(POLL) Do you catch and release or keep fish? 2024

EGbassing reply :

My dad says that the people on here that spend so much time fishing do it because they like eating fish. He doesn't believe that you guys actually spend the amount of money and time on fishing that you do just for the enjoyment of it. So I know most people probably keep some crappie or catfish or something from time to time, but how many of you actually keep all (or most) of your fish, and fish just because you like eating fish? I have to prove that I'm not insane for dropping $100 on a new SLX.

I've never kept a freshwater fish because I would be nervous eating them out of the ponds around here.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

If I fished for the food I certainly would not be bass fishing.

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

Tell your dad he is wrong.

slonezp reply :

It's much cheaper to buy fish at the grocery store.

EGbassing reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 8:49 AM, slonezp said:

It's much cheaper to buy fish at the grocery store.

Understatement of the century award goes to... ????

MN Fisher reply :

Need another option

. Fish mainly for fun, but take some home occasionally

That's what I do - and it matters not the species with a few exceptions...I don't eat Carp, Northern is also one I pass on.

EGbassing reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 8:58 AM, MN Fisher said:

Need another option

. Fish mainly for fun, but take some home occasionally

That's what I do - and it matters not the species with a few exceptions...I don't eat Carp, Northern is also one I pass on.

Added.

clh121787 reply :

Ill keep a limit of small bass and spots ocassionally. Any accidental catch of sand bass or crappie or catfish most often gets eaten. I keep zip locks and fillet knife in the boat. Love eating fresh fried fish

MN Fisher reply :

Voted

Of course you realize we've already had this discussion...

FryDog62 reply :

Bass - all C&R. Will keep walleyes, perch, crappies and 22-24 inch pike.

ohboyitsrobby reply :

I keep pretty much any crappie or walleye I catch. I'll keep a few spots every now and again. I rarely keep largemouth though unless I feel they're gonna die anyways.

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

I river fish alot and our rivers have an abundance of Largemouth around 1-2lb range, we keep them regularly. DNR shocks our rivers regularly and encourages keeping them

Edit:I voted keep all, but technically it's keep all under a certain size.

These are from yesterday, kept about 10 this size.

Joshua van Wyk reply :

I never keep freshwater fish. When I go to the beach once a year I keep all the fish I catch.

greentrout reply :

they all go back ... big ones get a quick pic. if the unhooking was fast ... owner or state says take the little ones out..done deal ....

live in an area where there is bountiful seafood restaurants from the high end down to rustic settings .... all good...and tasty ....

nothing against those who keep 'em and eat 'em ....

good fishing ...

Glaucus reply :

I pretty much exclusively fish for bass and I'm completely catch and release.

If I want to eat something, I'll buy it.

I do this for fun because I love it.

scaleface reply :

I'm not voting because there needs to be a fourth option .

bassh8er reply :

We keep mostly crappies, but not every one we catch. Some gills, but prefer crappie.

dont catch many walleye in NE, but when we do, they aren’t headed back in the water.

All bass are released.

EGbassing reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 9:26 AM, scaleface said:

I'm not voting because there needs to be a fourth option .

Which one?

On 4/8/2019 at 9:41 AM, bassh8er said:

We keep mostly crappies, but not every one we catch. Some gills, but prefer crappie.

dont catch many walleye in NE, but when we do, they aren’t headed back in the water.

All bass are released.

Wouldn't you say you keep some fish rather than keep all fish then?

N Florida Mike reply :

It seems like this is around the 10th time Ive answered this question, but I'll bite again.

I dont keep bass over 17'. I will occasionally keep some in the 12-16 inch slot to thin the herd in the home lake. I like filleted bass, as does my family. We get a lot of saltwater fish too, between my son and me, and I'd rather eat sheepheads, flounder, redfish, etc. , more than bass. But if we need some quick filets for the table it usually doesnt take long in my lake.

scaleface reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 9:55 AM, EGbassing said:

Which one?

I voted B .

EGbassing reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 10:20 AM, scaleface said:

I voted B .

Ok, I meant which one did you want me to add though?

gimruis reply :

I used to keep more fish than I do now but that is probably because I used to target better tasting fish too. I quite simply just don’t target panfish or walleyes very often anymore. I mostly just bass and muskie fish and they all go back. I occasionally keep a small pike for pickling but even that kinda sucks because of the slime and bones.

scaleface reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 10:23 AM, EGbassing said:

Ok, I meant which one did you want me to add though?

B is all right . For some reason I read it wrong .

Tlauz reply :

I never keep bass. If I want fish I will usually keep a few Northern Pike and take the bones out of them. I usually catch plenty of them while I am bass fishing.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I don't eat any of the fish I catch. I wish I liked to eat them but they don't taste good to me. If someone fishing with me wants to selectively harvest some fish, I'm fine with that though.

I'm pretty odd when it comes to fish I guess. I don't like most fish but I do like sushi and things like seared ahi steaks or sandwiches.

txchaser reply :

I'm only keeping fish if it's from a pond that needs culling.

Catt reply :

Selective harvesting ????

nascar2428 reply :

Got back into fishing eight years ago, haven't kept a fish of any species. Strictly catch and release for me.

Jleebesaw reply :

I'm in the keep some category. I keep a couple limits of bass a year if I get some 12" fish biting. I dont keep big ones. I eat a lot of perch, crappie, bluegill, walleye, and even northerns sometimes. I dont like messing with northerns though. They smell bad, they are slimy, and they are a pita to clean. They taste good though.

wcjohnson reply :

Voted catch and release - To me, bass don't taste to great. The smaller ones are okay, but still not my favorite. Last weekend I was fishing near two older guys who were throwing back the 1-2 LB'ers and keeping the bigger ones. It kind of bothered me to see them catch a 6-7 lber and just toss it on the bank like it was nothing ????

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/catch_and_release_bass.html

Just leaving that here...

J Francho reply :

Most of the waters I fish benefit from catch and release, and I don't care for the taste of bass. There are other species that I occasionally keep.

NYWayfarer reply :

Bass, LMB or SMB, never. I used to keep them if I hooked one so deep it wouldn't survive. That hasn't happened in years though. Last time it did I noticed an Eagle watching me nearby. I left the Smallmouth floating and was treated to the sight of the Eagle taking him out of the water in flight.

Now other species of fish are a different story. I keep Trout, like this limit I took on Saturday.

I also take Yellow Perch. Like this which was one of three eating size fish I caught on Sunday.

EGbassing reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 9:12 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

I river fish alot and our rivers have an abundance of Largemouth around 1-2lb range, we keep them regularly. DNR shocks our rivers regularly and encourages keeping them

Edit:I voted keep all, but technically it's keep all under a certain size.

These are from yesterday, kept about 10 this size.

Nice fish! Are those spotted bass? I think I can finally tell the difference between those and largemouth now. ????

Mn_Moose reply :

I don't eat bass. Only Walleye Northern Pike and Perch. Well, Crappie and Bluegill too!

kenmitch reply :

Bass are always catch and release. I kayak fish and camp out solo for the most part. I'm not really sure what would happen if I was lucky enough to hook into a world record spotted bass on a trip up north. My nets large enough to hold one and keep it alive for the short term, but I'm not sure how long it would survive in the end. I guess I'd have to make a whole lot of noise, wave my arms, and hope to attract the attention of a fellow boater. I won't stress over it as it'll most likely never happen, but have thought about what I'd do.

I've had a brand new fillet knife under the back seat of my truck for a couple of years now. It's in mint condition still sealed in the original package.

I came close to busting it out in in June of 2017 when I was up north on vacation. I caught a bunch of bluegill that I one by one threw back as they weren't worth the hassle to me. I wound up catching a couple pound channel cat and thought about it, but wound up giving it away to a fellow camper that wasn't having any luck. I really just wanted a photo of me holding the cat. I wound up catching another one later on in the day that was slightly bigger than the last one and did the same thing again as I just wanted another photo. At dusk we were both fishing the bank and I was down to my last 1/2 a worm and hooked into a much larger one which he helped me land, took a photo or two, and a 30 second or so video of me landing it. It was 6lb 3oz and I asked him if he wanted it and he decided that he already had enough so we let it go. The next day he regretted the decision as he said the other 2 were mighty tasty.

There's nothing wrong with keeping and eating the fish you catch. Way back in the day when I was a we little lad my parents would take us camping and we'd catch and eat the fish. I'm not really much of a fish eater anymore so I just throw them back.

ike8120 reply :

I don't keep any bass, only if it is a trophy. I will keep trout to eat.

kenmitch reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 8:53 PM, NYWayfarer said:

Last time it did I noticed an Eagle watching me nearby. I left the Smallmouth floating and was treated to the sight of the Eagle taking him out of the water in flight.

I had the same experience with a bluegill that I threw back and the poor guy didn't make it. I'm not a bird guy and it happened pretty quickly so not sure which bird of prey it was in the end. I'm leaning towards a Osprey, but it was a really cool experience seeing it happen in real life vs on tv.

Steveo-1969 reply :

I am 100% catch and release because I don't like to eat fish. And like many members here I have thousands of dollars invested in this sport. Shoot, thousands of dollars invested in rods and reels alone!

If your dad is reading this: "Hey dad. Give your son a chance to show you why he loves to bass fish. You may get hooked too and find a pastime you can enjoy together for years to come!!"

My father didn't fish, but some of my fondest memories are fishing with my son.

Sphynx reply :

Bass are for fun, crappie, catfish and trout when available are definitely on the menu however.

PourMyOwn reply :

I'll keep a bass if I know it won't make it-otherwise I only eat perch, crappie and bluegills.

GreenPig reply :

All crappie, hybrid bass, and spotted bass that I can fillet go home. Once a year I catch 50 bass under 12 inches out of my pond and fillet them. Pops is questioning your sanity over a $100. I thow lures that cost more.

J._Bricker reply :

@EGbassing, I went with “B” as my answer. C&R for bass for me, and I have no problem with anyone who chooses to eat their catch. Now salmon, steelhead, trout not to mention an ahi tuna steak and halibut make it on my plate. And fish tacos are screamin’....

texan875 reply :

Freshwater LMB are amazing to eat. I’ll keep every one that comes in the boat, no matter what size. 6 inch fillets all the way to 10 lb pbs go in the bag.

Spankey reply :

I don’t really eat fish. I’ve tried different species.

I catch and release smallmouth and largemouth bass. I don’t have the desire to kill one or see one killed. I’ve had a few die on me over the years. I found a home for them.

Trout are a different story. I caught and given away 1,000’s of them. I know many of people over the years that enjoy eating them. I enjoy catching them so a lot of gratification there.

Dwight Hottle reply :

I don't fish for bass for eating purposes. I'll keep perch & walleye to eat along with some saltwater fish as well.

MN Fisher reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 2:11 AM, texan875 said:

Freshwater LMB are amazing to eat. I’ll keep every one that comes in the boat, no matter what size. 6 inch fillets all the way to 10 lb pbs go in the bag.

I hope you're joking. I keep the occasional 1.5-3lbr - but the rest go back. Smaller and it's not worth filleting, larger and they get too 'gamey'.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 2:11 AM, texan875 said:

Freshwater LMB are amazing to eat. I’ll keep every one that comes in the boat, no matter what size. 6 inch fillets all the way to 10 lb pbs go in the bag.

Taking a 10 pound bass really doesn't seem right. That is the fish of a lifetime and by releasing it you will give others the same opportunity to catch it. The fish will also go on to produce offspring with a greater probability of becoming a trophy.

I mean this with all due respect, its up to you to take it if you want but just consider letting others have the same opportunity on the big girls. Tight Lines!

texan875 reply :

For those concerned, yes it was a joke. The only time I think I would ever eat LMB is if I had to, not because of choice.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 3:40 AM, texan875 said:

For those concerned, yes it was a joke. The only time I think I would ever eat LMB is if I had to, not because of choice.

You totally had me. I was like, "If this guy is good enough to be catching 10 pounders you would think he would know enough to not keep them." ????

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

Glaucus reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 5:48 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

They're spots. Beautiful fish.

Bankbeater reply :

I only like cat, and panfish. I only keep those when I am targeting them. Most of the time I am fishing for bass so I release everything I catch.

kenmitch reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 2:11 AM, texan875 said:

Freshwater LMB are amazing to eat. I’ll keep every one that comes in the boat, no matter what size. 6 inch fillets all the way to 10 lb pbs go in the bag.

On 4/9/2019 at 3:40 AM, texan875 said:

For those concerned, yes it was a joke. The only time I think I would ever eat LMB is if I had to, not because of choice.

I had you pegged as a nipple twister from your choice of words. Looks like you did twist a few for a while at least.

Josh Gann reply :

I cannot bring myself to keep bass. Never ever will I . they even encourage anglers to harvest spots on my local lake and I just can't do it. To each his own of course , but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept. Not bashing anybody , do what you do.

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 6:30 AM, Josh Gann said:

but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept.

You don't have to explain, but why the strong feelings against it?

If it's encouraged at your local Lake, don't you want a healthy ecosystem, and healthy, thriving, and growing bass? Just wondering

EGbassing reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 6:30 AM, Josh Gann said:

I cannot bring myself to keep bass. Never ever will I . they even encourage anglers to harvest spots on my local lake and I just can't do it. To each his own of course , but to be honest it sickens me to see bass kept. Not bashing anybody , do what you do.

This is exactly why I never keep bass. I've actually never kept a freshwater fish. Nothing against people who do though.

Josh Gann reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 6:34 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

You don't have to explain, but why the strong feelings against it?

If it's encouraged at your local Lake, don't you want a healthy ecosystem, and healthy, thriving, and growing bass? Just wondering

All that is encouraged at my local lake is harvesting spotted bass , as LM an SM are the dominant species. Something about they compete with the SM. And I don't know man I started bassin soon as I could hold a rod , and my grandpa drilled into my head catch an release. As I said though do what you do. I GUARANTEE you there's many others on here who it sickens to see bass kept , but they don't want to open that can of worms, wish I'd worded it different myself now , but it is what it is I guess an that really is how I feel about it. Again people who keep em got every right an not bashing them , I am just strongly against it

TnRiver46 reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 5:48 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@EGbassing they might be spots, they come out if the Altamaha river and there is a Hodge podge of bass.

I’m putting my money on regular ole largemouth.

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

@Josh Gannno problems man, everybody has a difference in opinion! I used to be strict catch and release as well. It wasn't until I seen the effects on several ponds and small lakes I fish having stunted bass and the populations were hurt simply because Anglers were not, selective harvesting. Mostly 16-17" bass and under.

I hope your fisherys never have that problem.

@TnRiver46we just call em bass. They all look good to me! Belly's were full of crawfish and fiddler's. They flat wanted that red craw sqaurebill!

Josh Gann reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 7:05 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

@Josh Gannno problems man, everybody has a difference in opinion! I used to be strict catch and release as well. It wasn't until I seen the effects on several ponds and small lakes I fish having stunted bass and the populations were hurt simply because Anglers were not, selective harvesting. Mostly 16-17" bass and under.

I hope your fisherys never have that problem.

@TnRiver46we just call em bass. They all look good to me! Belly's were full of crawfish and fiddler's. They flat wanted that red craw sqaurebill!

That is the key right there "selective harvesting". Understand completely on that , even though I just can't bring myself to keep em lol. More of what I was talking about was folks who just keep em all no matter what .

Glaucus reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 6:43 AM, Josh Gann said:

All that is encouraged at my local lake is harvesting spotted bass , as LM an SM are the dominant species. Something about they compete with the SM. And I don't know man I started bassin soon as I could hold a rod , and my grandpa drilled into my head catch an release. As I said though do what you do. I GUARANTEE you there's many others on here who it sickens to see bass kept , but they don't want to open that can of worms, wish I'd worded it different myself now , but it is what it is I guess an that really is how I feel about it. Again people who keep em got every right an not bashing them , I am just strongly against it

I'm with you.

Glaucus reply :

And to clarify, along with you, Josh, the individuals who keep the fish do not "sicken" me, and I respect their right to keep fish; I would never say a word about it unless it was illegal size or from a catch and release body of water. I am simply naturally (I guess) repulsed by seeing a bass kept because I have an irrational love for the species.

Frog Turds reply :

last thing I want to do at the end of my day, is clean some d*mn fish...but this place in town has some amazing blackened catfish, always a special on mondays...

only time i get irritated bout harvesting, is when I see big breeders of any game predator species taken which needs no explanation and i'm not partial to any one species either...otherwise, I could careless & enjoy your fish fry

MN Fisher reply :

I'm going to open up a can of worms here.

Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species? Wouldn't they also benefit from selective harvest?

I know there's a video on site here that goes into that very issue.

I'm trying to understand the mindset that allows harvest of other species, but almost demands that Bass are C&R only.

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

Truthfully, because bass is the species that individual favors the most.

I got popcorn for this one....

PhishLI reply :

For me personally, the thought of intentionally killing a bass is almost like killing a puppy. We'll not quite, but something like that. At least while I'm in the moment. I really try to get them back in the water as fast as possible. Yet somehow I've come to terms with blowing a hook through their faces, and worse. But I really do not wish to harm them. Chew on that! I know what the clinical diagnosis is, but I'm not going to utter the phrase... Anyway, I think the way I feel is based on the low populations in my waters. They are very hard to catch. Perhaps it makes them "seem" more precious to me? Shock studies prove their low numbers per acre around here, hence the year-round catch and release only policy they've instituted. On top of all that, the bucket brigades coming out from NYC to raid our waters to harvest and sell the fish to restaurants are merciless. They take anything and everything in quantity. Then you have the schmucks that dance around with a caught bass for what seems like an eternity. I assume they've unwittingly killed a bunch of them doing just that. I understand that it's just a fish, but I'm just not a callous person, and I wouldn't fish with anyone who is.

However, having said all of that, I would, with some sadness, cull for the health of the population if there was a directive based on a study. For sure. If I lived somewhere warmer where the spawning season for all fish was longer, and the forage populations inflated the bass populations, I wouldn't judge anyone who harvested them for food. I might do the same, respectfully. But around here I have a problem with it as it's against the law and it affects me personally. I'm a Bassin addict and I need my fix. Please excuse me now while I go sharpen some hooks.

TnRiver46 reply :

Bass fishing is my favorite thing ever and I love and respect bass . But I still eat them. I love cows and chickens turkey and pigs too........ dang it now I’m hungry

Dan Bures reply :

Reckon that all depends if I'm hungry for fish or not. I target mostly LMB and probably 95% of them go right back in. Like others....if I'm asked to keep a few for someone, I will... If I should ever be fortunate enough to land a 10#er or bigger she may end up on the wall. I suppose I'm a hypocrite of sorts.....cause I would dearly love to whup the Arse of any so called "Big Game Hunter" that kills for trophy purposes only....but my mind sees a huge difference between millions of bass versus animals no one intends to eat. Just my $.02

Smokinal reply :

100% release crew

scaleface reply :

It depends on the water I'm fishing .I would have kept a limit yesterday but the cleaning station wasnt open yet . Bass are a renewable resource after all and 100 per cent of them are going to die . On a lot of waters if the population is not kept in check , then we end up with a lake full of stunted fish . A few years back the Missouri Conservation dept set a 12 fish limit and no length limit on a lake because they needed to thin the bass population out. I did my part to bring that lake back .

OCdockskipper reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 9:43 AM, MN Fisher said:

...Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species?...

For me, bass are put on a pedestal compared to other fish because of their traits. I believe they are the perfect sportfish. Accessible, willing to bite lures, adaptable to many climates, durable enough to survive being caught & released, able to be handled (via lipping) without a net or being hurt, will put up a fight without making it last 30 minutes, etc. They are a curious fish, often willing to stand their ground & look at an angler instead of always swimming away.

I have had a bass in our Koi pond for almost 5 years, along with a bluegill big enough to avoid being eaten and 5 Koi slightly smaller than him (now, he was half their size initially). I feed them all twice a week and still marvel at the difference in personalities of the species. The Koi are flat out dumb, persistent & tough, but dumb. The Bluegill is a bit smarter, but is a also a bit finicky about eating. With the bass, if it moves & he can fit it in his mouth, meal time. He is the only fish of those species that turns & faces me when I am tossing food in. He is the only one who will anticipate what is coming out of my hand and race to where the food is being tossed, as opposed to reacting once it has hit the water. He is much more pet like, almost an underwater dog.

During the spring, I see fry in schools number thousands and I think how only one or two of those little guys will reach keeper size. To then extrapolate how few reach "big 'un" territory makes me really respect that particular fish. How can I eat something that had to beat those odds?

How do I reconcile feeling this way about them & then catching them via hook? I have no idea. I know it bothers me when people are nonchalant with bass, letting them flop on the carpet, keeping them out of water for an extended amount of time, things like that. Last year at Texas Fest I witnessed one angler continually cut the line on deep hooked smaller fish instead of taking a few moments to get the hook out. Another angler literally ripped the lips off a small bass rather than taking the time to remove the hooks properly. Those things bothered me, but that doesn't mean my perspective is correct.

It carries over to other predators as well. We have small fishing birds that live on my home lake, they catch all kinds of small fish, including bass fry & fingerlings and that is fine. However, a cormorant large enough to eat a keeper bass is another thing, I will chase everyone of those off the lake. The one exception for cormorants was at a private pond that had a stunted bass population, there I welcomed the cormorants to do the dirty work I wasn't willing to.

I have no problem catching other types of fish for food, when we go to Lakes Mead or Powell, stripers are part of the menu for the trip. I know some lakes benefit from having LMB removed, I'm just not the person you want to go to in order to have it done.

It is more of an emotional attachment that logical reasoning...

Choporoz reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 8:37 AM, EGbassing said:

My dad says that the people on here that spend so much time fishing do it because they like eating fish. He doesn't believe that you guys actually spend the amount of money and time on fishing that you do just for the enjoyment of it.

On 4/8/2019 at 8:47 AM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

Tell your dad he is wrong.

Lol.. .and if somehow he's still listening, explain that there's probably an inverse relationship between amount spent on freshwater fishing gear and percentage of fish kept to eat. Dude sitting on a bucket with $23 invested in gear keeps a LOT more fish to eat than anyone on here.

schplurg reply :

On 4/9/2019 at 9:43 AM, MN Fisher said:

I'm going to open up a can of worms here.

Many have said that they'd keep fish from other species but never Bass.

Why are Bass put on that pedestal? What makes them 'more special' than other species? Wouldn't they also benefit from selective harvest?

I know there's a video on site here that goes into that very issue.

I'm trying to understand the mindset that allows harvest of other species, but almost demands that Bass are C&R only.

I agree. There is no shortage of bass within 300 miles of me, if anywhere. As someone said above, they are abundant. We ain't running out any time soon unless the waters are poorly managed.

I've never eaten a LMB but I heard they aren't that tasty. If I thought they were and I wanted to eat one I would, nothing too big though for several reasons. I may try one someday but I doubt I'd ever target them for food.

I have no special love for bass over other fish. If I did I wouldn't catch them in the first place now would I? I take great care with any fish I catch and enjoy a good clean release.

I fish for river stripers a lot and I've only eaten one. But if I wanted to eat more I'd have no problem with keeping one or two that aren't too big. Same with trout and panfish (uh they're called panfish! haha).

I voted A - catch and release but I should have chosen B, even though it's very rare I eat any simply because I don't fish for those species often. I plan on eating trout and some others in the near future.

Yumeya reply :

Its been a long time since I have kept any fish of any kind, but we don't have salmon or halibut here...

I love salmon and halibut.

The Bassman reply :

On 4/10/2019 at 3:38 PM, Yumeya said:

Its been a long time since I have kept any fish of any kind, but we don't have salmon or halibut here...

I love salmon and halibut.

Did you hear about the guy who travelled all the way to Alaska just for the halibut?

Crestliner2008 reply :

My boat has been and always will be CPR.

18RangerZ520L reply :

CPR on my boat...

FishDewd reply :

Ya'll are giving CPR to fish on your boats? ..... You're doing it wrong! ????

813basstard reply :

I’ll keep a few small ones for breakfast every now and then. (If a small fried bass doesn’t taste good, your doing it wrong)

I never understand how keeping a 3lber make people cringe but blasting a deer or bear that was just strolling by is ok.

Not against hunting either I just don’t know how it equates.

2tall79 reply :

I prefer...."Fondle and Free"

Harold Scoggins reply :

I'll CIE (catch, ink, eat) up to five bass every year. The rest I CPR.

papajoe222 reply :

There was a time, back in the 60's, when anything of legal size I kept and ate, or my family ate. I'm 70 and I've been a catch and release angler since I was 22. I love the sport. Unlike hunting, you can catch the same fish over and over, but you can only kill a living thing once.

JustALineWetter reply :

When you're trying to make ends meet on minimum wage, you take all the advantages you can. I don't keep dinks, but if it's fair sized, it goes home to the freezer. I'd say 2-3 meals a week are of fish I've caught...whether bass, trout, walleye, pike or panfish it doesn't matter - if it's eating size, it gets eaten.

gnappi reply :

Most of the fishermen I know of here in So. Flo pretty much follow the same routine below.

I catch and release 100% of the LMB I catch

I catch and release most of the Peacocks I land, though I'll eat one every year or two.

I do not release any of the snakeheads I catch. They either get filleted and eaten by us or are given away (dead of course) to those in need. A few I feed to the vultures that sometimes watch us fish.

The carcasses are used under my tropical fruit tree collection as fertilizer ????

TroxBox reply :

I only keep white bass, stripers, hybrids, and catish. I fish for largemouth 99.9% of the time and I'll keep keep them just long enough to get them to weigh-in, but that's it

the reel ess reply :

On 4/8/2019 at 8:37 AM, EGbassing said:

My dad says that the people on here that spend so much time fishing do it because they like eating fish. He doesn't believe that you guys actually spend the amount of money and time on fishing that you do just for the enjoyment of it. So I know most people probably keep some crappie or catfish or something from time to time, but how many of you actually keep all (or most) of your fish, and fish just because you like eating fish? I have to prove that I'm not insane for dropping $100 on a new SLX.

I've never kept a freshwater fish because I would be nervous eating them out of the ponds around here.

It's a dad thing, especially if they came up in tougher circumstances than us. My dad didn't feel like he actually got the full experience of fishing unless he ate the fish. He would even be tempted to keep more than a limit if that presented itself. He and another friend caught 180 crappie one day. They had to take them in twice and leave them in coolers. But then we crappie fished until I was a teen. Then we transitioned to bass. His mentality didn't change until he got older and tired of cleaning them.

I almost never keep any to eat. But I leave everything I catch at one pond in my buddy's basket because the pond is overpopulated. And if I fish from my other buddy's back seat, he keeps all bass in the 1-3 lb. slot as well as crappie and bream. It's a private place so there's no limit and not enough people fishing there to hurt the numbers.

On 4/21/2019 at 11:03 PM, 813basstard said:

I’ll keep a few small ones for breakfast every now and then. (If a small fried bass doesn’t taste good, your doing it wrong)

I never understand how keeping a 3lber make people cringe but blasting a deer or bear that was just strolling by is ok.

Not against hunting either I just don’t know how it equates.

That's what I love about fishing more than hunting. You don't have to kill anything and there's no big mess to deal with afterward, if that's how you want it. This is the best time of year for me because most of the "sportsmen" are turkey hunting.

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