83R1446 JWI-D
By: Gooden H.R. No. 99
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, David Campbell of Athens has been chosen as a 2013
inductee into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Campbell began working with the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department in 1965 as a fish hatchery assistant in
Lewisville; after becoming manager of the Tyler Fish Hatchery in
1973, he traveled to Florida to collect largemouth bass to breed and
stock in public reservoirs, a move that elevated the state's trophy
fishing reputation and earned him the nickname "Godfather of Big
Bass"; and
WHEREAS, TPWD gained national attention when the largest bass
on record, weighing 17.67 pounds, was caught at Lake Fork in
Northeast Texas and soon after developed an infection; for an
entire month, Mr. Campbell nursed the fish, named Ethel, back to
health, while thousands followed her progress in the media; he
subsequently helped facilitate her safe transport to Springfield,
Missouri, to the first, and then only, Bass Pro Shop, where her
presence attracted countless visitors; to thank TPWD for the
increase in business, Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops,
donated funds for the construction of the Richard M. Hart and Johnny
Morris Conservation Center at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Center; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Mr. Campbell raised and
stocked millions of fish, including channel catfish, northern pike,
and crappie, among many others; he also oversaw the Toyota
ShareLunker program, which encourages anglers to donate or loan
their 13-pound or larger bass to TPWD for spawning purposes to
increase the size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas public
waters; Mr. Campbell initiated the program in 1986 and continued
overseeing it until his retirement from the Texas Freshwater
Fisheries Center in Athens in 2012; and
WHEREAS, Through his research and dedication to the
advancement of trophy bass fishing, Mr. Campbell helped TPWD gather
the largest collection of data on big bass in the world; in
addition, he pioneered new procedures for caring for big fish and
helped popularize catch-and-release conservation; he was elected
into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2011; and
WHEREAS, David Campbell's dedication to the care and
management of fish in Texas waters has earned him the respect and
admiration of anglers and outdoor writers across the state and
beyond, and it is indeed fitting to recognize his contributions to
the freshwater sport-fishing industry; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate David Campbell on his induction
into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and extend to him
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Campbell as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.