These are my c&r guidelines....if you want to keep bass to eat then keep the bass that are below 3 lbs. Bass that are above 3 lbs are the ones that produce the most eggs during the spawn. I have a freind that was fishing a lake about 50 acres and keeping the 4-5-6-7 pounders out of it to eat. After about 3-5 years later he doesnt understand why he cant catch any big ones out of there. My thinking is that now that he has taken a lot of the bigger bass out of there that there isnt enough big bass to produce enough eggs to support that lake. And who knows how many others have been also keeping the big bass out of there. Anyway thats my rule of thumb that i go by and will keep going by ! Release those big ones guys so the fishery will stay healthy !