Culling...

[Tight_Lines]

What is everyone's opinion on culling and stress on fish? just wandering?
heard a guy on sipsy river in Ala. saying in was i guess highly frowned upon there. thanks in advance..

 

[churly]

The culling of dead fish is strictly prohibited in the txs I have fished. I don't understand why culling would be a bad thing if the fish you are releasing is alive and well.

 

[Dropshot]

I think the key is to be quick and efficient.

 

[jb366]

If you take care of your fish I see no problem with culling. The guys that beat them up, never change the water, and don't know how to use puncture clips properly are the ones that make culling frowned upon.

 

[FishingwithRusty]

technically its illegal "to waste a sport fish" so by state law culling or throwing out a dead bass is illegal, its a little known fact and rarely enforced. the act of culling(not dead fish) in tournaments is common place, you just have to be thoughtful about not keeping your fish out of the water for too long. definitely throwing them in the bottom of the boat to sort through them is less than ideal(rubs slime coat off and theyre out of water). one of the big things is placement of penetrating cull tags, if you put it through thin tissue, then suspend the fish by it while culling it can tear a big hole in the fish's mouth.

 

[SethColeman]

As long as you are sure your fish is in good enough shape to survive, and do it quickly. I see no problem with culling. However it is 100% illegal to cull a dead fish for a live one. Pretty sure that goes for all game fish. If I gut hook a fish, or get one in the tongue, I take the chance and let it go, and hope to catch another fish. At least it has a chance to survive.

 

[Guest]

As soon as i catch one over the limit thats bigger than one i have i cull right than i dont put 8 or 10 keepers in the live well at once it does a lot of harm the less stress on the fish the better of they are.

 

[Justfishin]

Some of the tx trails now require conservation culling equipment. I have looked them up an I am going to order them. They don’t punch holes. I have caught a lot of fish lately that have big holes ripped in them

 

[bullshot]

A small river/creek such as the Sipsey, is totally different than a large reservoir such as the Chick

 

[Justin125]

I usually never have to worry about culling any fish Lol