Release'em or Eat'em
 

Hey guys. I know that this is one of the age old issues in bass fishing but how many of you actually keep the bass that you catch. The reason I'm asking is because I just started "officially" fishing for bass this year (thanks to MUCH HELP FROM MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD)and practice catch and realease for all of them. The problem is, whenever I tell a family member or anyone else for that matter that I released the fish the ONLY response that I've gotten has been "YOU WHAT??!!!!":D:DEven the other day I was fishing and several other people were fishing and asked how I did. After I told them they were like "YOU COULD'VE GIVEN US THOSE BASS". I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'll keep all the sac au lait (crappie) that I can catch but something about the bass I just take a few photos and return them to the water. I guess I just don't want to ruin the lake by taking too many fish out but mostly everyone else that I've seen has been keeping their bass (excepta guy that I fished with one day a few months back). What do ya'll think. Should I start keeping some?

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

im catch and release. every once in a while ill keep some trout.

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

but in saltwater i might keep some for a meal thats all though

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

If bass taste as good as trout..I'd keep my limit..but IMHO bass taste too strong so I gladly release them..They are not on the endangered list so don't feel bad if you eat some.
The reasons I release them is because they don't taste good, they are usually wormy, and I 'm hoping they get big for a later date.;)

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

You can answer your own question by what you have stated.

The Lake/pond/body of water you are fishing can obviously handle the amount of Crappie you take out of it. Keeping that in mind, and also that the bass limit for the body of water has to be greatly less than that of the Crappie, the body of water can EASILY handle you taking fish out of it.

Do I recommend it? Not reallly. Bass become very meally and soft in warm water. They taste strongly of fish and aren't the best choice.

If I catch som legal bass through the ice, I'm happy as can be and will keep as many as I can. Spring, summer, fall... throw em' back.

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

it just depends where your at and can the body of water your fishing hold up to you taking fish out of it

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

There are just better eating fish than a bass. I catch and release when fishing for bass. People who keep bass are usually frowned uponed by serious bass fisherman. The bass you didn't catch today is the bass you kept yesterday. If I do keep fish it will be the salt water variety. There is a higher potential for mercury in runoffs in land locked lakes than the ocean.

Bobby

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

Thats actually how we keep people from taking fish out of some of the private ponds i fish. Signs up around the pond saying warning elevated levels of mercury. Works like a charm. I will never keep a bass. Even a gut hooked bass will get released. Should it die it will feed a turtle. That being said when a pond gets over run with smaller 12-14 inch bass sometimes it is necessary to thin them out.Otherwise you end up with lots of small thin slow growing bass.

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

there are a lot of fish that make better table fare than bass, my favorites are crappie/specs/soc au lait, and jacks/sauger (or in your case grinnel or bowfin[:-];):DJ/K), but i got no problem with people keeping "some" fish, just dont go crazy or be stupid...i don't even like to see people get stupid or crazy catching bream, shellcrackers, or crappie, take waht you can use, but don't take it home and let it ruin in the frezzer[:@][:@][:@][:@]

short story for entertainment puposes only, was at a ramp one day and a young guy came in, had a nice limit of 2.5-4 pound bass, he asked a guy if he wanted them, guy says all of them???? sure, kid yea i'll just come back this afternoon and catch some for myself[:@], so i went over and flashed a card i keep it my wallet, it looks real official, and questioned him about what he just told the man he had given all his daily limit of fish too, i told him i would be watching for him on the river;) kid was shaking like a leaf on a tree:D

i have not seen him at that ramp since[:-][&:];):D:D

RE: Release'em or Eat'em
 

Bass taste horrible. I don't know how anybody can eat them.