I take every over I catch home. Much as I fish for them I earned it!

Being one of the "ol timers", that is concerned, I'll have to say that you may have mis-interpreted one of my posts.
From fry to 16 inches takes 4 years, according to TPWD studies.
Back when TPWD was asking us to harvest the "unders", due to an OVER population, I kept quite a few bass to eat.
Now, TPWD is not asking us to do that.
Wonder why?
If you are a frequent angler on Lake Fork, and have been for many years, you should be able to keep up with the ebb and flow of the fish population in regards to age and size.
Currently, we have a low population of middle age to mature fish, and a good supply of yearling bass, that need 4 years to get to the protected slot so that we can have more middle age to mature fish in the future.
The more little guys that get caught, whether released or not, the more die.
It's simple math and common sense.
There are more fry than there are 1 lb fish, due to attrition.
There are more 1 lb fish than 3 lb fish, due to attrition.
On and on, until there are very few fish over 24 inches.
At some point in a lake's life, when nature deals that lake a negative blow, we as anglers and conservationists have to step in and adjust our mindset to maintain the fishery.
Lake Fork has been dealt a pretty severe blow by nature, as have many lakes in the State, but we continue to pound it.
Lake Fork is a relatively small body of water, and it can, (and has), been overabused.
I'm just as guilty as anybody else, but at this point, I recognize the problem.

ran into a guy in june that was fishing out of a pontoon boat that was using live bait and was catching slot fish and chunking them in his live well even pulled up one about 20"+ and showed us told us we could have his spot he had 9 and was leaving pulled up his bouy's and he went on his way. Just like in other post people that live on the lake don't give a rat's arse about any slot limit and if they want fish to eat they will go out catch them and keep them. Heck when those that live on the lake never see a game warden they are not scared about keeping slot fish and getting caught.

There is a lot of people that do and do not live on the lake that are keeping a lot more fish than most of us think and is hurting the lake more than we all think.

I don't think tournaments are the primary reason for the lack of fish in the lake just that its just another reason for it.

I fish about 3 times a week. I Practice Catch a release, but i have heard a rumor that can do more harm then good to a lake if it has a lot of little fish. I have also heard of lakes getting to the point were they make you keep anything under 14 inches. but you know how that goes. heard it on the internet it must be true.... lol

Dinners ready....

Fly fisherman are ya???
I see a few retired folks on fixed incomes keep a few fish.

Doesn't look ready

I rarely keep em, but I must say when we do those Fork unders make for some great bass nuggets.

Now that we have a new meat crop (sandbass) I target them for freezer fair.

I keep every fish I catch on lake fork, which is only about 2.

I have a RV on Fork in a park that has about 50 -60 trailers, almost everyone I know or speak with only keeps crappie
or catfish, never bass. Most don't even fish for bass much, but they can flat out catch crappie and cats.

I have never kept a bass from Fork. My friend 78 yr old. and has had a spot on Fork sense it opened can't believe it when I toss them back. He would keep them all just like his friends.

Just a bit over the limit.

ummm....