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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, David Campbell of Athens has been chosen as a 2013 |
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inductee into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Campbell began working with the Texas Parks and |
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Wildlife Department in 1965 as a fish hatchery assistant in |
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Lewisville; after becoming manager of the Tyler Fish Hatchery in |
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1973, he traveled to Florida to collect largemouth bass to breed and |
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stock in public reservoirs, a move that elevated the state's trophy |
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fishing reputation and earned him the nickname "Godfather of Big |
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Bass"; and |
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WHEREAS, TPWD gained national attention when the largest bass |
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on record, weighing 17.67 pounds, was caught at Lake Fork in |
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Northeast Texas and soon after developed an infection; for an |
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entire month, Mr. Campbell nursed the fish, named Ethel, back to |
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health, while thousands followed her progress in the media; he |
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subsequently helped facilitate her safe transport to Springfield, |
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Missouri, to the first, and then only, Bass Pro Shop, where her |
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presence attracted countless visitors; to thank TPWD for the |
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increase in business, Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, |
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donated funds for the construction of the Richard M. Hart and Johnny |
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Morris Conservation Center at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries |
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Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Mr. Campbell raised and |
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stocked millions of fish, including channel catfish, northern pike, |
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and crappie, among many others; he also oversaw the Toyota |
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ShareLunker program, which encourages anglers to donate or loan |
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their 13-pound or larger bass to TPWD for spawning purposes to |
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increase the size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas public |
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waters; Mr. Campbell initiated the program in 1986 and continued |
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overseeing it until his retirement from the Texas Freshwater |
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Fisheries Center in Athens in 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his research and dedication to the |
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advancement of trophy bass fishing, Mr. Campbell helped TPWD gather |
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the largest collection of data on big bass in the world; in |
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addition, he pioneered new procedures for caring for big fish and |
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helped popularize catch-and-release conservation; he was elected |
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into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, David Campbell's dedication to the care and |
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management of fish in Texas waters has earned him the respect and |
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admiration of anglers and outdoor writers across the state and |
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beyond, and it is indeed fitting to recognize his contributions to |
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the freshwater sport-fishing industry; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate David Campbell on his induction |
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into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Campbell as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |