If I think it would look good on my wall then I'm going to keep it...it doesn't have to be a state record but it has to be a big fish. I'm not insane about it either, I'm not talking about 6 largemouths, 17 stripers and 4 smallmouth adorning the walls of my home, I'm only talking about one of each species that I really like a lot, which is the species I just mentioned. For eating you can't beat crappie, bluegill and stripers...I never keep largemouths nor smallmouths, only way I will is if I think it's worthy of going on my wall at the house. Some don't agree and that's ok with me, to each his own.