Here's a link to a recent article in the Austin Statesman.

Keep some bass, anglers -- it'll help

Most cleaning stations I see at ramps suggest many anglers are already doing this.

Keeping the small bass on the bottom side of a slot limit, is the only way a slot limit truly shines. It is designed to remove some of the smaller more agressive fish who eat up the baitfish population.. I am usually a catch and release guy, but from now on, on a slot lake, I am going to keep the small ones, plus they are good eating. It is a win/win. You help the bass population by freeing up baitfish for the bigger bass, plus you get a good meal ot of the deal.;)

2 pounders make the best fillets!

I keep bass and eat them. Their yummy. Especially if they didn't want to cooperate the day before.

I'm so tired when I get off the water I don't feel like cleaning them. Plus I like the taste of Crappie a whole lot more.

Thats cause you fish till midnight James. lol

Only till people with me get all they want. Some people are just a glutton for punishment.

i just had some crappie tacos!

I had fresh crappie from Texoma for supper Monday night and lunch on Tuesday. Unberievable!!!

And I did not have to clean them, I donated all I caught to the guys on the dock and they brought me a bag of filets before I left on Saturday. Met some great Okie anglers on the docks this weekend. Thanks Again Guys.

there is nothing wrong with legally keeping a few bass for eating purposes. However, I think it is very wrong and destructive to the species to keep large females!

I often take business customers fishing and they usually want to take home a limmit. I have no problem with this but I have a little rule for keeping fish in my boat. "Nothing over 2 lbs in the livewell unless its a tourny!" I would like to think that this rule lessens the chance of a breeder female being killed. I prefer that they keep males in the 14-15 range. If someone wants to keep fish on my boat I prefer to keep the ones where I have to pinch tails to make 14 inches.

Believe me, 5 fish in the 14-15 inch range make a very large mess of filletts! More than a family of 4 needs anyway! Plus, they taste better too.

Just take pics of the big ones guys, then let them go so that they can spawn and sustain the lake!

+1000

Some of the best bass fishing I have ever experienced has been in Florida on a couple of lakes where they have 100% immediate catch and release for LMB 100% of the time...Doesn't seem to hurt those lakes.

But personally, I believe that a good slot limit has more to do with improving a lake than anything.

I don't mind seeing a person keep the smaller bass at all - not nearly as much as I mind seeing a guy sight fishing the beds and parking on top of a bed until he worries a bass to strike and ruins the hatch.

To me it should be seasonal just like hunting and there should be a slot to what you can keep... no fish kept during the spawning at all and no females ever... They could make it males only 14-15 inches and that would not bother me.....