Hey Cowhunter...welcome back...again.
Been trying to watch your back...with limited success.
Before and after the commercial season I rarely keep a fish unless it's a bleeder...and I have to argue with my 87 yr. old father over every throwback (old school...he still thinks 16" and it goes in the box...or to the pretty neighbor!) but the vast majority of the casual rec's I know are dying to catch that keeper and fillet away. I admit that's not many because virtually all my fishing friends fish commercially...I guess for all of us it's a "birds of a feather" thing!
"But again thats my opinion and it dont mean %$%$%$%$ because I dont have any scientific data to back it,"
I wish everyone would be this honest and would rely on those "with the data"