IF!!! you're gonna keep your fish what is the biggest you would bring home?

Went to my buddies stock tank in Milsap this past weekend and we caught and fried up some largemouth for dinner. MAN IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! White and flaky like crappie with no fish taste whatsoever.. I usually practice cpl with bass but I was just curious IF you do taske some home to the fam damily how big should they be to make you say "no... this one goes back home to make more big gurls?"

3 & under for the pan and anything over goes back.

Depends on the fishery. I fish one private lake where anything under 7 lbs gets culled but it's an exception to the rule. Most ponds I have helped manage we keep every bass 14" or less. At Lake Fork, anything under 16 inches.

When we go out with the intention of keeping some its typically under 18" fish. I wont lie though... there have been a few times 5 - 6 lb fish have been made into bass nuggets.

that's all good info 3 sounds like a pretty good barometer depending on the water body. I fish a lot on marine creek and I need to catch a 3 before I can release one I guess lol!!!

So that's what happened to all the monsters that lived in Lake Worth!

3 lbs and under for me

nothing over 3#'s in my boat unless you mounting it

I would rather eat long john silvers js...

Every size talipa I shoot at squaw, any size bass is released there's better fish to eat than bass anyway

I will eat and skin mount my first DD. I want to enjoy to the fullest extent.






In all seriousness depending on the lake I may keep some 2 pounders. Seem to be the right size for easy fillets and taste.

I typically release everything, but if I have someone with me who wants to keep some, they wouldn't be much over the 2lb range.

Depends on population of fish and never have kept many over 2 1/2 lbs

Well. I absolutely hate the taste of just about any fish....so they ALL GO BACK. Now give me a shrimpin net like bubba gump and I'm taking it all home to eat.

Saying that, I have given some of my catch to people that can't fish. (Older folks) I've also been known to keep an over every now and then to put into my pond. So I have something to catch when I get bored on a non boating day.

I seldom keep fish but never anything over 2 pounds.

I do not keep any bass to eat but would suggest those fishing Rayburn and Toledo to take the Spots home with you.
When I fish Conroe the big ones come home to be released in my neighborhood lake. I have to keep the poachers fed

me too, i dont like to eat fish (of any kind) unless i am starving and there is nothing else-then i drown it in catchup! so they all go back. (its not like i catch that many anyway!)

Nothing goes home. Have a measuring tape in my boat and a smart phone. Can get me a replica just like that. No need to remove something so big that will reproduce and create more that size, and no need to remove something that can grow up to get that size.

Same here. One guy I fish with occasionally likes to take some home for the frying pan. If that's the case only the smaller keepers get taken out. I haven't personally kept any bass in at least 10 years.

Nothing over 2-2.5lbs. But I release everything too. I don't eat freshwater fish.

2-3 pound spotted bass from Cypress Springs

I have tried this twice now and got 2 disappointments. They turned out nothing like the pictures. When I lived near a slot lake I loved taking home a limit of 12-14 inchers and frying them up right then. As good as crappie.

We used to bring the unders home from Monticello in the winter time.

Always had a good flavor

Filet her out and ate on her for weeks.Yum-Yum.

Same here 3 lbs or under, 12"-14" fish are best for the fryer, but I usually cook catfish instead of bass, I just feel guilty filleting bass, but I do it from time to time

I get both sides... I was always raised to respect all wildlife and if you harvest it, don't waste it. imho as long as you follow the rules and enjoy it, SHINE'EM!!!

if it is under 10 pounds I don't keep it

I have kept many spotted bass on Cypress Springs but nothing over 2#...they eat just like crappie if you eat them fresh.

I dont ever keep any, But I think we would all benefit from the culling of fish under 3lbs

The little guys are the more aggressive fish that get much of the bait in the water

Old enough to collect SSI and still trolling. Man you must have a horrid life.

We keep the under on Fork .

Might keep that quiet! Its illegal to do.

Hey Cowboy,

We fish a lot of lakes where removing the bass of a certain size is mandatory. Typical culling is of 14 inches and below but people wanting a trophy fishery move that up to 16 inches or higher, depending on the circumstances. Like Fouz said, we have one friend who removes anything 7 lbs and below so his big fish have less competition for food. Sounds bizarre but it works.

My typical fishing partner really enjoyed frying them up for his family or employees so he typically takes them. When he's not with me I just throw them in the livewell and pitch them on the bank later if I can't find anyone to take them.

But more to your question..... If we catch a 15 inch fish that is an absolute stud on the relative weight index that is surely young and growing rapidly, I will gladly not cull it and take out a 16.5 incher that is thin and not nearly as healthy. The numbers still add up and I want as many potential big mammas swimming around as possible. So if I were at your buddy's pond I'd probably do the same.... Fat fish get a second chance and the skinny ones are coming out, no matter the size.

Skinny fish typically aren't on their way to becoming wall mounters.

Now were talking fish fry. I had a 10 pounder go belly up at Amistad. Caught her in 40 foot of water. Tried to needle her but she died fairly quickly. Filleted her up and had her for dinner.

I just wonder if the biologists like Mr Driscoll, who is a heck of a fisherman, thinks all legal fish should be kept in order to better all the public fisheries? Lots of factors and fishing pressure has to be a large factor since it would change mortality of the targeted fish. I always hear private ponds managed by taking every fish under a certain size out. I assume this is due to a lack of fishing pressure/predation. In some states you can't target bass during the spawn. It would kill the needed economy and would suggest it for TX lakes that have guides relying on the fisheries for a living. It would be interesting if for just a few small or medium size lakes would be off limits during the spawn what it would do for the fishery. It would also be interesting if TPWD worked fishermen and marked hot spots to catch the different species of fish. I think it would grow the sport exponentially. If I were a bass boat dealer or any biz selling fishing stuff, I would want a few lakes in dfw where anyone could go and catch fish without knowing much more than how to cast, tie a knot, and put a bait on a hook.

EAt CRAPPIE, they'er better tasting in my opinion. Besides, ain't never seen one get to be 10# plus...lol

Man...i keep EVERYTHING!! I LOVE fresh fish!!!

What is?