I know this is almost heresy(sp?), but if you run into a pond with only tons of small bass (12"ers) keep a few because they might be eating themselves out of getting bigger. If they seem suicidally aggressive, as in 4 or 5 charging down a poorly presented lure, there is probably too much competition for food and keeping a few will let the rest have more food and grow larger. If your pretty much the only fisherman they see and nothing else is eating them, they can stunt.

Tight lines and better fisheries management,
Wade