Keep LMB???
 

I grew up in central Ill. Worked three jobs consistently through high school, rocked a '91 Buick WAGON and always had my rod rigged with a chartreuse spinner.....always. Stopped at any and every lake, pond, crick, rive, what have you that I came across. My buddies and I landed some pretty nice fish especially some Goliath Bass!!! I was raised that they were a sport fish, and treated them as such. I've never eaten it and never plan on it. I personally don't roll around with light tackle in my truck anymore, I'm too in love with the salt. I don't rock a wagon anymore either, for now:D. Just curious I guess does anyone fish large mouth and foam at the mouth for it, or do you C&R.

Jay

Let me grab the popcorn and the lawn chair. :cheers1:

I don't normally target LMB, but I have taken some smaller models for consumption on occasion. I would say three or four fish, 3 pounds or less over the last five years. I normally thow them back as they are a bycatch of crappie and I rather eat the crappie.

With that being said some of the competitive guys will think less highly of you because they feel it impacts their "sport". If someone is buying a license and following the rules, I say they can keep what laws tell them to keep. I do like eating bass, but I prefer crappie. If I go home without crappie, I might just take one of the green ones home for the dinner plate.

Danodog

I've been fishing for LMB, SMB, and Kentuckys for 25yrs and have never once kept a single one of any of the species and never will. C&R or donation to Bass Pro Shop only for me. Thats how I was taught by my dad fishing tournaments with him growing up. Catfish and slabs are another though!

I grew up fishing for LMB here in San Diego. I too have never kept or eaten one....always catch and release. I personally don't like to keep them, but I don't have an issue with somebody taking one home to put food on the table as long as they are folllowing the rules.

Ive never kept one before, of you have your license and ofcourse its legal for you to keep any legal fish but i figure that all these bass guys love to fish em and they get all mad when people keep them so why bother let them be.

Eat what u like
 

I don't think lmb are endangered. :rolleyes: I grew up in midwest too n ate one as kid n not too fond of it. Love smb, walleye, perch so lots of other tastier choices. I'd even eat pike over lmb n deal w bones. I wouldn't fault ur choice as long as u eat what u take. Personally I'm not a big fan of cnr for fun (lots of gud reasons for release tho). Why purposefully stress out fish if not going to eat it. I know I'm in minority on that one.

LMB release.....


Calicos on the other hand, BBQ time.:D








Couldn't help myself.:D

I've lived I the Santa Clarita valley for the most part of 35+ years. Spent most of that time fishing Castaic, Pyramid, Piru & Casitas in all those years I've never kept a fish except a striper or two but NO LMB.
FFY.

I have pulled in hundreds of LMB and out of all those I have only kept 3 legal ones that got injured during the fight. I love fishing for them with ultralight gear. And I have to admit they do taste good but would rather target sand bass or rock fish for eating.

They are good. I grew up on them.
Only one's I'll keep are the deep hooked one's.

fish fry every superbowl. bluegill, crappie. bass, cats. Whatever we catch. YUM. Oh yeah don't forget the libations:cheers1:

I grew up in Minnesota where fish are food, I kept LMB once in CA, tasted like algae, never again. I may keep some small mouth this weekend to try em :D

Never tried eating Green bass but I have heard it's pretty good from a couple people who have eaten it. I don't doubt that it's good...but why would you want to eat one when there are so many better fish to eat around here...?:p

By the way nice bass ED!

BRAGGER!!!:cheers1:

As a kid when we went fishing my dad always wanted something to take home for dinner. I never really felt that LMB were good to eat. As I grew up and evolved into a more sport type fisherman I learned what fish I like to keep and what I don't. I practice the art of CPR(Catch, Photo, Release) of most fish. Halibut, Yellowtail, Rockfish, Dorado, just to name a few are my keeper fish, but bass(Calico, Sand, Spotty) all go back.

One time I took my dad trout fishing and it was right at the beginning of the spawn of bass season. I hooked my dad up with a nice drop shot rig and told him to cast a certain direction and slowly reel back. We had already limited out on trout for each of us. He hooks a nice 2 pound LMB. I lip the fish, hold it up for him to look at and then released it. His comment to me was, next one I catch like that is going home with us. I explained to him that it was the spawning time of year and not a good idea to keep them. He was still grumpy about it, but we didn't catch anymore bass that day.

I know of ways to cook fish so almost any fish tastes great, but I just don't like killing bass if I don't have to.
I do like Salt and freshwater fishing, but Saltwater more because you don't have to pay to launch your kayak or boat, or pay a lake fee.

I'll only eat then in the winter through the ice (Minnesota). Unless walleyes are around and biting(:

C & R Waaayyyy too many other great fish for table fare.

Ate LMB several times as a kid. Never again. Huge fish snob now. No LMB, Calico, or Sand Bass. CPR only. I eat halibut, yellowtail, YFT, BFT, Albacore, and WSB. I keep the Dodo's because my wife likes it. I won't even eat that. I like mako and thresher but have never caught one.
I fish for fun. If I want fish to eat and the freezer is empty...Grocery store. Sure thing and cheaper.