Its not quite the same thing but I'll throw it out.

How many on here would like steaks from a 10 yr old steer verses a 1-2 year old? How about pork chops from a 800lb hog verses 100-150lb hog? Meat from a 1 yr chicken verses a 5 yr old chicken? I'll take the young/smaller animal and bird.

Taste wise they may be close but the meat texture of the older/bigger animal/birds and younger/small are different.

If you like the eat biggun then go ahead and enjoy.

i believe in cpr on big fish and small fish. i actually hardly ever keep any fish. i keep smaller ones becuase they are easier to clean for me. i have cleaned a few big fish and believe you have to take the time to do it right and it taste just fine.

albert i believe i would give this debate today to you sir. emotions point you made was icing on the cake.

I wouldnt know i have never caught one but i love the little ones. They are not as fishy tasting and have almost no fat on them and are real easy to clean. Jmo

I only keep the small ones, you know, say up to 8 lbs to eat......because that's all I know how to catch!

Ignorance is bliss.

Ryan, I thought I had worded my first response on this topic so as too not have this discussion!

Something no one has brought up.All of our lakes contain mercury and lead not to mention several other cemicals That will kill you if you eat enough of it.The older fish are known(FACT)to have much higher levels of these deadly chemicals than younger fish.So when you take these big fish home and feed it to your pregnant wife and children be assured you are slowly poisoning them!

And canned tuna is much higher in mercury than any fish you'll catch in Tx, in most cases. There are a few areas that I'd avoid but it's due to the area contamination, not just because the fish is big.
http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/a/fish_mercury.htm

My Great-Grandfather; Granddaddy, my Father. Ran Lines, Jugs, and limblines for a combined 100yrs. of Experience. They keep every Cat. Purged it out, and cleaned it. Family Fish-Frys, Church Socials, Weddings. YOu name it.
If My Great-Grandfather and Granddaddy did was harmful to the Catfishing Industry. Then just think 'bout how many more big Cats would be caught today, if they practiced "Catch & Releses".
LOL.
Some folks are just plain ignort.
Bring the lard, lets fry'm up!
Thanks Bittercreek

Or we can all start keeping bass, to conserve those big cats!lolol.
Thanks Bittercreek.

++++ on keeping the bass!! The 12-18" bass taste just like crappie! LOL as far as keeping the big ones...I try not to do it. If they were gut hooked bad or tangled in a jug line and all messed up I will keep a big one.

I don't think there is any shortage of catfish in our lakes..." yet".... but I know that a 30lb female blue or yellow cat will lay more eggs than a 10lb fish. Therefore a big fish has the numbers working for them to keep the population growing. Keep what you want but don't keep more than you will eat in a year. Throwing a bag of freezer burned meat from 5lb fish in the trash is a bigger "crime" to me than keeping a 50lber for a church fishfry !!! in my opinion!

The rule is:
2 -5# catfish are for eating
Anything bigger is for bragging.
No catfish over 20# should be killed. Put them back to grow bigger.

I keep getting quoted in this and I have never once said NOT to keep any big fish. If you NEED them or just want to eat them it is legal and your right. There is nothing wrong with keeping a flathead or big blue, but for most of us I believe we catch enough fish during the year to pick what we want to eat. I choose the smaller fish and of all the people I am lucky enough to take fishing on my boat I have never had anybody have a problem with it.