I bet you bass are killed more often than we realized. I mean just because they are released and swim away doesn't necessary mean they wouold survive.

If I kill a big one I eat it. No reason to let it just float away if it can be a meal.

I have killed to many to even say. It took me a long time to really think about why I was killing them. I have hooked several with a jig-n-pig in the belly and that really sucks. But here recently the more I have been out fishing the more respect I have gained for Mr. Bass. To this day if I have a bleeding fish I will put it in the livewell until I am completely done fishing and if it is still alive I hope it survives but if he's floating I take it home and eat it. If I have a bass that has swallowed the hook I usually cut the hook in half and get the hook out that way so the fish will survive. There are to many people that take the fish home even if it is not in any risk of dying. To me that makes the sport of fishing more difficult for the new bass fisherman out there. But in a way it also make you a better fisherman for those private lakes that gets hardly any lures thrown in it.  Thats just my 2 cents.

I rarely kill bass, its always the darn chain pickerel, they are so fragile...