One of the biggest unwritten rules of sportfishing is to never keep a largemouth bass you've caught, no matter the shape or size. Catch-and-release has been the prevailing philosophy for as long as many of us have been fishing.

However, is a 100 percent catch-and-release philosophy of largemouth bass the best route to take when it comes to conservation and management of the species and the waterways they live in? The answer to the question may surprise some anglers.

Texas has some of the best bass fishing in the United States, and the conservation ethic of catch-and-release was successful in creating trophy bass fisheries not only here but around the country. About 50 years ago, Ray Scott and the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society spearheaded the nationwide movement to help develop better bass fisheries. Before this initiative, largemouth bass populations struggled because of the overharvest of fish.

That said, when it comes to public water bodies and private ponds alike, not harvesting enough fish can cause an issue with overpopulation and slow growth of bass. Simply put, if a water body has too many fish, there isn't enough food to go around. This can stunt a fish's growth and limit the long-term potential for fish to grow to large sizes.

The solution is selective harvest, which removes some of the smaller fish and gives the rest of the fish more resources to grow. It's a win-win for both the angler and the fishery. The angler goes home with a tasty meal, and the rest of the bass population has an environment primed to grow bigger and better.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) monitors fish populations and uses regulations to maintain a healthy balance in our Texas waterways.

“The harvest regulations we have in place are there to, one, make sure we don't harvest too many, and two, the length limits ensure we take the sizes we want and leave the sizes we want to protect,” says TPWD's Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center Director Tom Lang. “When all we do is catch-and-release, we can create a situation where growth rates are limited for the fish that have potential to be prize-winning bass. So, sometimes a little fillet-knife management goes a long way.”

Lakes with slot limits in place are the perfect spots to catch, keep and eat smaller bass. Slot limits protect fish that fall within a specific size range. If a lake has a slot limit of 14-21 inches, any bass caught between those lengths must be returned to the lake. Fish below or even above those thresholds can be retained.

“Harvesting fish that come in outside the slot limit helps the lake produce more trophy bass,” says Lang. “Look for those slot lakes and practice ‘catch-and-release-in-the-grease’ for those ‘unders.’ You'll be glad you did, not just at dinnertime but also when you land that catch of a lifetime.”

Largemouth bass is a predator fish that has a light, white meat that tastes great and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Check out this recipe for one of our favorites.

Beer Battered Bass

by Jason Mercer

Who said beer is just for drinking? This recipe will create a light, flaky fried fish that everyone will enjoy (the alcohol will burn off while cooking). It's a great recipe for bass or any white fish. As our agency's fishing and boating outreach coordinator, I'm always looking for ways to engage people with fish and fishing. I made this recipe by pulling the best pieces from different recipes to create a unique and delicious beer battered bass dish.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of bass fillets
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1.5 cups of potato starch
• 1 Tbsp of garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp of paprika
• 2 tsp of seasoned salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of beer
• Canola or peanut oil for frying

To make the batter, add the salt, pepper, potato starch, garlic powder, paprika, and seasoned salt. Stir to combine. Crack two eggs into the mixture and stir. Slowly begin to add the beer and whisk together. You want the batter to have the consistency of pancake batter — smooth with no lumps.

Cut your bass into 1-by-3-inch pieces. Dry them with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, add about an inch of peanut or canola oil and heat to 350 degrees. Drop a small amount of batter in the oil to make sure it is at the right temperature. It should start to sizzle. Once your oil is at the right temperature, take a pair of tongs and dip a piece of fish into the batter. Let the excess run off and carefully drop it into the oil. Repeat this until you have filled up the skillet, leaving some space between the pieces of fish.

Let the fish cook for two to three minutes. Flip, then let cook for another two to three minutes or until golden brown. Once cooked, remove the fillets from the oil, and allow some of the oil to drip off before placing them on the cooling rack. Let the fish cool for a few minutes while repeating the steps until all the fish is cooked.

Squeeze lemon on the fish before serving with a side of your favorite tartar sauce. Best coupled with cole slaw and French fries on the side. Enjoy!

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