It's been years since I kept a bass to eat.  However, this evening I went to a small, overcrowded pond with my father-in-law and caught about a dozen bass out of it that we kept to eat.  All of the bass were fairly small (10-12 inches).  All the fish in that pond are the same size, so we're trying to get the numbers down so the size will go up.  I guess this is the right strategy? :-/  Anyway, it was fun, and will be tasty!

If more people thought like you, there would be more big bass to catch

You are doing that pond a service

I don't know about your area but around here they would be full of small yellow worms between the skin and meat.  Yuk!

Man, It's the tough life...fishing to save the pond  ;D

Man, Today I thought about keeping some bass.. I caught a 19inch bass that weighed 2lbs, a bit over 2lbs, but still, just a skinny fish.

I caught about 12 bass today, 4 over 16inches, but didn't keep any, although I should have probably...

I just can't get myself to take a bass's life, I love them too much, for all the fun they've given me, it's tough to kill one...

I don't know about your area but around here they would be full of small yellow worms between the skin and meat. Yuk!

I never eat LMB. If I want some fish to eat i'll take home some white bass, or striper, maybe a catfish. But where I fish, overpopulation is not a problem, so i return them to be caught again another day.

So bighead, what do you mean "full of small yellow worms"? Is that a parasite? Is it a problem at just one specific lake?

- Matt

Yes parasites.  This is specific to pond fish as far as I've seen.   I really don't know why but I've heard it has to do with the water temp.  They are easy to overlook zipping through a cooler of fish in a hurry.  Some people just ignore them and fry um up.  Might just be me but I've got a little trouble with that.  Redfish and trout are pretty bad about parasites too.  About the only bass I clean anymore are the very few that die during a club tourny.  

No one should feel the need to make apologies or excuses for keeping some bass once in awhile for the barbeque.  Granted there are better tasting fish, but a mess of LMB fillets, batter dipped and drippin with gravy make for some fine eatin'

the only rule is to obey all regulations.  Add your own common sense and there should be no problems.

Hey man, nothin wrong with taking the right fish to the dinner table every now and again.  Some may say it's wrong, but hey it's food.  To live we must eat.  And fish just happen to taste darn good.....  You can buy fish at the store every once in a while or you can haul one in off the lake and throw it on the grill or stove.  I'm cheap so you know where my vote goes.  

i doubt eating some smaller bass from a healthy fishery will ever hurt the fishing and it most always will help.  the only folks i have a problem with are the ones that catch a monster and either eat or mount it.  i dont like that but once again if they are within the law im never gonna say a word.  the smaller ones taste better anyways.  im going camping with my son tonight and if we dont catch any crappies you can bet we will eat some smaller bass.