10lb bass caught on public lake on Jefferson Forest

[270Coastal]

This particular 5-acre lake we're talking about is Tom Wallace, one of the Fishing in Neighborhoods (FiNS) lakes. It is re-stocked regularly with bass, catfish, bluegill, and occasionally, trout, and if you ask KDFWR, these are all "put-take" stockings. In other words, they're not worried about establishing populations, they're just putting fish in there for people to fish for. These lakes are closely monitored, and there will always be bass in there for people to fish for. What bothers me is seeing people doing catch-and-release on those little bitty stocked trout, and acting all high-and-mighty about it. Those fish are going to die by summer, and all they're doing is accelerating the process, and killing fish for no reason. I had one guy who was doing the catch/release trout thing offer me one of the fish he caught, because it was gut-hooked and would likely die. He actually got huffy with me when I politely declined to keep his 9" trout. My feeling is, if you're not willing to keep and eat the occasional gut-hooked fish, you have no business out there fishing.

Those little bitty stocked trout probably helped that 10 lb. bass get to 10 lbs.

[WwiskerswW]

I know if my grandpa caught that fish, it would have ended up in the skillet, and tasted great! You could have admired the size of the fish by looking at its head that was hanging in the tree next to his house.

As kids growing up it was a pretty site to see how grandpa did at the lake. The next best thing was when you got to eat, and hang your first big bass head on the tree next to your grandpa's.

[TRACKER MAN]

I know if my grandpa caught that fish, it would have ended up in the skillet, and tasted great! You could have admired the size of the fish by looking at its head that was hanging in the tree next to his house.

As kids growing up it was a pretty site to see how grandpa did at the lake. The next best thing was when you got to eat, and hang your first big bass head on the tree next to your grandpa's.

Good Stuff.... These are just fish people, just like Bucks or Toms. We don't let them walk in November. And I'm not about to let that fish get away. If I catch a 10lb Bass I would mount it for sure. To each his own.