Banning Metal Culling Clips in CA or Nationwide?

[Brian D.]

There has been some cyber discussion on the Maryland DRN banning metal culling tags. Obviously this has affected the BASS Elite tournament being held at the Potomac River now amongst other local derbies. Some fishermen think its another agency being overprotective of our fish while others embrace it as taking care of our resource. What do you think? Should we police ourselves and be proactive by protecting our little green friends before being "mandated" to do so from our CA DFW?

Here is some narrative from BASS about the MD Culling Tag Rule. . . .


"the new regulations prohibit the use of culling systems that require piercing a hole in a fish’s mouth, such as the metal clips that are widely used. Competitors will have to use an alternative culling system, such as one with plastic clips or not use one at all. B.A.S.S. has informed all Elite Series anglers it will impose a fine of $250 per day if they’re found to have used the metal clips. “My message to the anglers is don’t take the risk of having the state pull your tournament permit by not complying with the new regs,” said Trip Weldon, B.A.S.S. Tournament Director. "

[mark poulson]

"Rules is rules". If the State changes the rules, we all will abide, just like the Dude!

[Brian D.]

Personally, I want to be a good steward of conserving our resources and doing as much as I can to keep our green and brown friends healthy. That includes using a better culling system, xtra weigh-in bags FULL of water, and some sort of fish care chemical to ensure fish survival. Putting it all out there, I am in favor of non-piercing culling devices. It's the right thing to do. Our lakes are small in comparison to other parts of the country and it's no wonder people catch retreads time and time again with gaping holes in their mouths from poor culling techniques. Most everyone who competes has experienced this. I don't have any cool scientific studies or links to fish biology web sites to reference or back up my opinion, but for something like this you don't need them. A giant tear in a fishes mouth has put that fish in a degraded condition. Will it survive and live to its full potential? Who knows. But if we can avoid it, why wouldn't we do our best?

It's up to us fishermen and tournament organizations to police ourselves. Some orgs charge a conservation fee and most are happy to pay it, but what is that fee really going towards? Fishermen Education? Release Boats? Weigh-in bags? DFG permits? Tournament trucks? Call me crazy, but if you enforce the rules (State and tourney orgs) and make sure the tournament contestants do everything possible to keep their catch healthy and with little harm, we can avert any kind of knee-jerk legislation. In recent years, tourney organizations and competitors have taken strides in fish care mortality, such as shorter wait times at the scales, distributing live well chemicals, mesh bags, separate bags for 5lb. plus fish, and better aeration and ice in pre-weigh-in tanks, but is that enough? Thoughts?

[mark poulson]

Personally, I want to be a good steward of conserving our resources and doing as much as I can to keep our green and brown friends healthy. That includes using a better culling system, xtra weigh-in bags FULL of water, and some sort of fish care chemical to ensure fish survival. Putting it all out there, I am in favor of non-piercing culling devices. It's the right thing to do. Our lakes are small in comparison to other parts of the country and it's no wonder people catch retreads time and time again with gaping holes in their mouths from poor culling techniques. Most everyone who competes has experienced this. I don't have any cool scientific studies or links to fish biology web sites to reference or back up my opinion, but for something like this you don't need them. A giant tear in a fishes mouth has put that fish in a degraded condition. Will it survive and live to its full potential? Who knows. But if we can avoid it, why wouldn't we do our best?

It's up to us fishermen and tournament organizations to police ourselves. Some orgs charge a conservation fee and most are happy to pay it, but what is that fee really going towards? Fishermen Education? Release Boats? Weigh-in bags? DFG permits? Tournament trucks? Call me crazy, but if you enforce the rules (State and tourney orgs) and make sure the tournament contestants do everything possible to keep their catch healthy and with little harm, we can avert any kind of knee-jerk legislation. In recent years, tourney organizations and competitors have taken strides in fish care mortality, such as shorter wait times at the scales, distributing live well chemicals, mesh bags, separate bags for 5lb. plus fish, and better aeration and ice in pre-weigh-in tanks, but is that enough? Thoughts?

Brian, I agree with everything you said.
I used to use the X Tools culling clips, but they kept coming off in the livewell, so I went with large metal clips. Someone here on WB showed how to put them through the fish's lower jaw up near the mouth, so it makes the smallest hole possible, but it is still a hole. I'm sure, even if it eventually heals, it takes energy away from the fish getting bigger.
The only non-piercing culling tags I could find on TW are these:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Accu_Cul ... LECON.html

Do you, or does anyone here, have any experience with that system to share?

[toddmc]

I wasted money on a couple versions of the non-piercing clips. They always seem to come off. It's better to use nothing than the clips.
The big holes created by the piercing culling tags are avoidable though. I have had no dead fish when I put the metal tags through the bottom of the last gill closest to the gill plate and out of the mouth. There comes a point when a fish is too big for a tag with this technique, but fish over five don't need tags anyway.
It has been sad to see many of the fish in the past at DVL with more and more cull tag tears as the summer wears on. Every little pierce eventually becomes a bigger hole. I imagine this is just one more reason why they nixed the summer night tournaments this year.