They actually aren't bad to eat. Take a pair of tin snips and cut up the back and down the belly then fillet as normal. A spoon will seperate the meat from the hide. You get a long tenderloin with no bones. Don't soak in water just a quick rinse right before you fry it so the meat doesn't get mushy. They also make a heck of a fish patty which is the original way I had them cooked before trying to fry them.

I tack the hides to a board to dry and use them to back self bows. My kids like to dry the skulls out and play with them, turtles get the rest... If you think about it they eat very little besides other fish so they are very clean. To me the meat is better than catfish, less red meat and not nearly as muddy tasting.

I agree though, with few natural predators I keep every one I catch even if they are only going under the tomato plants.