TITLE: Congratulating David Campbell of Athens on his induction into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

SUMMARY: Congratulating David Campbell of Athens on his induction into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

FULL TEXT:
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. Gooden Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Alonzo Gooden Otto Alvarado Guerra Paddie Anchia Guillen Parker Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Ashby Harless Perez Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bohac Herrero Pickett Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Branch Huberty Raney Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burnam Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Callegari Johnson Riddle Canales Kacal Ritter Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Clardy King of Parker Rose Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Creighton Krause Simmons Crownover Kuempel Simpson Dale Larson Smith Darby Laubenberg Smithee Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland Deshotel Longoria Strama Dukes Lozano Taylor Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Toth Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Giddings Murphy Wu Goldman Naishtat Zedler Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 99 was adopted by the House on February 13, 2013, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House