Panfish size?

What size fish to keep for eating has been discussed on many forum topics here on Lake-Link. There is the argument that a fish is too small and not worthy of keeping as well as releasing the larger fish for spawning purposes. If you want to get picky about what to keep it has to be on a basis of the particular body of water you are fishing. Some lakes produce large numbers of fish with most being average size and some produce smaller numbers of fish that get to what is considered bigger size. Maybe more important than size is the numbers of fish kept. I see no issue with harvesting what you want, within the regulations, and then utilizing them for a meal as long as they don’t go to waste. Anglers fish for different reasons, some just for sport, relaxation or to get a meal or two. To each their own and worry more about yourself than what others do. 

If you can't get decent fillets from the fish why keep them? I am not picking the meat from between the bones on pan fish! I can afford to buy groceries. Talk to someone that has got a fish bone stuck in their throat and you will understand why.

Fished wing dams today, sad to see guys filling their coolers with 5 and 6 inchers. Lots of small gills but they don't have much of a chance to reach decent size with all the I got my limit mind set I see on the river expecially in the winter here on the big muddy.

I don’t usually pan fish. But we got into some really big bluegills on a small lake the other day. Released them. These fish are very vulnerable right now. I would think a small lake could easily be affected this time of year with panfish harvest and a low keep limit could help. It was very easy to catch some really big panfish the other day for us-because of structure on this almost structure less lake.
It really took very little talent. They could see us, but they were feeding so heavily, we could take our pick. Literally. Just  my two cents here. Not really a pan fisherman.