Me .I,d rather find some woman :& get laid ><><>:bshake::humpty:

numbskull, I'll leave the original post as is...but toss my edit here...
"...let's toss in medicine/health as a way to sway people on why we shouldn't keep (big) fish (or rather fish over 30#s)..."
Perhaps I should have worded it that way? Not that I was trying to be offensive, but perhaps you would have found that less of a conviction?

Look, if my intent on a particular outing is to bring a fish home for whatever reason, the first fish caught is getting hung, that completes the first task, leaving the second task to enjoy whatever else happens during that outing...would I prefer a 30" fish over a 30# fish for consumption? Absolutely!...but again, if my intent was to bring a fish home that night/day,... first come - first go....w/a bit of sarcasm, Perhaps I'm not as talented as others that I can single out the size fish I'd like to have attack my offering (It's very rare that I'm not in big fish mode, perhaps that's an issue I have as well?)...or perhaps I'm not as patient as someone else... that I'd release the 30#er and wait for the 30"er? Do the health pros and cons come to mind at that point, honestly...no, and for good reason, at least to me...

When a large fish comes home, it gets filleted, bagged and dated. I keep some, I give some...I lay my pieces carefully so that when frozen, they are easily detached allowing me to take a single piece when desired. I'm not poisoning anyone but myself at this point, wife nor son enjoy eating striper. I'm not going to eat Striper 3 days in a row...(not for health reasons, I just don't care to anymore.)
However, there's a specific casserole that I make with striper (for gatherings) in which a lot of fish is used. Should I feel like I'm endangering my family & friends when I share it with them? I sure the hell don't and won't....I'm a God fearing man numbskull.....being that you capitalized His name in your reply, I'll be risque and assume you have some Faith as well. If God's divine plan has me die-ing or falling ill due to toxins from a piece of fish that I catch, then so be it. I'll accept that as the striper getting retribution...lol

I'd be lie-ing if I said that on every outing, I didn't want to catch the largest sized fish of whatever species I was targeting. I'm not sure what the term for that is right now, but I'm guilty of it. It's in my particular gene-pool...some don't have it I guess, or they lie about not having it, but I do? That doesn't mean that I want to take that fish home, it's more of an inner accomplishment for me....the out-doing of self. I wouldn't call it an ego thing, only because I don't go posting/or putting up selfies or what have you, but then maybe it's an inner-ego thing?? whatever//...But like I said earlier, and perhaps I should be more specific in species...if I plan on taking a Striper home for the table, first come ...first go.

To better address your remark of... "why would you want to make multiple meals from a 30# fish"....if the 30# fish got caught first that day, it's going to happen...I didn't "want" it, per say? It's how the cards fell....sorry, but that's how I look at it.

I think the bigger point being missed is the peer pressure being placed on the insecure or inexperienced fishermen out there...the ones who curdle when someone thought to be slightly respected in this sport make a comment. Some guys can't think for themselves...therefore they rely on the so-called "experts" to help guide their decision making. I'm sure there are people who used to enjoy eating/keeping striper who may keep less now due to what others say...yes, some people are just that weak. Sure, some feel they've become more responsible with the resource, more conservative, better educated, call it what you want....Kudos to them, to each their own.

I'm a greenhorn, strong-minded, strong-willed.....and even "stupid" to some....and that's OK too.

Mike, getting laid is what got me into all my troubles!!!! :cens:
She wants another house.....I want another boat.
She told me to go smoke another one..........she got the house :huh:

All kidding aside, I enjoy a good debate (I try to keep it respectful)...my post wasn't a personal attack on anyone, apologies if it was read that way. I meant to generalize all those who discourage those of us who enjoy keeping their allotted limit.

Perhaps I should go back deeper into hibernation, and die quietly of Striper Intoxication...

Pot meet kettle?

Not exactly, my dear Watson...
I don't recall bullying anyone about practicing C&R or doing anything they want (within the law) with what they catch.
Simply trying to get the "Anti-Fish-Killer" attitude down a few degrees....

Fish are Food not Friends.

As for the level of toxins in fillets, I think you greatly reduce the level if you remove the lateral line. That darker softer section is where I believe fish store most metals, like iron or mercury. By storing the heavier minerals along the lateral line it assists them in migration like a built in compass. I think nature designed it to store iron, but a bycatch is mercury and other toxins.

I'm not sure if it reduces that much, but I always remove the dark meat along the lateral line from my fillets.

:claps::claps:....Me too, every last bit of it, and there's quite a LOT of it unfortunately.

And with all due respect to our Medic-friend, in regards to..."I spoke directly with the State Health Dept several years ago and they where very clear that their testing was done only on samples from fillets. "

When filleting a Striper, that "red-meat" IS part of the fillet. Was it removed? Who knows at this point....I do know that when I buy a fillet from the store, the "red-meat" or that area in general is NOT removed.