Fish & Game

Largemouth Bass License Plate Celebrates 20 Years

Since the early 2000s, Texas’ angling motorists have shared their passion with other drivers by displaying an image of a hard-fighting largemouth bass on their license plates. In 2022, the largemouth bass plate celebrated its 20th anniversary and reached $893,005 in money raised for fisheries conservation projects. 

Sales of the largemouth bass license plate directly fund fisheries habitat, access and conservation efforts in Texas waterways. The largemouth bass plate launched in 2002 and was redesigned in 2015. The average annual funding produced by the plate sales is $41,000.

Projects funded by the largemouth bass plate enhance fishing in public reservoirs and small fishing lakes across the state. They have included deployment of GPS-marked fish attractors, installation of underwater greenlights at fishing piers, use of aeration systems to improve water quality in small fishing ponds,

establishment of native aquatic vegetation, installation of gravel spawning beds, placement of submerged brush piles and support for angler access projects.

Another popular conservation license plate, the Texas rivers plate, raises an average of $40,000 per year for Inland Fisheries conservation, recreation and management projects, including paddling and fishing access and invasive species control.

“The bass and Texas rivers conservation license plates look great on any vehicle,” says John Botros, river access coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “When I see one on the road, I know that there is a person who contributes to improving Texas’ fishing and paddling resources. It is always fun to see others who help us make life better outside.”

Since 2000, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Conservation License Plate Program has helped generate funds to support state parks, outdoor recreation, wildlife management and conservation projects in Texas. To buy one, visit www.conservationplate.org or your local county tax assessor-collector’s office. The plates are available for vehicles, trailers and motorcycles and cost just $30 – with $22 going directly to conservation projects.