Keeing Bass

[Bholder78]

I am wondering how many people actually keep bass? I wish they would at least crack down and keep a closer eye on people's takes. I know recourses are limited but I wonder how good bass fishing could be if catch and release was the law at least for several years. Anyway I always release bass and I'm just wondering some of your thoughts. I'm not trying to judge in any way fish taken legally is your right. I'm just curious on your opinions.

[Moveon]

I release most all bass that I catch these days. In the 1960, 1970's and into the 1980's I'd keep the bass we caught for supper. We always ate the bass, sauger, crappie or catfish that we caught back in those days. But back then there were a lot fewer fishermen on KY lake. I kept a couple of bass from Patoka Lake back in the 1980's.

But these days I release all bass and keep only the pan fish to eat.

[Bassin]

I keep very few bass.But I often watch bass being caught and the way most tounament fishmen treat them they may as well keep them to eat. They usually throw them down on the dry carpet than lay them on a dry golden rule to measure. If you are going to remove most of the slime then it would just be a little faster to go ahead and kill then now and eat then. They will be dead soon anyway.

[Embrey]

I keep very few bass.But I often watch bass being caught and the way most tounament fishmen treat them they may as well keep them to eat. They usually throw them down on the dry carpet than lay them on a dry golden rule to measure. If you are going to remove most of the slime then it would just be a little faster to go ahead and kill then now and eat then. They will be dead soon anyway.

really never understood that. bass really arent that slimy

[Moveon]

The slime is produce from the bass's skin under the scales and has antibacterial properties. Remove the slime and bacteria can get in between the scales and start growing and cause a bacterial infection.

That's why is important to handle the bass as little as possible and to pick them up by the lower jaw. Keep your hands wet if you must tought the bass or hold it up for the picture. Return the bass to the water immediately if it's under sized and or if it's a keeper then put it in the live well.

It helps to pump oxyen into the live well water or the keep the live well water cold. Cold water holds much more oxygen than hot water does. Dissolved Oxygen that is.

really never understood that. bass really arent that slimy

[Embrey]

eh, they all get stacked up on top of each other at the weigh in anyway.