Good thoughts MacNCheese... Are you inferring our DNR legal limits are unethical?
I C/R all the Smallies I catch as do most fishermen I see on the River and the Bay...but I also believe He has a right to catch his legal limit of Bass and eat them also.
Both Bays de Noc and feeder rivers like the Escanaba are great Smallmouth fisheries. I wish our DNR would put in a slot limit on Smallies to protect these fish...especially the prime spawners over 18"... We could have an even better Bass fishery...
In Chequamegon Bay...argueably the best Smallie fishery in the USA... You are allowed to kill/keep one Bass per day over 23". That has provided me dozens of 18-21" Mega Smallies on almost every trip to Ashland, WI.
We could have that in a short time...and would draw a lot more tourist/fishermen here... JMHO!
