Arkansas’ first Legacy Lunker caught at Lake Austell

Ask most anglers to name Arkansas’ top big-bass destinations, and 85-acre Lake Austell inside Village Creek State Park probably wouldn’t make the list. But last Saturday, the Crowley’s Ridge lake took center stage when Jonesboro angler Kevin Riney landed Arkansas’ first official Legacy Lunker.
Riney caught the 12.04-pound largemouth at Lake Austell, choosing the smaller lake over more well-known trophy waters such as Millwood or Monticello. After confirming the fish weighed more than 10 pounds, he contacted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Legacy Lunker Hotline, triggering the state’s new trophy bass program.

AGFC Legacy Lunker Program coordinator Will Lancett responded and collected the fish, calling the first official submission smooth after months of preparation.

“Handling someone’s trophy fish is always nerve-wracking, but being the first Legacy Lunker added another level,” Lancett said. “Kevin did a great job keeping the fish healthy and contacting us immediately.”

The bass was transported to the Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke, where it will be spawned later this spring before being returned, along with its offspring, to Lake Austell to help boost trophy bass potential.

The Legacy Lunker Program encourages anglers who catch a largemouth weighing 10 pounds or more between Jan. 1 and March 31 to call the hotline before leaving the lake. Participants receive a free replica mount and are entered into a drawing for a 21-foot XPress boat valued at more than $75,000.

AGFC fisheries assistant chief Vic DiCenzo said the location of the first Legacy Lunker wasn’t entirely surprising, noting Lake Austell’s proximity to Lake Dunn, where a 16-pound, 5-ounce bass was caught in 2012 but went unrecognized due to licensing issues.

More information is available at agfc.com/legacylunker.

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