it may be even tougher for a Highland Lakes largemouth to get that size. In 2001 and 2002, the parks department stocked more than 650,000 Florida-strain fingerlings in the lake.

TPWD fishery biologist Carlos De Jesus said Lake LBJ and the other Hill Country lakes aren’t known for producing largemouth bass such as the one Ward landed.

“Obviously (Lake LBJ) can produce big fish,” De Jesus said. “It really comes down to habitat. And a lot of the land on Lake LBJ is developed, and the shore has a lot of those (berm) walls. Hill Country lake fish also tend to grow a little slower than in other parts of Texas, such as the lakes in East Texas.”

The Share-A-Lunker program gives TPWD the ability to use fish that grow to large sizes in a breeding program.

“A fish like the one just caught out of Lake LBJ either is a full Florida strain or has some in it,” he said. “The Florida strain were introduced because they grow faster and usually larger than the northern largemouth bass (which are also stocked in Texas lakes). So when we release the (Share-A-Lunker offspring) into a lake, we’re taking advantage of their genetics.”

The hope isn’t just that the stocked fish will grow to trophy size, but also breed with other largemouth bass already in the lake, he said.

Once the spawning season is over, the state will return the fish to Ward for release back into the lake, or the angler can let the TPWD keep it for further breeding. Either way, Ward will get a life-size Fiberglas replica of his trophy catch.

Other local lake records for largemouth include 9.94 pounds for Lake Marble Falls, 11.99 pounds for Inks Lake and 11.2 pounds for Lake Buchanan. The most productive lake in Texas for Share-A-Lunker is Lake Fork located east of Dallas. It accounts for 243 entries of the 485 fish in the program. It also is the home of the state record 18.18-pound largemouth caught by Barry St. Clair on Jan. 24, 1992.

De Jesus said Lake Fork has the combination of all the right ingredients — habitat, forage and lake size — to regularly produce trophy bass. Though Lake LBJ isn’t as famous for huge bass as in earlier years, it still has the potential to produce large fish.

Ward knows that all too well. The day after he landed the 13-plus-pounder, he told TPWD officials it wasn’t the only one.

“I saw two others today that were just as big,” he said.

He’s just not telling exactly where.

For more on Share-A-Lunker, go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

daniel@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — A member of the Economic Development Corp. board can keep his seat, even though he’s running for a spot on the City Council, City Secretary Christina Laine said Thursday.

EDC director John Packer — owner of Alexis Granite — is one of 10 candidates seeking three at-large seats during the May 8 council election.

Packer was appointed to the EDC in 2009.

Laine said she’s received several questions from residents asking for clarification on whether Packer was allowed to remain on the EDC board after announcing his candidacy.

City rules state members of city commissions who wish to run for the council must first resign their seat on the commission before filing for election.

Those rules do not apply to the EDC, which is a corporation under state law, Laine said.

“It falls under a separate set of rules than the city,” she said. “The rules state that a board member can remain on the EDC while running for City Council.”

State law says that up to four council members can sit on an EDC board. Currently councilmen David Ives, Jim Weber and Mike Pilley are members. If elected to the council, Packer could stay on as the fourth council member to sit on the EDC board, Laine said.

Other city commissions have stricter guidelines, Laine said. Parks and Recreation Chairman Richard Lewis resigned his seat on the commission last week, prior to filing for a seat on City Council.

The 10 candidates are seeking at-large council seats currently held by Mayor Pro-Tem Pilley and councilmen Jim Weber and Chris Bridges.

Bridges, 46, is the only current council member seeking re-election, with Weber stepping down due to term limits and Pilley declining to seek another term.

In addition to Weber, health and safety manager Lewis, 38, and business owner Packer, 50, the other candidates are electronics technician Charles “Chuck” Dear, 52; retail manager Reed Norman, 52; retiree and Burnet County Democratic Party Chairman Richard Maddern, 62; merchant Patrick Carter, 57; professional server Brady McAlister, 24; retiree Michael Goff, 68; and attorney Allan Garrett, 35.

chris@thepicayune.com

Video: In the 3-11-2010 newscast on thepicayunetv.com

A 61-year-old Horseshoe Bay woman escaped injury Monday after her 2002 Lexus slammed into a window near the front door of her house in the 1500 Block of Lake Street, officers said. According to a police report, Marilyn Butler said the car just ‘took off’ as she was attempting to park in the garage. The Toyota Motor Corp., which manufactures the Lexus model as well as other autos, has come under fire for mechanical problems including accelerators that stick. Courtesy photo

GRANITE SHOALS — A 19-year-old passenger in a small car died Friday after he was injured the day before in a collision with a Marble Falls Independent School District bus.

Michael Fluty of Granite Shoals was airlifted to Austin’s University Medical Center Brackenridge shortly after the 4 p.m. accident, which tangled rush-hour traffic for miles in both directions on RR 1431 between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals.

Fluty was pronounced dead Friday morning, according to Brackenridge officials.

The vehicle’s driver, identified by police as 17-year-old Mark Cooksey of Granite Shoals, also was taken to Brackenridge, where he was treated and released.

Sgt. Gary Boshears of the Granite Shoals Police Department said Fluty suffered his fatal injuries after the car he was riding in crossed into oncoming traffic around 4 p.m. Thursday.

The car, a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, was headed east when it was involved in a collision with the westbound bus, Boshears said.

"(The car) swerved into oncoming traffic," he said. "We’re still looking into the reason why (it) swerved over."

Seven students riding on the bus were not injured, according to MFISD Superintendent Ryder Warren.

Warren on Thursday praised bus driver Terry Stamey.

"She did a wonderful, wonderful job bringing the bus to a stop following the collision and looking out (after) the collision," Warren said.

Crews from Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. examined the children at the scene before they were loaded into a second bus and taken home, Warren added.

Traffic was backed up for more than an hour as officers with EMS, the Police Department, the Granite Shoals Fire Department, the Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department, the Department of Public Safety and the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office cleared the scene.

Boshears said the accident — which occurred one day before students were released for Spring Break — shows the need for drivers to stay safe.

"We want to make sure people are careful over Spring Break," he said. "There will be a lot of people driving around. This shows the importance of it."

Funeral information for Fluty was not available Friday afternoon. The collision remains under investigation.

chris@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — Students at Marble Falls High School are banding together to help the family of an Avenue P woman who suffered severe burns in an accident at her home Feb. 14.

Maria Ruiz was burning brush in her yard around noon when the flames flashed, igniting her clothing, according to Fire Chief Larry Wright.

The mother of three was taken to San Antonio’s Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, where she’s being treated for third-degree burns.

“She’s been really positive,” daughter Gina Ruiz said Tuesday. “Hopefully she’ll be out of the hospital by Friday.”

Gina Ruiz, a Marble Falls High School senior, has helped care for the family since her mother’s accident, balancing classes with visits to the hospital.

Ruiz and her sister Tiffany, a sophomore, attend classes at the high school.

Another sibling is in fifth grade at Colt Elementary School.

“At the beginning it was hard, but now it’s kind of routine,” Gina Ruiz said. “We try to go every other day after class. We’re all getting through it.”

High school teacher Rebecca Gigliotti said support for the family has been non-stop since the accident, adding friends of the two girls immediately began thinking of ways to help.

Gigliotti is an adviser to Peer Assistance and Leadership Students, or PALS, a group of seniors who mentor younger students.

“The PALS kids are all seniors, and they really like the girls a lot,” Gigliotti told The Daily Tribune. “They wanted to give all of the money we raised (to help earthquake victims) in Haiti to the family. I told them we had already committed the money for Haiti, but we started something separate to help.”

Gigliotti said the group donated $500 in proceeds from an earlier electronics recycling program to the Ruiz family, adding PALS plans to give an additional $200 per month through the end of the school year.

“Hopefully that will help them to be able to go down to the hospital to see their mom,” she said.

Other campus groups, such as the National Honor Society and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America are also donating funds, Gigliotti said.

High School Crisis Counselor Nikki Fuss said she’s contacted civic organizations including area Rotary and Lions clubs to ask for donations.

“We’ve got an account here at the high school in the front office,” she said, adding community members can drop off their donations at the school’s main office.

Gigliotti said the pupils are planning other fundraisers.

“We’re planning a raffle, where the winner will be able to throw a pie in the face of (Stan) Whittle, the academic dean,” she said.

In the meantime, Gina Ruiz said she’s simply grateful for all of the support she’s seen since her mother’s accident.

“Everyone has been really nice helping out with the donations,” she said. “We’re very grateful.”

Contributions to help the the family can be made at the front office of the high school, 2101 Mustang Drive.

chris@thepicayune.com

MEADOWLAKES — City officials recognized a husband and wife Tuesday for their leadership in the community, but also bid Paul and Enid Totten goodbye as they leave for a new chapter in their lives.

The city has also hung out the “help wanted” signs for two positions, one paid and one volunteer — an ordinance enforcement officer and a building committee chairperson.

IN PHOTO: Meadowlakes Mayor John Aaron (right) presents longtime residents and civic leaders Paul and Enid Totten with a certificate of appreciation for their community service for more than two decades. The couple are moving to Kentucky this month to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton

Mayor John Aaron presented long-time residents the Tottens with a certificate of appreciation for their dedication to Meadowlakes and the Highland Lakes over the past several decades.

The couple is moving to Kentucky to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

“We owe you a lot,” the mayor said. “These two people have made Meadowlakes a better community.”

Paul Totten served on the Meadowlakes Municipal Utility District (which was eventually absorbed by the city) board for 25 years.

“And he was the first (Meadowlakes Property Owners Association) president,” Aaron said. Beyond that, Totten also was a volunteer ambulance driver for the Marble Falls Area EMS Inc.

“Paul has been a great mentor to people of this community,” Aaron said.

Enid Totten also helped lead the community, the mayor said.

“Enid served 20 years on the (Mental Health Mental Retardation) board,” Aaron said. “And she was very active in the voluntary nursing program at (the Marble Falls Independent School District). You both will be missed.”

The council also accepted the resignation of ordinance enforcement officer Jerry Martinez, who stepped down due to health issue.

The part-time position calls for someone willing to work up to 80 hours per month at $10 per hour, officials said. The ordinance officer monitors compliance with city rules.

City leaders are also looking for a building committee chairperson. According to a letter sent to all residents, the chairman or chairwoman “is charged with review and approval authority for all construction plans and issuance of building permits.”

Meanwhile, Councilman Joe Summers stepped down as chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, but the other members appointed Tom Carpenter to fill the position.

In other business, the mayor outlined steps the Public Works Department and Hidden Falls Golf Club staff are taking to upgrade and maintain the course’s irrigation system. Aaron said workers were able to isolate a major leak between the 16th and 18th holes which was blamed for a water loss of about 16 gallons a minute.

Aaron said the initial study of the main lines of the system show the pipes are in good shape and the leaks originated from joints, valves and sprinkler heads.

A crew should be in March 22 to help the city staff locate and repair any remaining leaks.

daniel@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — The City Council Monday could authorize the creation of a new volunteer committee charged with planning the future of downtown Marble Falls.

The Planning & Zoning Commission on Thursday unanimously voted to recommend creation of the new committee to the council, according to Development Director Caleb Kraenzel.

MARBLE FALLS — It won’t be a quick fix, but city leaders are hoping a new committee formed by the City Council Monday can create a long-term plan to bring the Historic Main Street district back to prosperity.

The council unanimously approved forming a committee to oversee a master plan for downtown at Monday’s meeting, where officials also received an update on a county transportation plan from Burnet County Judge Donna Klaeger.

City Manager Ralph Hendricks said the master plan project — a spinoff from a recently approved city comprehensive plan — is designed to create a 20-year outlook for the Main Street district, which in recent months has seen multiple businesses fail due to the hobbled economy.

“This is a long-term project,” Hendricks said. “It’s looking 20 years out. You start with your goal at the end and work your way backwards. We probably should have done this 10 years ago, so we’re a little behind it, but we’re ready to move forward.”

The council’s vote came less than a month after leaders voted to deny a request by Main Street merchants to extend alcohol-sales hours to 2 a.m. each day, a switch from current rules that cut off the taps at midnight on most nights.

Main Street business owners had said the measure was needed to keep the downtown district financially viable, but some council members objected to what they termed an assault on small-town values.

After that vote, Mayor George Russell urged the creation of the downtown master plan as a way of directing growth and business along Main Street toward a successful future.

Hendricks said the plan could have other financial benefits.

“It’s difficult to apply for some of the grants that are available (for downtown development) when we don’t have a master plan,” Hendricks said. “This will enable us to apply for a lot more grants that we might not be qualified for right now.”

Hendricks said the committee’s work could take up to a year to complete, adding the group will be comprised of members of the former comprehensive plan committee along with city staffers, downtown business owners, entrepreneurs from across the city and residents.

The group’s meetings could begin in April, officials said.

In other action, Klaeger gave an update on the county’s transportation plan, which she said gives state highway officials a better idea about  which road improvements are needed in the county.

“The state comptroller has named Burnet County the fastest growing exurban county in the state,” Klaeger said, adding the anticipated growth could mean as many as 90,000 vehicles using area roads by 2035.

County commissioners are set to vote on seven proposed transportation plans during their meeting today, which could include projects such as a pair of proposed bypasses on U.S. 281 around Marble Falls and a road connecting FM 2147 and RR 1431 near Wirtz Dam in Horseshoe Bay.

However, the projects — which so far have no state funding — won’t be enough to fully cope with projected growth.

“The scary thing we’re looking at is, even if we did all these (road) projects, we’re not going to improve on congestion all that much,” Russell said. “So imagine what it will be like if we don’t do anything.”

Klaeger said the plan will give the Texas Department of Transportation a list of the county’s road priorities in the future.

“If and when funding becomes available, we will have our plan ready to go,” she said.

Two public forums will be held before the county’s final plan is adopted in June, Kleager said.

The next council meeting is 6:30 p.m. March 22 in council chambers, 800 Third St.

chris@thepicayune.com