Please eat BASS! 2024
Simp reply :
So we are all here because we love the green guy or girl. I just wanted to remind everyone to eat some of your catch. No seriously, let's not turn the bass into the cow like in India.
Please take a couple minutes and try to read up on your lakes and even talk to your lakes DNR biologist. Way to many lakes and a majority of ponds are having issues with to many small fish. A simple Google search can often provide you with all the info you need to find out fish shocking data and often comments from the manager on management plans. Fish harvesting is a very important part of Lake management and we should practice in it.
Catt reply :
Hurricane reply :
People seem amazed that I don't eat fish and that I just love to fish for the sport...Can't stand seafood or any of that.. Oh well... It is the best sport in the world...
On 4/15/2016 at 8:24 PM, Catt said:
Wow... Now that's a stocked freezer... Nice.
buzzed bait reply :
i don't disagree with you one bit..... but that said, i ain't eating **** from most of the waters around Atlanta.... i'd have a third eye in no time!
Darren. reply :
Sorry, mate. Just not in my DNA. I don't like
to eat fish except on rare occasions, and it'll
more than likely be a salt water variety than
fresh.
I'm with @LastCastChris that I just enjoy the
sport of fishing.
roadwarrior reply :
Take out the little fish and give them away, there are plenty of people that would really enjoy a fish fry!
J Francho reply :
Largemouth bass are gross. We have so many better eating species up here, bass don't even register on the radar.
BrianinMD reply :
I am the same as J Franco, bass especially largemouth are nasty to eat, yes I know some of you have some great recipe for how to batter them up. I am not referring to covering them up so much you don't notice the actual fish. There are much better fish for table fare.
Dye99 reply :
Old heavy bass taste like a shoe. No thanks.
When in the mood to have fish for dinner, I go twenty minutes from my house to fish for high elevation native trout...
Thats good eating!
J Francho reply :
Delicious pike steaks!
scaleface reply :
I'll comply .
geo g reply :
Here in South Florida we have a problem with Mercury levels in the bass south of Lake Okeechobee. This problem was created by Big Sugar and the Dairy Industry around the lake. They have dumped everything in our waters for the last 50 years. For the last 10 years there are warning signs at boat ramps warning about eating bass from these waters. It has done more for Catch and Release in South Florida then any other promo could do. We still have some canepolers that eat everything they catch, but bass fisherman I know release everything. Eat these fish frequently and you may start glowing in the dark! I understand the intent of the post, but down here its just not healthy.
NJSalt reply :
I live 3 blocks from the ocean and 10 minutes from one of the largest seafood ports on the East Coast. That, coupled with the fact that I only harvest fish i plan on eating means that Largemouth all go back where they came form...
SDoolittle reply :
We always keep a few when I take the kids out.
Hog Basser reply :
I eat the ones out of my pond. It's a part of our management plan. And they are very tasty fried or baked if you know what you're doing. If we don't harvest and eat, they become overcrowded and starving really fast.
That being said, we put the large ones back, just keep the 10-15 inchers.
Wbeadlescomb reply :
I like spots from clear fast moving water but I learned how to catch crappie year around and that's my fish of choice. I will blacken a stripe in a second though
JigMe reply :
Totally agree with J Francho, crappies and walleyes taste much better than Bass. I will only keep a Bass if it is gut hooked and might not make it, and then I will keep it.
Kevin22 reply :
I eat bass sometimes. I find no difference between them and other "panfish". You just have to clean and prepare them correctly. My favorite way is grilled with the skin on, a little old bay and butter.
I wish Iowa would let me eat 12-14" bass, those are the best eating and most overpopulated. 12-16" would be a great slot for eating fish, instead its 15"+ and on some lakes 18"+. I release fish over 16".
greentrout reply :
I make plenty of money to go to a good restaurant and order a main course of my favorite fish -- salt or fresh. When on the water, I follow the rules like right now in one my destinations the state has promulgated rules for the lake for fishermen to keep five bass per trip that don't reach a certain length. I give 'em away to those who live on the lake. Crappie and bluegill, too. Be careful taking too many out of small ponds.
Simp reply :
Hmm well personally I've always preferred bass over crappie and bluegill. I know some people love catfish but my dad hated to clean them. We always cleaned bluegill and crappie and once in a while a bass. I've always preferred bass and they fit nicely on a bun 
What I want to stress though is this about the fishery. A family fish fry sure is fun though and the little ones love to see you bring them home.
Neil McCauley reply :
The ones I catch are too big and un-tasty. 
I did keep some SMB last summer for the hell of it and results were so-so at best. I panfried them after a dip in milk and coating with breadcrumbs/flour/cornmeal like I do with Yellow Perch, but the difference was.. uh noticeable. Kind of a pungent fishy meatiness to them, like frozen Tilapia.
Gundog reply :
The only time I ate bass was when a friend and myself went out on his boat (his rules) and he kept everything we caught that was legal. He beer-battered that smallmouth bass and brought it to me to try. I was glad he did cause even with the heavy beer-batter you could still taste the very oily taste of the bass. After that I stuck with crappie and trout. They just taste better.
the reel ess reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 10:05 PM, J Francho said:Largemouth bass are gross. We have so many better eating species up here, bass don't even register on the radar.
The ones I catch from clean waters are good eatin' indeed. Better than the crappie from the local hydro lake. And waaay better than the catfish. There'a another place I fish where they get the yellow grubs. No thanks to that.
On 4/16/2016 at 12:35 AM, greentrout said:I make plenty of money to go to a good restaurant and order a main course of my favorite fish -- salt or fresh. When on the water, I follow the rules like right now in one my destinations the state has promulgated rules for the lake for fishermen to keep five bass per trip that don't reach a certain length. I give 'em away to those who live on the lake. Crappie and bluegill, too. Be careful taking too many out of small ponds.
I've been told my a DNR employee who ran a fish hatchery that you probably couldn't fish a pond out. They simply won't all bite. He did say you could pressure fish so badly you'd think there were none. And there are other factors that can cause them to die off.
rboat reply :
We have so many predators that eat fish around here, that there is no need to keep any. Mother nature does a good job of keeping a balance. Even large bass will eat small ones. Keep some if you want, where it is legal, but I do not see a need to keep any bass where I live.
J Francho reply :
On 4/16/2016 at 3:29 AM, the reel ess said:The ones I catch from clean waters are good eatin' indeed.
We eat walleye, king salmon, coho (silver) salmon, steelhead, brown trout, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, and smelt. All are far superior to any crappie, bass, or sunfish.
Kevin22 reply :
On 4/16/2016 at 3:58 AM, J Francho said:We eat walleye, king salmon, coho (silver) salmon, steelhead, brown trout, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, and smelt. All are far superior to any crappie, bass, or sunfish.
I would eat a smallmouth bass over a pike/walleye any day. And I eat A LOT of walleye and pike. With that being said, I don't keep smallies from around here as I would like to see the population grow a bit. Smallmouth taste better than largemouth by a long shot. Largemouth I put in with bluegills/crappies... They are a white meat fish, and when prepared and handled correctly will taste the same. If you just knock the side off and toss it in breading you probably wouldn't like it.
The trick to bass is to get them on ice FAST. The second they come out of your livewell they need to go on ice or the cutting board, then on ice. Don't keep them in a hot livewell all day either, straight onto ice. When you clean them be sure to take off any brown/red meat between the meat and the skin, this is where the fishy taste is. Cut all that off so you just have white meat. Take the ribs out then lay the fillet on the table, cut above and below the lateral line and discard the line. Now halve or third out the top and bottom and toss into ice water. You can soak overnight or go straight to cooking. If you want to grill them, just leave the skin on and eat around the lateral line and the brown/red meat.
Like I said, those who say they don't like bass are not cleaning them correctly. They just lop off the side and toss the whole thing in batter like it is a bluegill fillet. That's not going to work. Bass is a more fatty fish and needs to be cooked in smaller pieces so the fat (the oil taste you all hate) renders out. Just like salmon/trout, they need to be cooked special.
I had a guy tell me the other day that trout and salmon taste terrible and he doesn't understand how people can eat them. I asked how do you cook them and he says "just wiff fish breadin' n oil" (his exact words). I shrugged and walked away... lol
I can guarantee you if I prepared bass and did not tell you what it was you would enjoy it. Its partially mental and mostly the way they are cleaned and prepared.
Oh by the way, guess what's for dinner? Bass! (well, white bass).
Sam reply :
Sorry, don't eat fresh water fish due to the pollutants running into the water.
Love saltwater fish, like redfish, speckled trout, flounder, etc.
kickerfish1 reply :
Most die hard bass guys will cringe at the sight of a stringer full of bass. It is just one of those things that tends to rub them the wrong way. I will be completely honest and say I am one of those guys. However I will tell you I have kept a few over my lifetime. When I was about 10 years old I caugh a fish that was pushing 6.5 pounds from a lake in MN. Dad wanted to keep it so we could get it mounted. The other bass I recall keeping were caught on live bait when I was young as well. The fish had swallowed the hook so bad we didn't have much of a choice ... release a fish we didn't thing would make it or keep it and eat it... we ended up keeping it.
Now the other point to consider about keeping bass or any fish for that matters is more or less from a fisheries management standpoint. Certain lakes may have size restrictions or numbers restrictions for daily bag limits. There is a fine line between over harvesting and underharvesting. The smaller the body of water the more this comes into play especially when considering lakes under 200 acres or smaller private ponds. Some pond owners manage their ponds in a way to select for numbers and some for size. A pond with few bass and plentiful small bluegill will setup for more of a bigger bass fishery. There will be fewer fish competing for food, and obviously more food for them.
Also consider the food chain in that lake. Are there other bigger predatory fish that could eat the bass? Something like larger pike or muskie. If there is they may keep some of the bass in check and help take out some of the smaller fish.
While I really dislike seeing people keep bass in some situations on smaller bodies of water with stunted populations of smaller bass, it may be one of the more effective management strategies.
southernson1989 reply :
It seems I'm waging a one man war on spots. Used to be on the lake I fish when you caught a spot it was a fun little novelty but they don't grow to any size on goat rock and last year four out of five bass I caught were spots. I'm worried about those fast little aggressive suckers out competing the large mouth so they are going in the fryer pan or to a co-worker this year.
Catt reply :
Y'all don't know how to cook fish
WRB reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 10:35 PM, J Francho said:Delicious pike steaks!
We call those fillet!
Tom
"hamma" reply :
I live near boston, if i want fish i can get it at either the supermarket, or catch it myself,...
largemouth and smallouth are not on the menu though,,..for one prefer a nice striper steak on the grill, or fresh cusk baked just right ,.. ok now im hungry,.....Plus,.there's enough commorants around here to "manage" the waters.,...I see them swallowing bass all the time when they surface,...makes me wish discharging a firearm in massachusetts wasnt illegal.
Although i do understand the importance of management, sacreledge says I ,.!!!!!
Kevin22 reply :
On 4/17/2016 at 4:07 AM, Keith "Hamma" Hatch said:I live near boston, if i want fish i can get it at either the supermarket, or catch it myself,...
largemouth and smallouth are not on the menu though,,..for one prefer a nice striper steak on the grill, or fresh cusk baked just right ,.. ok now im hungry,.....Plus,.there's enough commorants around here to "manage" the waters.,...I see them swallowing bass all the time when they surface,...makes me wish discharging a firearm in massachusetts wasnt illegal.
Although i do understand the importance of management, sacreledge says I ,.!!!!!
Discharging a firearm in city limits is probably just a fine. However shooting a cormorant is going to put you in federal prison for killing a federally protected species.
BassThumb reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 10:35 PM, J Francho said:Delicious pike steaks!
Now you're talking!
Bass tastes awful, and I know how to cook seafood! I've never eaten a worse-tasting fish, even when they're caught through the ice.
Even the frozen, farm-raised tilapia fillets from Wally World taste better, and they're like a $3 per pound.
"hamma" reply :
one can dream kevin,...lol
RFSims reply :
I fried some bass tonight, sure were tasty.
avidone1 reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 10:05 PM, J Francho said:Largemouth bass are gross. We have so many better eating species up here, bass don't even register on the radar.
I admit they are not the best tasting fish. Nothing like fresh water trout, or salt water mahi to name a few. but I do keep and eat one or two bass a year. It may be weird, but I feel like I'm honoring the fish somehow.
I find that if the fish, any fish, are cooled down right away after killing that makes a big difference. Then there is the cooking. Any fish recipe can be applied to bass, but the saucy ones are my favorites.
Oh, and don't forget. Bass are an excellent source of Omega 3's. Not all fresh water fish can make that claim.
greentrout reply :
We catch LMB here but don't brag about it. If you are ever in the Biloxi, MS. area and would like to eat some good fish at a reasonable price in a great and historic atmosphere then try Mary Mahoney's.Your wife or girlfriend will be pleased.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I wish I liked to eat fish, but other than some fresh saltwater fish, I'm out. I've tried fish cooked every which way, just doesn't do it for me and bass is right there with trout as some of the nastiest fish I've tried. Some lakes near me that need some people to keep a ton of fish out of them, but it isn't going to be me unless I find someone who wants them.
scaleface reply :
The bass I catch have white , flaky , mild tasting flesh . I dont do anything special to prepare them . I usually drag them around on a stringer for hours before filleting them . I keep the fish under the slot so they are 11 to 12 inches long and delicious .. One lake I go to has a 12 fish creel and no length limit . The conservation dept is begging people tp remove fish . I fished there for three days and brought home 72 fillets . Had a fish fry and everyone loved them . Even people who say they dont like fish .
tander reply :
I do love fried bass, crappie only better. Served up with some fries, hushpuppies, and cole slaw. Doesn't get much better. Might even throw on a pot of greens.
nascar2428 reply :
Don't kid yourselves, plenty of people eat whatever they catch. Catch and release anglers IMO are in the minority. at least around my neck of the woods.
Simp reply :
On 4/17/2016 at 10:53 PM, nascar2428 said:Don't kid yourselves, plenty of people eat whatever they catch. Catch and release anglers IMO are in the minority. at least around my neck of the woods.
Not when it comes to bass.
lmbfisherman reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 10:35 PM, J Francho said:Delicious pike steaks!
Pike is yummy, but I haven't perfected the art of deboning them like that! I wish more people would eat them too. I feel they are taking over too many waters in my fishing holes. Most of the reason people don't eat them is because walleye and trout are the favoured table fare and easy to debone unlike pike.
Catch 22 reply :
As stated by others ,the predators keep my waters in check.I have many salt species to eat so the bass don`t make the cut.[the cut=yuk yuk]
True==For dinner tonight I ate some pickerel breaded deep fried. Nice white meat and very tasty.
I watched a utube vid that is excellent for deboning them. I think pike are basically the same.
livemusic reply :
I think we had this same thread last year, lol. Where some say that LM bass are nasty, etc. I could not disagree more. In the south, it is common to eat LMB. 99% of the time this means deep fried with corn meal and hot grease (oil). Which is how crappie and bream are also cooked here. They taste fine even if you don't do anything special to the meat. I am sure there are better tasting fish but to say that bass are nasty seems unfair to the fish, because they taste fine to a bazillion fish-eating fishermen.
J Francho reply :
On 4/16/2016 at 4:16 AM, Kevin22 said:I can guarantee you if I prepared bass and did not tell you what it was you would enjoy it. Its partially mental and mostly the way they are cleaned and prepared.
I love it when people say, "you'd like it prepared right," or something similar. There's also no way to prepare mushrooms, ham, cauliflower, or lamb in any shape or form that will get me to "like" the taste. Black bass taste gross to me. Has nothing to do with the prep. Has to do with my taste buds, bud.
On 4/18/2016 at 1:41 AM, lmbfisherman said:Pike is yummy, but I haven't perfected the art of deboning them like that! I wish more people would eat them too. I feel they are taking over too many waters in my fishing holes. Most of the reason people don't eat them is because walleye and trout are the favoured table fare and easy to debone unlike pike.
Look up the five fillet method. Leaves a bit on the bone, which is okay, since I use the carcass to make a fish base for sauces and reductions.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 4/18/2016 at 8:25 PM, J Francho said:I love it when people say, "you'd like it prepared right," or something similar. There's also no way to prepare mushrooms, ham, cauliflower, or lamb in any shape or form that will get me to "like" the taste. Black bass taste gross to me. Has nothing to do with the prep. Has to do with my taste buds, bud.
I hear the same thing every spring during trout season. Stuff isn't fit for human consumption in my mind. Not only does it taste bad, the texture is horrible. Only reason I keep them is they make good cutbait and I don't need nearly as many as I do with shad, which I imagine them tasting very similar to.
People have different tastes, it isn't always how something was prepared.
J Francho reply :
I will say that farm raised stockies taste a lot different than smoltified steelhead. I don't actually care too much for trout myself, though many in my family love it when I make my famous baked, macadamia nut crusted steelhead fillets.
Derekbass02 reply :
There aren't to many small bass where I fish so I'll stick to eating panfish occasionally.
J Francho reply :
On 4/16/2016 at 8:36 PM, WRB said:We call those fillet!
Tom
My friend Tim Kelly from England pronounces it "FILL-it." 
BillyBassMaster reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 8:24 PM, Catt said:
What's the point if your gonna eat bass eat walleye and panfish not the fish we would all like to catch and have fun out on the water with. #catchandrelease
Freak78 reply :
Only thing edible around here is stocked trout. There are cosumption warnings at every body of water I fish.
Bass newb reply :
I don't approve of this. I have and may in the future eat bass, I discourage the promotion of the practice.
Bass are to be game fished for catch and release enjoyment imo.
Catt reply :
On 4/19/2016 at 11:03 PM, BillyBassMaster said:What's the point if your gonna eat bass eat walleye and panfish not the fish we would all like to catch and have fun out on the water with. #catchandrelease
Because my Biologist said to remove a certain amount from the lake!
I'll take his opinion over y'all
scaleface reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 2:34 AM, Bass newb said:I don't approve of this. I have and may in the future eat bass, I discourage the promotion of the practice.
Bass are to be game fished for catch and release enjoyment imo.
LOL . OK .
N Florida Mike reply :
I am a big fish eater.Probably my favorite.in fresh water is butter cats, then bream , then bass.Fried, of course.I don't keep bass over 15 inch unless they die on me.Small, fileted bass taste good to me.We have to keep some so the lake won't be overpopulated.I also eat lots of saltwater fish, with sheepshead probably my favorite.
ww2farmer reply :
Fish I like to eat:
#1 Bluegills/Pumpkinseeds
#2 Yellow perch
#3 Rock bass
#4 Largemouth
Fish that taste like crap to me
#1 Smallmouth
#2 Crappies
#3 bullheads
#4 Trout
#5 Salmon
Everything I keep and eat gets battered and fried...........other than fillet size, I am hard pressed to tell much difference between largemouth, rock bass and bluegills. Perch are firmer. I have tried smallmouth twice. Both times were small keeper sized fish, prepared the same way, caught out of the same body of water, and both times were not good, kind of mushy and blah..........they reminded me of crappies.........which I don't like either.
livemusic reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 2:34 AM, Bass newb said:I don't approve of this. I have and may in the future eat bass, I discourage the promotion of the practice.
Bass are to be game fished for catch and release enjoyment imo.
You just rewrote the book on fisheries health. If nobody ever kept bass, there would be an overpopulation of them. In the south, anyway. As for me, however, I prefer to keep only smaller ones, let the others grow bigger.
wnspain reply :
On 4/16/2016 at 3:58 AM, J Francho said:We eat walleye, king salmon, coho (silver) salmon, steelhead, brown trout, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, and smelt. All are far superior to any crappie, bass, or sunfish.
There's nothing wrong with crappie, or sunfish for that matter. I personally don't care for the taste of bass so I release all.
livemusic reply :
BTW, I don't know what it is now, but back in its heyday, on Toledo Bend, there was no limit on bream and we would catch HUNDREDS per day of large ones during the spawn. And many a boat would do that. Maybe even crappie had no limit there for a while. I think bass was 15/day. Lakes can surely become overpopulated or out of balance with little fish.
N Florida Mike reply :
To be more specific, my favorite bream is redbreast.I don't overly care for Crappie( specks to us Floridians).To me they taste kind of bland.Probably the worst freshwater fish to me is warmouth.We caught a bunch of them in the Okefenokee swamp and they weren't good at all.Of course, they were all eaten
But if you want to eat bass, go ahead.I think its almost comical that people get offended by that.As long as you're legal, then its perfectly fine.I fished my lake for 15 years when I was young and kept nearly every bass and we always had plenty.And for those of you who don't like to eat them that's fine with me.I am opposed now to keeping bigger bass just because they're fun to catch and I hate destroying them .I know how I feel when people tell me they keep big bass out of the lake.I don't like it a'tall.But if I spend my time and money to fish and want to keep a few then its my right.
avidone1 reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 5:22 AM, Catt said:Because my Biologist said to remove a certain amount from the lake!
I'll take his opinion over y'all
I guess your lake is over populated with bass, so you need to cull some.
My home lake seems pretty balanced i.e. a nice balance of small, midlin, and big bass as well as other species.
I wonder what a fisheries biologist would tell us regarding the overall health of our local system?
Personally, I practice catch and release but like I said earlier, I will keep and eat one or two bass a year
Catt reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 8:42 PM, avidone1 said:I guess your lake is over populated with bass, so you need to cull some.
My home lake seems pretty balanced i.e. a nice balance of small, midlin, and big bass as well as other species.
I wonder what a fisheries biologist would tell us regarding the overall health of our local system?
Personally, I practice catch and release but like I said earlier, I will keep and eat one or two bass a year
This lake is stocked with F1 Tiger bass & is only 3 yes old!
Growth rates of any strain of largmouthbass are first limited by food. Most bass management experts agree that availability of proper size forage is the key to rapid growth for all bass. In well-managed lakes and ponds in the Southeast, Tiger Bass have shown consistent growth rates, often exceeding 2 pounds per year. The majority of these lakes are well fertilized and have both bluegill and threadfin shad as a forage base. There is an established pattern of exceptional growth from Georgia to Texas, where Tiger Bass are documented gaining 2.5 to 3 pounds per year. American Sportfish web site
RichF reply :
I have a degree in Biology and have worked in the environmental field for 8 years conducting scientific studies and monitoring projects. What I've learned....you can't always believe what Mr. Scientist says. What most people don't understand is that many of these fisheries biologists making decisions/suggestions about our sport don't even fish! I've sat through lectures given by some of upstate New York's fisheries biologists regarding bass health in the state's northern waters. All I can say is that the majority of the public will believe anything these people say if they "back it up" with a couple of statistics and charts. In reality, sample sizes are always too low, data collection techniques are often weak, and there are far too many variables present to draw definitive conclusions.
I wonder what our bodies of water were like before fisheries biologists started "managing" them. The "take the smaller fish out" mentality probably works for small ponds/lakes (if you want to grow bigger bass) but I'm not so sure about larger bodies of water. I feel like these larger ecosystems balance themselves out for the most part.
I'm a big proponent of catch and release and cringe when I see people keep bass. But if you're abiding by the laws and only keeping the legal limit, I won't judge...I'll still be a little ticked though.
J Francho reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 7:47 PM, wnspain said:There's nothing wrong with crappie, or sunfish for that matter.
Except they taste like crap compared to walleye, jack perch, and salmon.
Bass newb reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 7:47 PM, livemusic said:You just rewrote the book on fisheries health. If nobody ever kept bass, there would be an overpopulation of them. In the south, anyway. As for me, however, I prefer to keep only smaller ones, let the others grow bigger.
It's silly to think that bass would "overpopulate". They would only populate to the available food supply. Bream would still eat their eggs and they'd have to be weary of being eaten themselves by bigger fish.
J Francho reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:28 PM, Bass newb said:It's silly to think that bass would "overpopulate".
Actually, it's science, not silly. Especially in smaller, closed systems.
gardnerjigman reply :
On 4/18/2016 at 8:25 PM, J Francho said:I love it when people say, "you'd like it prepared right," or something similar. There's also no way to prepare mushrooms, ham, cauliflower, or lamb in any shape or form that will get me to "like" the taste. Black bass taste gross to me. Has nothing to do with the prep. Has to do with my taste buds, bud.
Look up the five fillet method. Leaves a bit on the bone, which is okay, since I use the carcass to make a fish base for sauces and reductions.
On 4/18/2016 at 8:37 PM, Bluebasser86 said:I hear the same thing every spring during trout season. Stuff isn't fit for human consumption in my mind. Not only does it taste bad, the texture is horrible. Only reason I keep them is they make good cutbait and I don't need nearly as many as I do with shad, which I imagine them tasting very similar to.
People have different tastes, it isn't always how something was prepared.
I'm with yall. I love fish and eat it regularly but I'd rather eat a petrified dog turd than trout.
The only time I eat bass early in the year if I fish a private lake I have access to. The owner requests I pull 12-15" bass out once or twice a year. It's a spring fed, crystal clear lake.
J Francho reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:37 PM, gardnerjigman said:It's a spring fed, crystal clear lake.
This is actually a prime example where a feed and harvest plan would grow some pretty big fish.
gardnerjigman reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:43 PM, J Francho said:This is actually a prime example where a feed and harvest plan would grow some pretty big fish.
Yup. And it works.
Catt reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 9:56 PM, RichF said:I have a degree in Biology and have worked in the environmental field for 8 years conducting scientific studies and monitoring projects. What I've learned....you can't always believe what Mr. Scientist says. What most people don't understand is that many of these fisheries biologists making decisions/suggestions about our sport don't even fish! I've sat through lectures given by some of upstate New York's fisheries biologists regarding bass health in the state's northern waters. All I can say is that the majority of the public will believe anything these people say if they "back it up" with a couple of statistics and charts. In reality, sample sizes are always too low, data collection techniques are often weak, and there are far too many variables present to draw definitive conclusions.
I wonder what our bodies of water were like before fisheries biologists started "managing" them. The "take the smaller fish out" mentality probably works for small ponds/lakes (if you want to grow bigger bass) but I'm not so sure about larger bodies of water. I feel like these larger ecosystems balance themselves out for the most part.
I'm a big proponent of catch and release and cringe when I see people keep bass. But if you're abiding by the laws and only keeping the legal limit, I won't judge...I'll still be a little ticked though.
Then you should be well aware of what Texas Parks & Wildlife has accomplished through selective harvesting & selective breeding?
scaleface reply :
I think that some limits set forth by the Missouri conservation Dept encourage the success of bass that genetically dont grow big . The lake I fish the most has a fantastic population of fish in the slot 12 to15 inches , but not so much above it . I think , instead of a a slot or a minimum length limit an experimental maximum length limit could be tried . Six fish creel limit, 15 inches and "under" l and only 1 over fifteen would be legal. I would think it would turn into a trophy lake but I'm no biologist .
RichF reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:46 PM, Catt said:Then you should be well aware of what Texas Parks & Wildlife has accomplished through selective harvesting & selective breeding?
By all means, enlighten me.
J Francho reply :
http://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/
On 4/20/2016 at 9:56 PM, RichF said:I've sat through lectures given by some of upstate New York's fisheries biologists regarding bass health in the state's northern waters.
These are the same idiots that say there no smallmouth in Lake Ontario, lol.
RichF reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 11:31 PM, J Francho said:http://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/
These are the same idiots that say there no smallmouth in Lake Ontario, lol.
That's exactly what I'm referring to ahahaha!
J Francho reply :
The guys at the TPWD are on to something. They only work with largemouth - BIG LARGEMOUTH.
Red Bear reply :
i dont even eat fish at all, but i will defend a mans right to legally keep fish. A couple things i see that i dont like or agree with are the crowd that are naive enough to believe removing a few bass from a large body of water is ruining the fishery. The other are those who get mad at people who legally keep bass solely because they catch and release themselves. You really have no right to be mad as long as no laws are broken. Just because one is a catch and release fisherman doesnt mean you need to try and force your ways on other people, and doesnt mean that others are wrong for keeping bass either. but that is the attitude you portray. its not a good look...
Catt reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 11:19 PM, RichF said:By all means, enlighten me.
So you are saying you are not aware of what TP&W has done?
Bass newb reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:32 PM, J Francho said:Actually, it's science, not silly. Especially in smaller, closed systems.
So if man doesn't intervene, bass will over run the water ways? Yeah that isn't science, it's silly.
RichF reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 12:28 AM, Catt said:So you are saying you are not aware of what TP&W has done?
Selective breeding of different bass strains to grow trophy sized fish.
Kevin22 reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 1:19 AM, Bass newb said:So if man doesn't intervene, bass will over run the water ways? Yeah that isn't science, it's silly.
Of course not. But find me a lake where people don't harvest the bass's food (panfish). When you take the food but don't take the predators you create an unbalance. I have had the pleasure of fishing private ponds where the owner does not allow any fish kept, they are a real treat to fish! Panfish are of all sizes (including huge!) and the bass are the same. A balanced ecosystem is simply amazing to see.
RichF reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 12:28 AM, Catt said:So you are saying you are not aware of what TP&W has done?
According to their website, they do what most other DNR/DEC type organizations do (or claim to do).
J Francho reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 1:19 AM, Bass newb said:So if man doesn't intervene, bass will over run the water ways? Yeah that isn't science, it's silly.
You might want to do a little research, on your own. We have several articles and videos by Bob Lusk. Try the googles, too.
On 4/21/2016 at 1:27 AM, RichF said:According to their website, they do what most other DNR/DEC type organizations do (or claim to do).
I'm not sure very many are working with fish of that caliber. Not Florida strain LMB, anyway. If you want to talk about what the NYDEC does, you're on the wrong forum. Try salmon crazy.
Bass newb reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 1:23 AM, Kevin22 said:Of course not. But find me a lake where people don't harvest the bass's food (panfish). When you take the food but don't take the predators you create an unbalance. I have had the pleasure of fishing private ponds where the owner does not allow any fish kept, they are a real treat to fish! Panfish are of all sizes (including huge!) and the bass are the same. A balanced ecosystem is simply amazing to see.
Imbalance. Yes I'm aware.
Bass are predated and a predator.
Fish, otters, birds and snakes all predate bass, as well as other animals.
Red Bear reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 1:35 AM, Bass newb said:Imbalance. Yes I'm aware.
Bass are predated and a predator.
Fish, otters, birds and snakes all predate bass, as well as other animals.
youre missing the point. its not about bass overrunning a lake. its about bass not growing to the size they should because there are too many bass competing for the same food sources. too many bass + not enough food = small fish. and bass are not only competing with each other for food. they are also competing with crappie, catfish, striper/hybrids, etc...also, those other fish, otters, birds, snakes, etc. also go after more than just bass, theyre also competing with the bass for the same food sources. having too many predators and not enough food is a real problem in some bodies of water, thats a fact, not just hearsay...
Kevin22 reply :
One a bass hits 12" theres not much out there that will eat him. A big flathead or pike/musky, pelicans also probably.
the small lakes here are completely messed up. The DNR says no bass can be kept under 15" so we have lakes filled to the brim of 12" bass. One out of 100 caught are over 15". Theres just not enough food to support all the bass in there.
J Francho reply :
For anyone else that cares to learn more, we have an entire subset in our library of articles on the subject. This is the official I have stuff that supports my statement post.
http://www.bassresource.com/lake-management/
Pondboss magazine is another good resource, by Bob Lusk.
http://www.pondboss.com/
I'll add my college background in fisheries management, and ten years as an aquatic livestock manager to my bona fides.
RichF reply :
There may be some confusion about bass management on small/private/trophy lakes and ponds vs. large public bodies of water circulating through this thread.
J Francho reply :
I believe I qualified my statements with the phrase "smaller, closed systems," but, yeah, I think you're right for some of the posts. Harvesting a limit of smallmouth on one of the Great Lakes probably neither benefits nor harms the fishery. On the flip side, hit the northern pike spawning grounds on the same waters, just post spawn, and remove a few large (over 10#) specimens, and 30 little hammer handles will take their place. In that fishery, the big ones cannibalize the small ones, and keep them in check. Doesn't work that way with bass.
Josh Smith reply :
I probably should have kept the smallie I caught Monday but didn't feel like cleaning it. It was 1lb and maybe outside the slot.
Sub-12" tend to be pretty good. Bigger, not so much.
Josh
wnspain reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:08 PM, J Francho said:Except they taste like crap compared to walleye, jack perch, and salmon.
IMO, crappie is very mild tasting. Why do you think on most fishermen put them in the live well, because they taste like crap? I eat walleye and salmon too, but I'd rather release all bass, except for sea bass 
J Francho reply :
What part of, "I don't like everything that you think tastes good," are you gyuys not getting? LOL.
avidone1 reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 10:08 PM, J Francho said:Except they taste like crap compared to walleye, jack perch, and salmon.
thems fightin' words in these parts. LOL
crappie are mighty fine eating, and I don't care how you cook em.
My favorite is to fry up some bacon, then plop some breaded crappie fillets (I like corn flakes) into the sizzling bacon grease and fry em up real good. UMMMMMMMMMMMM,..UM! Now that's crappie YeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw
Catt reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 2:52 AM, RichF said:There may be some confusion about bass management on small/private/trophy lakes and ponds vs. large public bodies of water circulating through this thread.
You are aware that Texas has over 6,000 public lakes & all but 1 is man made!
That means TP&W started with little or no bass in these lakes!
90+ % of those lakes produce multiple double diget bass annually!
TP&W lead the world in bass management!
RichF reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 5:20 AM, Catt said:You are aware that Texas has over 6,000 public lakes & all but 1 is man made!
That means TP&W started with little or no bass in these lakes!
90+ % of those lakes produce multiple double diget bass annually!
TP&W lead the world in bass management!
That's great. I'm not sure how this relates to my initial comment though. I think I did say that harvesting small bass is a common practice when trying to grow trophy bass.
Catt reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 9:56 PM, RichF said:I have a degree in Biology and have worked in the environmental field for 8 years conducting scientific studies and monitoring projects.
While I do not have a degree in Fisheries Biology I do have a degre in the Philosophy of Science.
I've spent a couple dozen years studying the research do by & working with some of TP&W top fisheries biologist.
I suggest you do a little more research other than clicking on TP&W's website, then maybe we'll talk!
contium reply :
Most of the lakes I fish here in Southern California have warnings about eating top level preditor fish, mainly LMB and strippers. The funny thing is that these same lakes supply drinking water. One would think that if the lake is polluted enough to make fish unsafe to eat, it wouldn't be safe to drink.
WRB reply :
California is well known for it's trophy LMB, Smallmouth and Spotted bass.....it's not because of a well managed fishery program, fresh water bass are not managed after initial,stocking. All bass are imported and non- native in California.
Most fisheries are managed to provide a sustainable population of catchable fish species. Texas is head and shoulders over every other state when it comes to LMB management.
Tom
wnspain reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 4:34 AM, J Francho said:What part of, "I don't like everything that you think tastes good," are you gyuys not getting? LOL.
What makes you think anybody's not getting it?? Of course your taste is different from mine or anyone else, I did preface my comment with IMO.... There are plenty who beg to differ with your opinion of what's good tasting or not, that's all, tight lines my friend.
Hurricane reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 8:56 PM, buzzed bait said:i don't disagree with you one bit..... but that said, i ain't eating **** from most of the waters around Atlanta.... i'd have a third eye in no time!
lmao.....
RichF reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 10:02 AM, Catt said:While I do not have a degree in Fisheries Biology I do have a degre in the Philosophy of Science.
I've spent a couple dozen years studying the research do by & working with some of TP&W top fisheries biologist.
I suggest you do a little more research other than clicking on TP&W's website, then maybe we'll talk!
Again, how is this relevant to any of my comments? You're obviously trying to call me out on something but I'm not sure exactly what it is.
J Francho reply :
Go back and read what you both typed, with an open mind. You'll see you were a bit dismissive.That's all Catt is getting at. Not everything on the internet is keyboard muscles. The Share-A-Lunker program is pretty unique. I'm not sure it's the 100% right way, but they are at least trying something. Up here, bass are second class citizens when it comes to environmental programs.
RB 77 reply :
I'm all for people keeping their catch and eating it if that's their prerogative. I personally don't eat Bass because its not even on my radar. Actually any fresh water fish gets a pass because of my fridge and freezer being filled with Tuna, Dorado and Yellowtail. My vacuum sealer is my friend! I love my Pelagics!
RichF reply :
I don't think my comments were dismissive at all. I simply said that it's not always the best idea to believe what every fisheries biologist says regarding bass management (because of NY's handling of the matter, which it sounds like you're familiar with). I also agreed that removing small fish from the system is common practice when trying to manage a trophy pond/lake. In no way, shape, or form was I trying to insult or downplay anything the TP&W has done with regards to bass management. Any organization that puts forth that kind of effort to enhance something I'm passionate about is A-OK in my book.
WRB reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 11:06 AM, contium said:Most of the lakes I fish here in Southern California have warnings about eating top level preditor fish, mainly LMB and strippers. The funny thing is that these same lakes supply drinking water. One would think that if the lake is polluted enough to make fish unsafe to eat, it wouldn't be safe to drink.
Just curious, name the lakes that have warnings about eating fish in SoCal? If there is a health hazard from eating fish that lake would be closed to the public. That fact is our lakes are managed to provide a renewable catch and eat fish resource. The only fish raised and stocked are rainbow trout because they are not a renewable fish species in Southern California, they must be sterile so they don't contaminate the phantom native Steelhead trout population.
Tom
Catt reply :
On 4/20/2016 at 9:56 PM, RichF said:I have a degree in Biology and have worked in the environmental field for 8 years conducting scientific studies and monitoring projects.
In reality, sample sizes are always too low, data collection techniques are often weak, and there are far too many variables present to draw definitive conclusions.
The "take the smaller fish out" mentality probably works for small ponds/lakes (if you want to grow bigger bass) but I'm not so sure about larger bodies of water. I feel like these larger ecosystems balance themselves out for the most part.
I'm a big proponent of catch and release and cringe when I see people keep bass.
I surmise your sample size is to low & your data collection techniques are weak!
TP&W's sample size is 6,000 public lakes & their data collection techniques are rivaled by no one!
Your a big proponent of catch & release even though all research data proves selective harvesting far exceeds C&R.
I aint calling anyone out but explain how your 8 yes experience out weighs 40 something yrs?
J Francho reply :
Catt, just leave it...
Here's something relevant to the discussion:
RichF reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 10:19 PM, Catt said:I surmise your sample size is to low & your data collection techniques are weak!
TP&W's sample size is 6,000 public lakes & their data collection techniques are rivaled by no one!
Your a big proponent of catch & release even though all research data proves selective harvesting far exceeds C&R.
I aint calling anyone out but explain how your 8 yes experience out weighs 40 something yrs?
Again, I said nothing negative about TP&W. My original comment had nothing to even do with that organization. I simply stated that it isn't ALWAYS best to just agree with your local fisheries biologists because they may not have certain species' best interest on the forefront. Like J Francho said, up here in the north, bass are second class citizens. Our fisheries folks are much for interested in managing for trout, salmon, and walleye, leaving bass as an afterthought. What's best for those species isn't necessarily best for bass.
QuoteYour a big proponent of catch & release even though all research data proves selective harvesting far exceeds C&R.
I completely agree with this within the context of growing trophy sized fish in a closely managed lake. Outside of that, I'm skeptical. That's all I'm saying.
Our views on C&R are obviously going to be different given that we are from very different parts of the country. Our bass populations are a bit more fragile given our limited growing season which is why I'm a big proponent of the practice. I understand it's a much different dynamic in the south. Your bodies of water are more fit to handle steady harvesting.
QuoteI aint calling anyone out but explain how your 8 yes experience out weighs 40 something yrs?
I certainly wasn't saying that my experience was superior to anyone's. I was just sharing my personal exposure to scientific sampling/data collection and the "not so perfect" reality of it.
No need to lockdown fellas, I'll say no more.
Josh Smith reply :
Indiana has river slot limits, and I've pulled some really nice smallmouth from the Wabash.
Lakes here suffer from a 14in keeper size. My experience is that 12"-14" should probably be kept. Those critters eat all the food. They're fun to catch but bigger and better can be had.
Josh
Red Bear reply :
On 4/22/2016 at 12:08 AM, Josh Smith said:Indiana has river slot limits, and I've pulled some really nice smallmouth from the Wabash.
Lakes here suffer from a 14in keeper size. My experience is that 12"-14" should probably be kept. Those critters eat all the food. They're fun to catch but bigger and better can be had.
Josh
i actually like a slot limit that says you cant keep fish between whatever lengths over one that says you can only keep fish between these lengths. though the example i have pertains to stocked striped bass, the same can be applied to large mouth. at Smith Mountain Lake in VA, there used to be a minimum 20 inch length to keep a fish, and it was considered a trophy striper lake. but then they had a fish kill from copepods. a lot of the big fish died. soon after they instituted a new policy. stripers 26-36 inches had to be thrown back from october to april(i believe thats the months) and in the warmer months the limit was removed due to warmer water temps and higher mortality rate of releasing stripers. next thing you know as the fish population began to rebound there were a lot of fish in the 26-30 inch range being caught and had to be released. there were too many fish in the same age/size range in the lake, the slot limit was recently raised, 30-40 inch fish must now be released during the cooler months. this promotes the removal of fish 26-30 inches and is preventing them from becoming stunted while also protecting the lower population of big fish. this method allows protection to a class of fish as it grows, while allowing the harvesting of smaller more abundant fish, and prevent stunting at the same time...
contium reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 9:30 PM, WRB said:Just curious, name the lakes that have warnings about eating fish in SoCal? If there is a health hazard from eating fish that lake would be closed to the public. That fact is our lakes are managed to provide a renewable catch and eat fish resource. The only fish raised and stocked are rainbow trout because they are not a renewable fish species in Southern California, they must be sterile so they don't contaminate the phantom native Steelhead trout population.
Tom
Off the top of my head, Pyramid, Silverwood and Puddingstone. I have seen the signs elswhere though.
http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/silverwood.html
http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pyramidlake2013.html
http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20140929/anglers-warned-about-contaminated-fish-at-puddingstone-reservoir
http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/special_reports/advisorylakesres.html
WRB reply :
You gotta love CA to live here!
You are right, women under 45 and young children shouldn't eat LMB and men can eat 1 serving a week according to the OEHHA. I remember seeing signs about 10 years ago during the height of the mercury contamination era published by UC Berkley.
Tom
thomas15 reply :
At my local mudhole (Beltzville Lake) we complain about how difficult it is to catch LMB and it is. It's difficult for us because we use artificial bait. Those who use live bait do catch them with ease.
There are several guide services that run pontoons like a party boat. Their main customers are from Philadelphia and those customers keep their fish so I don't feel that we need to take any more because I feel that they have got us covered.
BassThumb reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 11:06 AM, contium said:Most of the lakes I fish here in Southern California have warnings about eating top level preditor fish, mainly LMB and strippers. The funny thing is that these same lakes supply drinking water. One would think that if the lake is polluted enough to make fish unsafe to eat, it wouldn't be safe to drink.
The drinking water is cleaned before it gets to you, while the fish are straight out of the 'unclean' water
WaterWarriorMD reply :
It's either your thing or not. I'll eat catfish and pan-fish occasionally, as well as seafood from the grocery store but I just can't bring myself to eat the greenbacks, I love em too much!
Bob C reply :
It's just another fish. I keep a couple almost every time out. Here they have to be 14" to keep so thinning out the small ones isn't an option.
J Francho reply :
I forgot about rock bass (the sunfish family, not the stripers). They're pretty tasty in spring too.
Walleye, rock bass, and a couple big sunnies for taste comparison from a couple springs ago:
avidone1 reply :
I have some local ponds near me. I fish them occasionally as they can be fun on a good day.
a few years ago I noticed this great blue heron was sorta following me around. I had caught a few and I got the distinct
impression he was looking for a handout.
so I caught another maybe 10" bass, and held it up for him to see. He was cautious but definetly walking my way.
He got to within about 10 feet and stopped. I tossed the bass up in the air and he caught it and gulped it down, no sweat.
It was the coolest thing. I made a friend that day, and don't care that I may have broken a couple of laws.
Bassin407 reply :
On 4/15/2016 at 8:24 PM, Catt said:
I feel sorry for the guy who cleaned all that lol
geo g reply :
If you come to South Florida don't eat them Mercury levels are high from farming and Big Sugar.
RichF reply :
On 4/25/2016 at 10:24 PM, Bob C said:It's just another fish. I keep a couple almost every time out. Here they have to be 14" to keep so thinning out the small ones isn't an option.
Not a great attitude to take towards a resource all anglers should respect and strive to protect.
avidone1 reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 8:37 AM, geo g said:If you come to South Florida don't eat them Mercury levels are high from farming and Big Sugar.
Yes, sad but true. One a week of 14" bass is ok. One a month of the bigger gals.
I still eat one or two 2 pounders a year, and so far I'm not glowing in the dark.................
Bob C reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 1:14 AM, RichF said:Not a great attitude to take towards a resource all anglers should respect and strive to protect.
Sorry but it's a fish. Not sure how a bass got itself promoted to sainthood.
Catt reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 4:11 AM, Bob C said:Sorry but it's a fish. Not sure how a bass got itself promoted to sainthood.
Merci Beau Coup.
RichF reply :
Hopefully that's the attitude of the minority.
Bob C reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 8:17 AM, Catt said:Merci Beau Coup.
I didn't know what that meant. Had to google it. lol
contium reply :
I came across this document by the EPA on Los Angeles area lakes. Pretty impressive study.
https://www3.epa.gov/region9/water/tmdl/la-lakes/LALakesTMDLsEntireDocument.pdf
clark9312 reply :
We have a slot limit on the closest lake to me, it's 13- 16 inches. Anything in between 13-16 has to go back. Most tournaments will allow people to keep the fish under 13. Every Saturday there are people that show up to weigh ins just to take the short fish home and clean them. All 16+ inch fish must go back after weigh in though
bayouXpress reply :
i have found that bass from different lakes taste different. Not sure why, but the bass here in south la taste great and I hate fishy tasting fish. if that makes any sense. Just eat the small ones and you can't tell a difference from a sacalait, perch, or bass.
Red Bear reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 1:14 AM, RichF said:Not a great attitude to take towards a resource all anglers should respect and strive to protect.
just because someone eats a bass or two doesnt mean they dont respect nature. theyre just bass fish, people have been eating them for hundreds of years and they arent gone yet. answer me this, why do you feel the need to put bass up on a pedestal? other than liking to fish for them, what makes them so special that causes you to question peoples attitudes because they keep a few to eat? and you do know bass have a life span dont you? theyre not gonna live forever. why not harvest a few and make use of them other than for recreational purposes? are you out there shooting and killing all wildlife that eats an occasional bass fish to survive as well? i could go on all day, but instead i'll just suggest you rethink your position and if it really makes sense to worship bass...
J Francho reply :
Catch and release vs. catch and eat will always be a heated debate. Some arguments can be driven by geographical location. It's not a big deal to keep a limit of smallies from Erie, but if enough anglers keep a limit from the Susky in PA, and it may actually damage the ecosystem.
RichF reply :
On 5/20/2016 at 3:10 AM, Red Bear said:just because someone eats a bass or two doesnt mean they dont respect nature. theyre just bass fish, people have been eating them for hundreds of years and they arent gone yet. answer me this, why do you feel the need to put bass up on a pedestal? other than liking to fish for them, what makes them so special that causes you to question peoples attitudes because they keep a few to eat? and you do know bass have a life span dont you? theyre not gonna live forever. why not harvest a few and make use of them other than for recreational purposes? are you out there shooting and killing all wildlife that eats an occasional bass fish to survive as well? i could go on all day, but instead i'll just suggest you rethink your position and if it really makes sense to worship bass...
Well you obviously didn't understand what I was saying. When did I say keeping bass was wrong? Read my first post, specifically the part when I said: as long as you abide by the laws, only keep legal limits, and so on. Do I like seeing guys at the ramp with a stringer full of bass? No I don't. But if the season is open, you have a license, and you've only kept your legal limit, that's your right and I would never infringe upon that right.
I also never said that someone who keeps a bass doesn't respect nature. However, when someone says "it's just another fish," to me, that shows a lack of respect for the resource. I would feel the same way if that was said about any other species.
And I'm not going to entertain your other "questions" with answers...they're a bit silly.
Red Bear reply :
On 5/20/2016 at 3:33 AM, RichF said:Well you obviously didn't understand what I was saying. When did I say keeping bass was wrong? Read my first post, specifically the part when I said: as long as you abide by the laws, only keep legal limits, and so on. Do I like seeing guys at the ramp with a stringer full of bass? No I don't. But if the season is open, you have a license, and you've only kept your legal limit, that's your right and I would never infringe upon that right.
I also never said that someone who keeps a bass doesn't respect nature. However, when someone says "it's just another fish," to me, that shows a lack of respect for the resource. I would feel the same way if that was said about any other species.
And I'm not going to entertain your other "questions" with answers...they're a bit silly.
i read what you wrote, dont try and twist it now. you just admitted you get mad when people keep fish. that says it all and completely validates my post. you wont answer my questions because you cant, and not because theyre silly but because you know im right...
J Francho reply :
This has run it's course...
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