[Denlon]

Up until the time I went to college, my family was very needy and my Dad and I always kept all the trout we caught to eat. Same for Fluke (never called them Flounder) and Blackfish (Never called them Tog!). As things got financially better, all trout were released. The only freshwater fish I keep now days are the Yellow Perch and Calico Bass (Never called them Crappies) and sometimes big Sunfish that I catch through the ice. I really love the perch caught through the ice.

Now days, I still will keep a reasonable number of Fluke, Blues, Stripers, Weakies, Seabass to eat that day only. All the rest are released. I never freeze fish anymore.

The only fish I ever regret keeping was an 11 pound Fluke that I caught in Barnegat Bay on the first trip out in my first new new boat in about 1980. I guess I just wanted to show my Father what a great fisherman I was or something like that. I still regret it and I have never kept a large Fluke like that since. Anything over about 4 pounds goes back alive.

Denny