TWRA proposes dramatic change in smallmouth bass limits

[Rainbowtrout1]

In my opinion it has been a little bit backwards. The 18 inch plus fish are really the ones that should be returned to water. If someone wants to eat them everyone knows a 12-15 inch fish is best.

 

[MidTennFisher]

I think that is the effectiveness of the 18" limit. They have to be 18" to keep and who would keep an 18" bass to eat, so they are released. Its very effective at preserving the resource

Ok but why not protect the 18+ inchers but allow people who don't worship smallmouth as an idol to eat, 14-17 inch fish?

Also, while we do want to maintain a healthy population of fish, fish are not a resource that need this kind of protection. They are a source of food that should be harvested responsibly while maintaining a population. Just like every other species of fish.

Only allowing people to eat them past a size that nobody really wants to kill one is silly. I'd have no issue throwing an 18+ back in the water if I knew I could keep 14 inchers when I wanted to. And I think most would agree.