Let me grab the popcorn and the lawn chair.
I don't normally target LMB, but I have taken some smaller models for consumption on occasion. I would say three or four fish, 3 pounds or less over the last five years. I normally thow them back as they are a bycatch of crappie and I rather eat the crappie.
With that being said some of the competitive guys will think less highly of you because they feel it impacts their "sport". If someone is buying a license and following the rules, I say they can keep what laws tell them to keep. I do like eating bass, but I prefer crappie. If I go home without crappie, I might just take one of the green ones home for the dinner plate.
Danodog