What would you do?

[Rik]

Okay, here's the situation. Hypothetical, of course. It's a Saturday, a week before the big tournament. You're doing a little recon, checking a few places out and you come upon a spot that is hot.

Now, you've promised your bride that you're going to bring some fish home for dinner. You had to go through the "you always go fishing but you never bring any fish home. The least you could do if you're going to go fishing all the time is bring some fish home for dinner" discussion the night before.

So, when you come upon that hot spot, the prior night's conversation is ringing in your ear and your line starts to sing. Not an ordinary song but a real, serious kind of song. A big fish kind of song.

The first 3 are over slot so there is no decision but, finally, you reel in that 33 3/4 inch snook. Your mouth starts to salivate as you envision dinner.

Then you get to thinking about the tournament the next week. This darn near 34 inch snook could be the money fish. You could be going home with a shiny new kayak with that fish. You could be a star and get praise and adulation from the other contenders in the tournament. Heck, you might even get your smiling face in some magazine somewhere.

Then you start thinking about your lovely bride sitting at home waiting for her man to bring home dinner. She's probably already gone to the store to get the perfect fixings for this fish dinner. In fact, this fish dinner might just get things started for a bit of midnight aerobics.

Okay, the stage is set. You're holding this snook in your lap. What do you do? Would you harvest the fish?

[MrSpectaculous]

Turn it loose and stop by a Seafood store on the way home.

A new kayak trumps a night of bumping ugly's.

[Dustin]

One way trip to the grease .

[paddlaroun]

I do keep fish but my rule is to keep fish at the bottom of the slot not so close to being a breeder. Dan

[FishingDL]

I agree with Dan. Let the big girl swim.

[Terrapin]

How about you sack up and do both.

[Hornetbear]

the first 3 are over slot so there is no decision but, finally, you reel in that 33 3/4 inch snook.

then you wake up.

From a wildly exotic dream where you catch 3 over slot fish.

You know what i'd do. The slot has been defined to take fish within it. Hippies be damned.

You can't think the fish you catch today will reflect on the fish you catch during a tournament...

If you're fishing for food, take the fish. You'll catch another during the tournament.

Or I might...

[Gator]

First off, if you've been married for more than an hour or so, this won't be the first time you pissed off the wife. I'm sure she will be just as pleased with a fat T-bone or a nice fish fillet from you local butcher. Let the fish go. There's that slim glimmer of hope you can recatch it during gametime. I can imagine she will be very happy with you if you bring home a check along with that shiny new kayak next Saturday, and then the midnight aerobics should be on! On that note, I think in order to be considered "aerobics" the activity has to last more than 3 minutes :P :P . Lastly, if you cannot live with the guilt of not bringing your lovely bride home the fish she requested. You should divulge the location of your catch to me, and I will do my best to recatch your fish on Saturday, and will gladly hand it over to you and your bride .

[Erick]

If you don't bring home that fish, you might not be fishing the next week in the tournament anyway....piss off momma and see how soon it is before the next fishing trip.

My wife doesnt eat fish and I never keep fish, but I voted take it home for dinner. You want the three over slot fish for the tournament anyway, get rid of the pesky small one.

[justabucup]

A bird in the hand is worth more then two in the bush!

(Disclaimer: There are no sexual references in this saying! So please no inuendo about a hand in a bush or two bushes for one bird etc,

[FishingDL]

You have a bush for sale? Does it come with a yellow van?

[RockinNReelin]

I agree with Dan on this one.

[XRick]

Broiled Salmon with lemon butter a bottle of light white wine and grins in the morning....don't forget where that hot spot is.

[SnookKatcher]

Snook sauteed in garlic butter with a light dusting of Cajun seasoning. Yellow rice on the side with tomato gravy and hoe-cake cornbread. Sheeeeeit.
I keep very few of the fish I catch, especially Snook. Mostly kept are Reds, and various 'eating' variety fish....Whiting, Flounder, Silver Trout, etc. A kept Snook is a treat, and one dearly loved by the Wife.
For the Tourney the next weekend I'm targeting the 'hot spot' for one of the OVER-slot fish previously released...IF they are still there, and that's a BIG 'IF', as conditions can change and the fish can move on, or the 'bite' can change time/tide-wise, etc.
I'm taking a legal-sized fish, and do it rarely, so my conscience is clear.
If given a choice, I'd rather take a lower-end slot fish too.
My two cents. Lee.

[LivelyBaits]

Without a doubt: Let them all go. It's for a different reason though: Fish populations are at a critical level right now.

I really like to eat fish but I'd also like to be able to catch them in the future. To me, every available healthy fish for the next spawns is critical right now. It's been the toughest Fall fishing I've seen here since the mid 90's.

[razor]

I'm surprised no one saw fit to point out this. As the hour approaches to way anchor from your trusty honey hole on the day of the tourney, you realise that the gentleman in the purple yak to your left has just caught the monster you had trained to stay put and only bite your bait for todays competition. Now, do you throw your self in the water as you flail around in your yak or do you reflect on the tasty dinner you shared with your better half the week before? I never met a well trained snook yet. I would keep it myself, I love a good snook on the barby with hushpuppies and honey.