Culling System???

stickbait · Post by **stickbait** » Mon May 20, 2019 7:32 pm

Balance beam system.. "not a scale"...Any advice of what your using..

Picked up a cal coast system because I like the fact that you don't have to poke a lot of holes in fishes lips, They have a plastic clip that clamps on the lip. Once the clip is attached to the fish there is a loop (below the loop is a rather large float with a number) that you hook on the notches in the balance beam, real fast and not much handling of fish out of water..I liked all that ...BUT

In using this system we noticed it was hard to keep fish clipped by the jaw, several came off and we had to resort and rebalance not good for the fish. Also the leads seem real short in length and with the large numbered float and rather large plastic clip the fish seemed to be fighting all that floatation of the float and clip and then the shortness of the lead in trying to get to the bottom of the large livewell. The fish seem to be tiring real quick... and seemed to be stressed... I don't like that!...Ya... I know catch bigger fish...lol

So with all that said...what are you guys using or have had good experience with.

Thanks in advance

dfishing1 · Post by **dfishing1** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:51 pm

Here's two different beams that don't punch holes. One has a metal spring loaded clip with teeth and the other is a MLF style plastic clamp clip. I have had some same issues with coming unbuttoned on the cal coast products.

steve black · Post by **steve black** » Tue May 21, 2019 7:12 pm

+ 1 on the second pic,haven't had any issues with that one.
Steve.

ash · Post by **ash** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:33 am

If you have the Gen 2 Cal Coast Clip N Cull 2.0 you shouldn't have any issues with those clamps coming off, if you are I'd reach out to them directly as my experience with their customer service when approached politely and personally has been OUTSTANDING.

With that being said I use my own balance beam that a machinist made for me it has the old school through the gills hook but I just hook it to my Clip N Cull at the bottom where the rope comes off of the Clip. I've never had issues with this system. PS im typically not balancing 4lbers so if that is your case you have some good problems. I am saving up for the Rapala scale that holds the fish weight in the scale so i can be a bit more efficient in culling but I will ALWAYS balance beam fish under 3 lbs they are just too squirrely