What about keeping fish off the bed, giving them a 100 mile pounding boat ride then tossing them in a bag for a weigh in. That kill or inhibits alot of fish successfully spawning.
I agree with everything you presented in this video. Not only do I get the satisfaction of seeing the 3 or 4 pounder swim away after being caught, I smile knowing a kid has a chance of catching that fish at a later date. That right there may hook the kid into a lifetime of our great sport.
When I was young I would keep a few but after I was introduced to tournament catch and release in the late 70's, they all go back with honor and dignity. Also the way I feel is if a bass did me the honor of eating my artificial bait, I need to reciprocate by letting it swim off. To me, that is my personal agreement with the fish. They are beautiful creatures as well and we need to respect their lives and natural environment. With the massive wave of bass fishing from coast to coast I also feel like our state fish and game divisions really need to rethink creel limits, tournaments during the spawn and many of our tourny event orgs need to back down to a 3 fish limit as well. Especially during the warm water months. Thanks for a good post Randy!
I'm not sure that carrying multitudes of bass around in a livewell is good. I am all for catch and release and bass tournaments but catch, record, and turn that fish away then !
Great video for sure; one of the things that I have preached for over two decades is fisheries management; not just catch and release. Almost any lake worth it’s salt in bass fishing needs both catch and release and catch and eat. Case in point Lake Fork here in Texas. It hasn’t produced any 15 pound plus fish in a long time and I think there are two factors effecting the lake causing the fish to not grow into the truly mega size bass. One is catch and release is being over used and the other is it seems like there has been a huge increase in the sand bass population. Both of those cut the amount a forage available to the larger bass. I also grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s in north Louisiana and I can remember the pressure that was put on Toledo Bend. This lake got raided every spring by folks that were catch and eat fishing and hauling out multiple limits per person per week yet it never wavered and produced limit catches for most anybody that showed up in the spring time. That lake is so prolific and even this day could probably withstand that kind of pressure. These are just two examples and just like people; no two are the same when it comes to lakes.. I think a person truly needs to study every body of water they fish and determine what that body of water needs. Most state game and fish departments can provide the data needed to make those decisions.
fishing is a survival skill. not that the sport side is bad or anything but that's not what it is for many Americans. and part of that skill set is knowing how to prepare clean cook and eat a bass. of course many of these skills you can practice on other species. in my opinion if you are willing to hook and injure fish then you should try it at least once
the best conservation, then, would be to just not fish for them, no? sounds to me like professional fishermen don't want people keeping largemouth because then they cannot catch as many in their cash prize tournaments. Rather hypocritical I think.
Off topic, but I see a bunch of dead fish floating on Sunday mornings from club tournaments during the Summer. As fishermen get better fishing deep, I fear these Summer tournaments (almost every weekend and week night at Pickwick Lake) are destroying our fishery. My vote would be to outlaw live well derbies when the water is above 70 degrees. MLF catch and release only. Your thought?
I AGREE with you! I CAN REMEMBER IN THE 1980S ON TABLEROCK THERE WAS A 12 FISH LIMIT FOR TOURNAMENTS.HOW CRAZY WAS THAT. I TOOK A COUPLE OUT 3WEEKS AGO. They wanted to keep all fish .I finally let them keep 1 spot each.Guys that guide sure earn there money.
There’s an entire conservation department that says take these many at this length. They must have a reason. I personally catch and release because I enjoy the sport. If someone keeps them it’s none of my business. There will always be bass. It seems like most people with an opinion are tournament anglers. Fish illegally, someone has something to say. Fish legally, someone has something to say. What aren’t people so uptight about the other fish? It’s almost always bass bass bass throw it back man keep the smaller ones. I understand both sides, but who am I to tell anyone what they should keep or not keep? I just do my part and throw them all back big or small. Well, keep the content coming man I learn something from every video. Enjoy the day.
i prefer to eat crappie and bream. if someone wants to keep the legal limit for numbers and size, i am not going to get bent out of shape. I get angry when people do not respect the legal limits for numbers and size for that body of water and keep everything they catch. Culling small or unhealthy is a good thing.
Fishing pressure is real & I feel about the same about this. I was glad to shared the differences between like the 1980s to now related to the fishing challenges. The thrill of catching them & seeing them swim off along with a quick picture is what I like. Keep up the great videos. I sure appreciate all you do.
Firstly I am big fan of wearing seat belts!!! Haha also I feel I wanted release bass these days so my son can enjoy catching them too but would wanna judge someone for wanting to eat them as long as they weren’t wasted!! Great vid thanks bud 👍🏻
Selective harvest no matter the species is very important, even for the "prolific" species. Panfishermen are notorious for keeping big bluegills off beds. I've seen a small lake in Tennessee go through two slumps for big bluegills because over harvest. I release big male bluegills and never eat big bass. I do however eat spots on occasion, fun to catch and great eating.
I'm glad you done a video on this topic and that you do focus on the environmental side of things. I agree totally that technological advances have made fisheries seem to be much better than they are opposed to how they were in the past. I live on Lake Cumberland and can remember as a kid how many bass you could catch on a floating worm and schools of 30lb striper breaking the surface acres at a time. Now you may catch a few on a floating worm but it doesnt compare to what you would have caught in the 90s. If I had a drop shot and side imaging back then I'm confident I could have had 100 fish days. As far as stripers go it's no longer the "Rock Fish Capital of the World". Mans affect on our land and waters is much greater than people think!
Big ones taste good, lol! I think this is partially a regional thing. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas there's not much of a taboo against eating bass, largemouth or smallmouth. I'm not sure if it's because is in the South they are bigger on average and sometimes come from swampier bodies of water, but bass taken from natural lakes in the Upper Midwest always tastes good.
I've never kept bass and never will. Not because they taste bad, because of the same reasons you stated. A lot of people that probably keep everything are the ones who go out and cast a worm or minnow and sit there and stare at the bobber. They aren't sport fisherman. It's more nuanced than that but thats my opinion.
you said there are a lot of fish that are better eating , i keep and eat bass 14'' and under and i think they make great table fare if they are caught in clean water. saying that i may keep some every 5th trip or so and the dnr set limits for a reason . one exception i never keep a smallmouth to eat , i just think given the survival rate of river smallies and the years it takes them to get 4 or 5 pounds it just makes better sense to release them. my sons and i catch a lot of big bass we have a 9-9 large mouth , a 5-9 smallmouth and countless other citations but every one of them are still swimming unless someone else took them out . i just started watching your videos and you have a lot of good content . keep it up .
I partially agree, But I thing the main reason its harder to catch bass today in some lakes, that they are overfished by tournament anglers. I think most of those fish have been caught and release so many times, they are even harder to catch now. As long as DNR's keep stocking there will always be abundace of bass. By the way, I dont usually catch and eat bass.
I only keep a bass if is mortally injured, and I WILL eat it since I caused its death. I don't have a problem if someone wants to keep a few smaller ones occasionally. I don't like to see people keeping the larger fish, and any during the pre spawn/spawn. JMO though.
I use to catch and eat bass all the time but where I live, i have to drive 2 hours to use my glass boat. No matter how many I kept, one person couldn't drain out those stripper pits I use to fish. Now that I fish bigger lakes I don't keep them unless they are bleeding really bad only because if I catch a 5 fish limit, atleast one will have already been caught before. That person made my day by not keeping it so I hope I can return the favor to someone else. (I do understand when people occasionally keep bass because its still my favorite eating fish)
I've been fishing for nearly 50 years. Bass have always been my favorite. I've done some tournaments here and there. I don't think I've eaten 10 bass in my entire life. They all go back.
Bass are pond bucks. Unless you're leaving them for a buddy, take it. I'm a freezer fisherman and hunter. If it's legal, I eat it. All that said, you go for turkey, you shoot an incidental coyote, you eat it or leave it to rot?
I am first and foremost a hunter. I will always go for the smaller animals as it were. I love seeing big deer but the deal breaker for me was when I had to pack out a massive 8pt buck by myself. That being said I usually catch and release bass however if I'm fishing a body of water and I'm catching solid 11/2 pd -2lb fish I will keep those fish. If you jave a pond or small lake thats loaded with smaller keepers those fish will lose room to grow. Harvesting some fish in a highly asaulted area isnt necessarily a bad thing. I will keep a couple smaller fish so the bigger fish can spawn. Just like whitetail. I will never shoot another trophy. I shoot to put meat in my freezer and I prefer to shoot smaller ones and let the big mature ones to keep breeding and make bigger game.
Great video; I couldn't agree with you more. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is ethical or the "right" choice. Someone posted a question on one of the FB groups I'm in not long ago, asking if anyone knew a good recipe for bass eggs. Made my skin crawl. There are places I fish, like a couple of family farm ponds, where some of the small bass need to be taken out, and we do keep them and eat them. But the fish much over a pound are going right back in. And in the highly pressured public waters I fish a lot, I would never even think about keeping any bass. Keep up the great work on the videos!
So does this mean we should limit deer hunters to just spikes? This is crazy logic to me. Plus, the larger fish prevent the little ones from getting bigger. I fish to eat.
Just started following you. Trying to catch up with all of the videos. I fished the open on cherokee ( extremely tough) I wanted to meet you and tell you how much I was enjoying them. Went out the first day boat #3 and 157 the second day. Never seemed like I got to talk to anyone. But on this subject. I am 53 and my dad started taking me on a fishing trip when I was 8 on Easter week when school was on break . One of the things he really enjoyed was to catch enough bass to have a shore dinner . I have kept that tradition up every year with my family. I still take dad even though he is just bearly able to travel much less fish. I am a avid tournament fisherman and release fish all year except that one trip every spring at Clark's hill or lake Russell. We are very concerned on what we keep mainly spots and buck largemouth.
@Huck Sawyer Im glad to see you are capable of having an intelligent conversation and respecting another persons opinion even if it differs from your own. Let me guess, you are a left wing liberal millenial that has drank the socialst koolaid? Good for you buddy! You should be ashamed of yourself for the way you talked to Lori and because everyone else also had to read your profanity. You sir, are what is wrong in this country. You dont have to agree with everyone but you can disagree with respect. Just saying! 😉
100% agree. Release everything 2lbs and up. If I opt to keep some to eat, they will be small ones and usually from a place that has too many and needs managed a bit.
I myself do keep a few here and there but I normally never freeze them they get fried fresh, I only keep bass that are around a pound pound and a half tho anything bigger or smaller I throw back
I believe in all you said, however, I feel its ok to eat some bass,( just dont dont rape the water) i can cook them so they are great eatin'. However, I throw back all 3lbs and over and especially throw back near spawning/spawning fish. Generally only keep enough to eat out of our own pond as to help the healthiness of the pond. I want bass in our waters for all the upcoming generations as well.
I agree with you, myself I could not eat bass, knowing how long it takes for a bass to get 5 lbs, not only that I want to continue catching them & for future generations, I have ppl in my family that disagree with me, I would not let anyone in my boat that would take the bass home with them!👍
Hey Randy, great video. I'd say I release 99% of the bass I catch. However, there are two situations where I will keep a legal bass or two. First is when I fish my own private lake and I'm catching a bunch of 14 inch fish, I'll keep up to two of them. The other time I'll keep and eat a bass is if I catch one while I'm fishing with live bait for some other species that I intend to eat, such as perch, walleye, or Bluegill. Those bass tend to swallow the bait, but I'm happy to eat them. Soak the fillets in a high fat milk overnight before cooking, and it's every bit as good as bluegill.
I don't really give one specie of fish more importance than a diff specie, within reason. I believe in keeping a few ever so often, depending on the health of the waterway. That goes for all specie, and it relation to each's reproductive ability. Sensible conservation for all our wildlife, land or water. And yes, bass are far more difficult to catch than they use to be. With that said, I never keep "big" size of any fish be it bass, cats, bream, etc. I won't keep the tiny ones either. For example I don't keep a catfish bigger than 5lbs or so. They lay large numbers of eggs, and I can catch plenty in the 2lbs range to bother with larger breeders that don't taste as well. And I apply that to all breeds and their relative size. But I'll go years and not actually keep a bass.
It is a natural resource and if it is being used in a sustainable manner then it is not a problem. With that being said I tend not to keep them to eat, especially when I was fishing tournaments. On occasion I will keep maybe 3 or 4 to smaller fish or any that would not survive (gut hooked, etc) , never about having to catch the legal limit. In some fisheries some need to be kept or you will end up with stunted growth or other population problems and that is not good for the overall health of the fishery. Yes there are some "meat" hogs out there that want to keep everything (if it is within legal limits) and that is their right, so I don't have a big problem with it. It happens with other game species (aquatic and terrestrial) and their is always the same argument. So to go back to my opening statement, if it is sustainable and will remain sustainable then really no argument either way.
The one time I kept a bass to eat it tasted straight like the mud on the bottom of where I caught it so no thanks for me if I'm eating fish it's saltwater fish or a northern snakehead that's probably the best eating fresh water fish there is
I keep some small bass for eating. Have to agree it feels great to get a picture and watch the big ones swim away. Think of the stories they can tell their friends. Caught a huge fisherman but I let him go. Lol
I actually have caught a decent sized large or small in a while. I usually troll for white bass or look for crappie on Grand. I probably would keep a decent sized small or large mouth if I caught one just to eat. If I caught them regularly, though, I doubt I would keep many. I don't even keep all the crappie and whites that are legal size.
So I'm trying to understand is it because it's a sport that's why shouldn't keep it or its some way different from other fish. I think its takes just as long to grow any other fish. Bass tastes just as good as many other fish. The big ones not so much. I've tried 1lb little bigger never ate the 2 lb or larger. Just explain to me what is the difference is between white bass smallmouth bass n largemouth bass. It's OK to eat all other fish but not this one. Just trying to understand. Besides if there's lots of small bass out there in the lake or pond, they won't grow large do to small ones will eat there eggs way faster than anything else first.
My 2cents close to 40 years ago was walleye fishing and caught a beautiful smallmouth bass about 3lb with great scale pattern up in South Dakota and I cleaned it with my Walleye’s and that bass then cooked them that night. The Bass was not very good to eat and I have never cleaned a Bass since then. There are to many good eating fish to keep Bass. As far as under fished go to South Dakota as 99% of the boats on the water are walleye fishing. There is some excellent Bass fishing in South Dakota very underutilized fish.
I agree with conservation, but isn't the idea of size and bag limits based on conservation anyways? There are different bodies of water, in my area, that have different limits for the same species of fish. This is because the population for that species is different in each of the bodies of water. If a species is under or overpopulated, I would imagine the division of wildlife would adjust the bag/size limits. One guy said he releases the fish so another child can catch it later. That child just ,might enjoy eating his catch just as much....my son does.
My opion is simple as long as they obey legal limits.. it's on them. I have kept and cooked bass. They do eat just as good.. on Stockton they're are too many 13 to 14.5 inch that even the biologist on the lake say need to be thinned out..
I will only keep bass if they are mortally wounded. I see no need to let them bloat and rot in the lake. A fisheries biologist at lake Sam Rayburn said in an interview they estimate over 70% of fishermen there are 'hook'em and cook'em. That's a stunning number. I believe fishing should be banned during the major portion of the bass spawn too. Too harsh for most people but some lake have this restrictions.
Let's say we regularly fish Lake X as 100% catch and release anglers, and then one day we learn that fisheries biologists have recently confirmed that it is suffering from small stunted bass due to overpopulation. At that point, I think if we want to be good stewards we should probably at least entertain the thought of keeping a few small ones now and then while releasing the bigger, healthier fish. If we don't want to eat them ourselves, why not fillet a few to give to that elderly gentleman down the street who can't fish anymore, or to that young family from church struggling to make ends meet. I see that as a win - win. On the other hand, if Lake X is confirmed to have a very healthy bass population like my home water of Chickamauga does right now, 100% catch and release is definitely the order of the day, and what we need to encourage in others as well. Thanks for doing these videos Randy! God bless!
Martin Allison yep that can apply to ponds and small lakes. From my experience as long as a lake has enough cover and habitat, the natural cycles will balance everything
I get asked a lot if I keep my fish by non fanatic fishing people. I always say, “no”. A regular analogy I use is, would you eat a dog? They usually look confused. And I say, I love my labordoodle Molly because I enjoy my relationship with her, the same for me and largemouth bass, I love my relationship with them and I find eating them something I would never do. However, a good friend of mine does eat the bass on his private leased hunting pond, and I don’t judge him, I tell him my position in a joking way, but I allow him to make his decision. AND I also teach my kids not to eat largemouth, so I’m trying to make a difference.
You know, if you only keep a few to eat once or twice a year, no big deal. I'm not to worried about bass in this respect. I think my wife's the only one who expects me to keep bass to eat (for some reason). I guess I'd be much more concerned about crappie populations.
I think the best way to answer this question would be to speak with a biologist on the water you intend to fish. I think there are times when keeping a few for the table is ok. I don't think keeping a limit every day is ethical though. Moderation in all things!
"75% of people don't and 25% keep anything that's legal and get mad when people say not to" that's extremely unfair to say. I keep bass once a year. I pay attention to the lake I'm fishing and the population of fish in that lake. There are a lot of lakes I fish that have tons of 12-14 inchers and a fair amount of 3-4 pound hawgs, so at the end of the year I fish that particular lake and I keep a limit of those barely keeper sized bass and clean them. There are other lakes here that have hardly any bass because of the people you described in your theoretical 25%, and it's painful to see. I have called the ODNR on a few people at my local spots who are keeping 10-15 bass that are not legal, it's not fair to group all of us into the same group of people. The ODNR does a terrible job keeping care of most of our inland lakes and reservoirs so in my opinion more people should be culling the small bass but we also need people to stop keeping every single fish they catch.
I'll occasionally eat bass. But only out of my own pond. I don't think I've ever kept bass in my entire life, outside of my pond. I really wish people would throw bass back
Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right. For example-it’s perfectly legal to pursue another persons spouse romantically, but you’re a terrible person for doing so imho. If your family is hungry I totally understand taking any fish (LMB,SMB) home, if not, it’s tough to understand why some take an oily game fish home to eat when crappie, trout, northern pike and walleyes taste so good!
Personally I've stopped keeping any fish out of the lake to eat other than those huge bluegill. I would like to see a 12-14 inch slot limit on spotted bass to keep for those who wish and not keep any LM or smallies for eating at all. Also could go with no keeping at all between April 1 and May 31, with any tournaments during that time being weigh and release immediately. I never believed it is not harmful to keep a big female bass full of eggs and haul them 10+ miles in a live well to weigh, then release at the weigh in site. If we don't conserve the brood stock for the future, we will be out of bass soon, especially largemouths. The occasional gut hooked fish that dies just becomes part of nature's food chain.
You and I might not like the fact that people are keeping bass for food, but I feel it is wrong for you to criticize someone for taking the bass that they have caught home. I feel it is the state’s job to regulate the harvesting of fish and to restock a body of water if the bass population is low. As long as people are following the regulations set by the state on the numbers and sizes of fish to keep I have a hard time to say something to somebody for keeping bass or any other fish because it is not my job to decide such matters, it is the state’s job via the game wardens. Because on the other side of the spectrum I’ve seen some people get extremely nasty towards others for keeping legal-sized bass within the daily bag limit! I feel like who gives that person the right to attack others for doing something that the state says is legal? Like what if someone attacks you for hunting dears just because they don’t like the fact that wild animals are being killed? Does that make it right?
Here's an example, you have a 1 acre pond and stock it with bass and bluegill. They'll grow great for years, then after awhile those bass are going to get to where they don't grow anymore. They'll get big heads and skinny bodies. You have to keep things in balance. It does not hurt a bit for someone to keep a mess of bass. They might be better eating fish to you, but maybe there not someone else. It's too much whining in fishing man. I quit hunting because of this crap. If I want to shoot a doe or spike or 4pt it is my right. You got all these hotshot anglers and hunters on tv trying to tell everybody there business. Stop whining.
I just do not like the taste of Bass. That being said, I do not like the taste of Trout, carp, catfish, etc either so I do not even try for them. Walleye, Crappie, Pike, Perch ...👍👍
i have a big problem with guys catching a 5 lb fish and keeping it and taking it to a taxidermist to just have it hang on their wall...... dumb... and killing genes of the future
Wow you just lost me, bass in my opinion is one of the most prolific fish in our water ways,But that doesn’t fit your narrative! Bass are as good eating as any fish including walleye which taste like nothing!
Sport fishing, in definition, is another way to make money, and to exploit humanity, by using a food source and calling it a sport. And has nothing to do with fishing, and everything to do with sales of merchandise. I was taught fishing was a way to put food on the table, just like hunting, Never did my grandfather tell me it was a sport, I agree, leave them alone during the spawn and post, but after that, fair game .and bass are ambush predators,as well as cannibalistic, that 4lb bass Ate lots of his own species as well as others to get to that weight and larger, Are we not preserving the bass population by eating the large ones so the smaller ones can grow
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What about keeping fish off the bed, giving them a 100 mile pounding boat ride then tossing them in a bag for a weigh in. That kill or inhibits alot of fish successfully spawning.
I’ll clean out every pond and lake I can of bass. I hunt bass to eat. I have a freezer full of bass. Bass and trout are the only fish I usually eat.
I agree with everything you presented in this video.
Not only do I get the satisfaction of seeing the 3 or 4 pounder swim away after being caught, I smile knowing a kid has a chance of catching that fish at a later date. That right there may hook the kid into a lifetime of our great sport.
When I was young I would keep a few but after I was introduced to tournament catch and release in the late 70's, they all go back with honor and dignity. Also the way I feel is if a bass did me the honor of eating my artificial bait, I need to reciprocate by letting it swim off.
To me, that is my personal agreement with the fish. They are beautiful creatures as well and we need to respect their lives and natural environment. With the massive wave of bass fishing from coast to coast I also feel like our state fish and game divisions really need to rethink creel limits, tournaments during the spawn and many of our tourny event orgs need to back down to a 3 fish limit as well. Especially during the warm water months. Thanks for a good post Randy!
I'm not sure that carrying multitudes of bass around in a livewell is good. I am all for catch and release and bass tournaments but catch, record, and turn that fish away then !
Great video for sure; one of the things that I have preached for over two decades is fisheries management; not just catch and release. Almost any lake worth it’s salt in bass fishing needs both catch and release and catch and eat. Case in point Lake Fork here in Texas. It hasn’t produced any 15 pound plus fish in a long time and I think there are two factors effecting the lake causing the fish to not grow into the truly mega size bass. One is catch and release is being over used and the other is it seems like there has been a huge increase in the sand bass population. Both of those cut the amount a forage available to the larger bass. I also grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s in north Louisiana and I can remember the pressure that was put on Toledo Bend. This lake got raided every spring by folks that were catch and eat fishing and hauling out multiple limits per person per week yet it never wavered and produced limit catches for most anybody that showed up in the spring time. That lake is so prolific and even this day could probably withstand that kind of pressure. These are just two examples and just like people; no two are the same when it comes to lakes.. I think a person truly needs to study every body of water they fish and determine what that body of water needs. Most state game and fish departments can provide the data needed to make those decisions.
fishing is a survival skill. not that the sport side is bad or anything but that's not what it is for many Americans. and part of that skill set is knowing how to prepare clean cook and eat a bass. of course many of these skills you can practice on other species. in my opinion if you are willing to hook and injure fish then you should try it at least once
the best conservation, then, would be to just not fish for them, no?
sounds to me like professional fishermen don't want people keeping largemouth because then they cannot catch as many in their cash prize tournaments.
Rather hypocritical I think.
Off topic, but I see a bunch of dead fish floating on Sunday mornings from club tournaments during the Summer. As fishermen get better fishing deep, I fear these Summer tournaments (almost every weekend and week night at Pickwick Lake) are destroying our fishery. My vote would be to outlaw live well derbies when the water is above 70 degrees. MLF catch and release only. Your thought?
Jason Campbell agreed. If it were up to me, all tournaments would be in late fall till pre spawn
Fully agree!
Wither we like it or not, if it's legal. It's their right. Work to change possession laws if you are worried about sustainability
I AGREE with you! I CAN REMEMBER IN THE 1980S ON TABLEROCK THERE WAS A 12 FISH LIMIT FOR TOURNAMENTS.HOW CRAZY WAS THAT. I TOOK A COUPLE OUT 3WEEKS AGO. They wanted to keep all fish .I finally let them keep 1 spot each.Guys that guide sure earn there money.
There’s an entire conservation department that says take these many at this length. They must have a reason. I personally catch and release because I enjoy the sport. If someone keeps them it’s none of my business. There will always be bass. It seems like most people with an opinion are tournament anglers. Fish illegally, someone has something to say. Fish legally, someone has something to say. What aren’t people so uptight about the other fish? It’s almost always bass bass bass throw it back man keep the smaller ones. I understand both sides, but who am I to tell anyone what they should keep or not keep? I just do my part and throw them all back big or small. Well, keep the content coming man I learn something from every video. Enjoy the day.
i prefer to eat crappie and bream. if someone wants to keep the legal limit for numbers and size, i am not going to get bent out of shape. I get angry when people do not respect the legal limits for numbers and size for that body of water and keep everything they catch. Culling small or unhealthy is a good thing.
Fishing pressure is real & I feel about the same about this. I was glad to shared the differences between like the 1980s to now related to the fishing challenges. The thrill of catching them & seeing them swim off along with a quick picture is what I like. Keep up the great videos. I sure appreciate all you do.
Firstly I am big fan of wearing seat belts!!! Haha also I feel I wanted release bass these days so my son can enjoy catching them too but would wanna judge someone for wanting to eat them as long as they weren’t wasted!! Great vid thanks bud 👍🏻
Its a personal choice if the fish is legal you decide. Personally bass are very fun to catch but do not taste well so i catch & release.
Selective harvest no matter the species is very important, even for the "prolific" species. Panfishermen are notorious for keeping big bluegills off beds. I've seen a small lake in Tennessee go through two slumps for big bluegills because over harvest. I release big male bluegills and never eat big bass. I do however eat spots on occasion, fun to catch and great eating.
I'm glad you done a video on this topic and that you do focus on the environmental side of things. I agree totally that technological advances have made fisheries seem to be much better than they are opposed to how they were in the past. I live on Lake Cumberland and can remember as a kid how many bass you could catch on a floating worm and schools of 30lb striper breaking the surface acres at a time. Now you may catch a few on a floating worm but it doesnt compare to what you would have caught in the 90s. If I had a drop shot and side imaging back then I'm confident I could have had 100 fish days. As far as stripers go it's no longer the "Rock Fish Capital of the World". Mans affect on our land and waters is much greater than people think!
Big ones taste good, lol! I think this is partially a regional thing. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas there's not much of a taboo against eating bass, largemouth or smallmouth. I'm not sure if it's because is in the South they are bigger on average and sometimes come from swampier bodies of water, but bass taken from natural lakes in the Upper Midwest always tastes good.
Good information but I'm eating the Bass!
I love bass with salt, lemon, and a cold beer.
I've never kept bass and never will. Not because they taste bad, because of the same reasons you stated. A lot of people that probably keep everything are the ones who go out and cast a worm or minnow and sit there and stare at the bobber. They aren't sport fisherman. It's more nuanced than that but thats my opinion.
you said there are a lot of fish that are better eating , i keep and eat bass 14'' and under and i think they make great table fare if they are caught in clean water. saying that i may keep some every 5th trip or so and the dnr set limits for a reason . one exception i never keep a smallmouth to eat , i just think given the survival rate of river smallies and the years it takes them to get 4 or 5 pounds it just makes better sense to release them. my sons and i catch a lot of big bass we have a 9-9 large mouth , a 5-9 smallmouth and countless other citations but every one of them are still swimming unless someone else took them out . i just started watching your videos and you have a lot of good content . keep it up .
Great vid when you put that big bass back in the water it doesn't get any better.
I partially agree, But I thing the main reason its harder to catch bass today in some lakes, that they are overfished by tournament anglers. I think most of those fish have been caught and release so many times, they are even harder to catch now. As long as DNR's keep stocking there will always be abundace of bass. By the way, I dont usually catch and eat bass.
I only keep a bass if is mortally injured, and I WILL eat it since I caused its death. I don't have a problem if someone wants to keep a few smaller ones occasionally. I don't like to see people keeping the larger fish, and any during the pre spawn/spawn. JMO though.
Pike are an underrated eating fish. A small pike out of cool water (I live in Coldwater Ontario) makes great eating.
I use to catch and eat bass all the time but where I live, i have to drive 2 hours to use my glass boat. No matter how many I kept, one person couldn't drain out those stripper pits I use to fish. Now that I fish bigger lakes I don't keep them unless they are bleeding really bad only because if I catch a 5 fish limit, atleast one will have already been caught before. That person made my day by not keeping it so I hope I can return the favor to someone else. (I do understand when people occasionally keep bass because its still my favorite eating fish)
I've been fishing for nearly 50 years. Bass have always been my favorite. I've done some tournaments here and there. I don't think I've eaten 10 bass in my entire life. They all go back.
2lbs. and down keep a couple for dinner now and then, just don't try to stock up the freezer. Keep a few of a different species next weekend.
Bass are pond bucks. Unless you're leaving them for a buddy, take it. I'm a freezer fisherman and hunter. If it's legal, I eat it. All that said, you go for turkey, you shoot an incidental coyote, you eat it or leave it to rot?
Bass are fish. Humans eat fish. Get off your phone while you drive with a CHILD in the car! You are the real animal sir!
Great point i stopped eating bass 30 years ago
I am first and foremost a hunter. I will always go for the smaller animals as it were. I love seeing big deer but the deal breaker for me was when I had to pack out a massive 8pt buck by myself. That being said I usually catch and release bass however if I'm fishing a body of water and I'm catching solid 11/2 pd -2lb fish I will keep those fish. If you jave a pond or small lake thats loaded with smaller keepers those fish will lose room to grow. Harvesting some fish in a highly asaulted area isnt necessarily a bad thing. I will keep a couple smaller fish so the bigger fish can spawn. Just like whitetail. I will never shoot another trophy. I shoot to put meat in my freezer and I prefer to shoot smaller ones and let the big mature ones to keep breeding and make bigger game.
Love the videos man! I listen to you while I drive
William Isaac thx man!
Great video; I couldn't agree with you more. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is ethical or the "right" choice. Someone posted a question on one of the FB groups I'm in not long ago, asking if anyone knew a good recipe for bass eggs. Made my skin crawl. There are places I fish, like a couple of family farm ponds, where some of the small bass need to be taken out, and we do keep them and eat them. But the fish much over a pound are going right back in. And in the highly pressured public waters I fish a lot, I would never even think about keeping any bass. Keep up the great work on the videos!
So does this mean we should limit deer hunters to just spikes? This is crazy logic to me. Plus, the larger fish prevent the little ones from getting bigger. I fish to eat.
Just started following you. Trying to catch up with all of the videos. I fished the open on cherokee ( extremely tough) I wanted to meet you and tell you how much I was enjoying them. Went out the first day boat #3 and 157 the second day. Never seemed like I got to talk to anyone. But on this subject. I am 53 and my dad started taking me on a fishing trip when I was 8 on Easter week when school was on break . One of the things he really enjoyed was to catch enough bass to have a shore dinner . I have kept that tradition up every year with my family. I still take dad even though he is just bearly able to travel much less fish. I am a avid tournament fisherman and release fish all year except that one trip every spring at Clark's hill or lake Russell. We are very concerned on what we keep mainly spots and buck largemouth.
Bass on the half shell are excellent just saying but very seldom keep one
@Huck Sawyer Im glad to see you are capable of having an intelligent conversation and respecting another persons opinion even if it differs from your own. Let me guess, you are a left wing liberal millenial that has drank the socialst koolaid? Good for you buddy! You should be ashamed of yourself for the way you talked to Lori and because everyone else also had to read your profanity. You sir, are what is wrong in this country. You dont have to agree with everyone but you can disagree with respect. Just saying! 😉
Totally agree Randy
100% agree. Release everything 2lbs and up. If I opt to keep some to eat, they will be small ones and usually from a place that has too many and needs managed a bit.
Thank you Randy!!! Eljah
I myself do keep a few here and there but I normally never freeze them they get fried fresh, I only keep bass that are around a pound pound and a half tho anything bigger or smaller I throw back
Great video. I'm with you all the way. Put those bass back
I believe in all you said, however, I feel its ok to eat some bass,( just dont dont rape the water) i can cook them so they are great eatin'. However, I throw back all 3lbs and over and especially throw back near spawning/spawning fish. Generally only keep enough to eat out of our own pond as to help the healthiness of the pond. I want bass in our waters for all the upcoming generations as well.
Most the waters in Texas say not to eat more than Two 8oz servings a month due to polution.
Some lakes have slot limits so people who want to keep bass should keep them-12” fish
I agree with you, myself I could not eat bass, knowing how long it takes for a bass to get 5 lbs, not only that I want to continue catching them & for future generations, I have ppl in my family that disagree with me, I would not let anyone in my boat that would take the bass home with them!👍
Hey Randy, great video. I'd say I release 99% of the bass I catch. However, there are two situations where I will keep a legal bass or two. First is when I fish my own private lake and I'm catching a bunch of 14 inch fish, I'll keep up to two of them. The other time I'll keep and eat a bass is if I catch one while I'm fishing with live bait for some other species that I intend to eat, such as perch, walleye, or Bluegill. Those bass tend to swallow the bait, but I'm happy to eat them. Soak the fillets in a high fat milk overnight before cooking, and it's every bit as good as bluegill.
Great video I definitely agree with you I would never keep bass thanks for sharing
I don't really give one specie of fish more importance than a diff specie, within reason. I believe in keeping a few ever so often, depending on the health of the waterway. That goes for all specie, and it relation to each's reproductive ability. Sensible conservation for all our wildlife, land or water.
And yes, bass are far more difficult to catch than they use to be. With that said, I never keep "big" size of any fish be it bass, cats, bream, etc. I won't keep the tiny ones either. For example I don't keep a catfish bigger than 5lbs or so. They lay large numbers of eggs, and I can catch plenty in the 2lbs range to bother with larger breeders that don't taste as well.
And I apply that to all breeds and their relative size. But I'll go years and not actually keep a bass.
I keep them on a overpopulated lake between 1 to 1.5 pounds anything over 2 I throw back smaller ones are better to take
Agree 100%
Don't take the big fish to eat but the 2lbers sure
It is a natural resource and if it is being used in a sustainable manner then it is not a problem. With that being said I tend not to keep them to eat, especially when I was fishing tournaments. On occasion I will keep maybe 3 or 4 to smaller fish or any that would not survive (gut hooked, etc) , never about having to catch the legal limit. In some fisheries some need to be kept or you will end up with stunted growth or other population problems and that is not good for the overall health of the fishery. Yes there are some "meat" hogs out there that want to keep everything (if it is within legal limits) and that is their right, so I don't have a big problem with it. It happens with other game species (aquatic and terrestrial) and their is always the same argument. So to go back to my opening statement, if it is sustainable and will remain sustainable then really no argument either way.
The one time I kept a bass to eat it tasted straight like the mud on the bottom of where I caught it so no thanks for me if I'm eating fish it's saltwater fish or a northern snakehead that's probably the best eating fresh water fish there is
Are seatbelts not require in that state
I keep some small bass for eating. Have to agree it feels great to get a picture and watch the big ones swim away. Think of the stories they can tell their friends. Caught a huge fisherman but I let him go. Lol
Great Visio I agree there are plenty of good eating fish out there release the bass!
I actually have caught a decent sized large or small in a while. I usually troll for white bass or look for crappie on Grand. I probably would keep a decent sized small or large mouth if I caught one just to eat. If I caught them regularly, though, I doubt I would keep many. I don't even keep all the crappie and whites that are legal size.
So I'm trying to understand is it because it's a sport that's why shouldn't keep it or its some way different from other fish. I think its takes just as long to grow any other fish. Bass tastes just as good as many other fish. The big ones not so much. I've tried 1lb little bigger never ate the 2 lb or larger. Just explain to me what is the difference is between white bass smallmouth bass n largemouth bass. It's OK to eat all other fish but not this one. Just trying to understand. Besides if there's lots of small bass out there in the lake or pond, they won't grow large do to small ones will eat there eggs way faster than anything else first.
My 2cents close to 40 years ago was walleye fishing and caught a beautiful smallmouth bass about 3lb with great scale pattern up in South Dakota and I cleaned it with my Walleye’s and that bass then cooked them that night. The Bass was not very good to eat and I have never cleaned a Bass since then.
There are to many good eating fish to keep Bass.
As far as under fished go to South Dakota as 99% of the boats on the water are walleye fishing. There is some excellent Bass fishing in South Dakota very underutilized fish.
I agree with conservation, but isn't the idea of size and bag limits based on conservation anyways? There are different bodies of water, in my area, that have different limits for the same species of fish. This is because the population for that species is different in each of the bodies of water. If a species is under or overpopulated, I would imagine the division of wildlife would adjust the bag/size limits. One guy said he releases the fish so another child can catch it later. That child just ,might enjoy eating his catch just as much....my son does.
My opion is simple as long as they obey legal limits.. it's on them. I have kept and cooked bass. They do eat just as good.. on Stockton they're are too many 13 to 14.5 inch that even the biologist on the lake say need to be thinned out..
I will only keep bass if they are mortally wounded. I see no need to let them bloat and rot in the lake. A fisheries biologist at lake
Sam Rayburn said in an interview they estimate over 70% of fishermen there are 'hook'em and cook'em. That's a stunning number. I believe fishing should be banned during the major portion of the bass spawn too. Too harsh for most people but some lake have this restrictions.
Let's say we regularly fish Lake X as 100% catch and release anglers, and then one day we learn that fisheries biologists have recently confirmed that it is suffering from small stunted bass due to overpopulation. At that point, I think if we want to be good stewards we should probably at least entertain the thought of keeping a few small ones now and then while releasing the bigger, healthier fish. If we don't want to eat them ourselves, why not fillet a few to give to that elderly gentleman down the street who can't fish anymore, or to that young family from church struggling to make ends meet. I see that as a win - win. On the other hand, if Lake X is confirmed to have a very healthy bass population like my home water of Chickamauga does right now, 100% catch and release is definitely the order of the day, and what we need to encourage in others as well.
Thanks for doing these videos Randy! God bless!
Martin Allison yep that can apply to ponds and small lakes. From my experience as long as a lake has enough cover and habitat, the natural cycles will balance everything
In Montreal its a problem...Its mostly Asian immigrants who totally do this as well as keeping illegal fish. Ive seen it multiple times.
I did it once..... Just once. I'll stick to trout, salmon, perch, bluegill etc.
I get asked a lot if I keep my fish by non fanatic fishing people. I always say, “no”. A regular analogy I use is, would you eat a dog? They usually look confused. And I say, I love my labordoodle Molly because I enjoy my relationship with her, the same for me and largemouth bass, I love my relationship with them and I find eating them something I would never do. However, a good friend of mine does eat the bass on his private leased hunting pond, and I don’t judge him, I tell him my position in a joking way, but I allow him to make his decision. AND I also teach my kids not to eat largemouth, so I’m trying to make a difference.
I'll keep a small one sometimes if I throat hook it and it's bleeding
I you are worried about bass .... outlaw tournaments!!
Sometimes I keep spots between 12 and 14 inches, but that's it
Catch and release only for me ,on the Bass anyways...Crappie takes it's place for the table on my end.
You know, if you only keep a few to eat once or twice a year, no big deal. I'm not to worried about bass in this respect. I think my wife's the only one who expects me to keep bass to eat (for some reason). I guess I'd be much more concerned about crappie populations.
I think the best way to answer this question would be to speak with a biologist on the water you intend to fish. I think there are times when keeping a few for the table is ok. I don't think keeping a limit every day is ethical though. Moderation in all things!
"75% of people don't and 25% keep anything that's legal and get mad when people say not to" that's extremely unfair to say. I keep bass once a year. I pay attention to the lake I'm fishing and the population of fish in that lake. There are a lot of lakes I fish that have tons of 12-14 inchers and a fair amount of 3-4 pound hawgs, so at the end of the year I fish that particular lake and I keep a limit of those barely keeper sized bass and clean them. There are other lakes here that have hardly any bass because of the people you described in your theoretical 25%, and it's painful to see. I have called the ODNR on a few people at my local spots who are keeping 10-15 bass that are not legal, it's not fair to group all of us into the same group of people. The ODNR does a terrible job keeping care of most of our inland lakes and reservoirs so in my opinion more people should be culling the small bass but we also need people to stop keeping every single fish they catch.
I'll occasionally eat bass. But only out of my own pond. I don't think I've ever kept bass in my entire life, outside of my pond. I really wish people would throw bass back
Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right. For example-it’s perfectly legal to pursue another persons spouse romantically, but you’re a terrible person for doing so imho. If your family is hungry I totally understand taking any fish (LMB,SMB) home, if not, it’s tough to understand why some take an oily game fish home to eat when crappie, trout, northern pike and walleyes taste so good!
You can't be serious equating adultery to occasionally keeping a legal bass? Buddy, you should get better with your analogies! lol
@@duggydo No that is not at all what the OP said. How you got that impression is beyond me. Read the original again.
duggydo That’s not at all what it says. You’re reading it wrong, I guess. There’s no equating. 😎
My view point some 10-13 inch bass yes
A gut or bleeding gill hooked bass probably yes
Personally I've stopped keeping any fish out of the lake to eat other than those huge bluegill. I would like to see a 12-14 inch slot limit on spotted bass to keep for those who wish and not keep any LM or smallies for eating at all. Also could go with no keeping at all between April 1 and May 31, with any tournaments during that time being weigh and release immediately. I never believed it is not harmful to keep a big female bass full of eggs and haul them 10+ miles in a live well to weigh, then release at the weigh in site. If we don't conserve the brood stock for the future, we will be out of bass soon, especially largemouths. The occasional gut hooked fish that dies just becomes part of nature's food chain.
I'm anti tournament and pro slot limit
You and I might not like the fact that people are keeping bass for food, but I feel it is wrong for you to criticize someone for taking the bass that they have caught home. I feel it is the state’s job to regulate the harvesting of fish and to restock a body of water if the bass population is low. As long as people are following the regulations set by the state on the numbers and sizes of fish to keep I have a hard time to say something to somebody for keeping bass or any other fish because it is not my job to decide such matters, it is the state’s job via the game wardens.
Because on the other side of the spectrum I’ve seen some people get extremely nasty towards others for keeping legal-sized bass within the daily bag limit! I feel like who gives that person the right to attack others for doing something that the state says is legal? Like what if someone attacks you for hunting dears just because they don’t like the fact that wild animals are being killed? Does that make it right?
Here's an example, you have a 1 acre pond and stock it with bass and bluegill. They'll grow great for years, then after awhile those bass are going to get to where they don't grow anymore. They'll get big heads and skinny bodies. You have to keep things in balance. It does not hurt a bit for someone to keep a mess of bass. They might be better eating fish to you, but maybe there not someone else. It's too much whining in fishing man. I quit hunting because of this crap. If I want to shoot a doe or spike or 4pt it is my right. You got all these hotshot anglers and hunters on tv trying to tell everybody there business. Stop whining.
Agreed Randy. There’s a lot better tasting fish to eat than Bass. Go to Captain D’s or Long John Silver. 😂
I just do not like the taste of Bass. That being said, I do not like the taste of Trout, carp, catfish, etc either so I do not even try for them. Walleye, Crappie, Pike, Perch ...👍👍
It's funny because this is never much of a topic about walleye.
Bahahaha come up to Canada... more bass than people.
i have a big problem with guys catching a 5 lb fish and keeping it and taking it to a taxidermist to just have it hang on their wall...... dumb... and killing genes of the future
Catch and release only way to go keep crappie and blue gills
I actually don't like the taste of bass I eat Crappie catfish perch and walleye
Wow you just lost me, bass in my opinion is one of the most prolific fish in our water ways,But that doesn’t fit your narrative! Bass are as good eating as any fish including walleye which taste like nothing!
Bass are not the most prolific fish. Crappie and white bass are.
U are so right Randy a good bass Fishman never Wii keep a bass to eat
Sport fishing, in definition, is another way to make money, and to exploit humanity, by using a food source and calling it a sport. And has nothing to do with fishing, and everything to do with sales of merchandise. I was taught fishing was a way to put food on the table, just like hunting, Never did my grandfather tell me it was a sport,
I agree, leave them alone during the spawn and post, but after that, fair game .and bass are ambush predators,as well as cannibalistic, that 4lb bass Ate lots of his own species as well as others to get to that weight and larger, Are we not preserving the bass population by eating the large ones so the smaller ones can grow