CULLING KIT PROBLEM

[g-man]

I was out fishing the 100% future pro tourney this weekend, and had a problem I wanted to see if anyone else ever had. I had a fish that was one of the bigger in my live well and I put the clip from my cullling system on its lip. after about 15 minutes the fish started belly floating. So I took the clip off and just like that she flip back up right. This happen to me at Oroville earlier this year while fishing a tourney there. I have the XCULL kit. I was thinking maybe they might have a nerve or something in its lower jaw that causes it to do this. Any thoughts on this please let me know. Is ther a better kit to use that will not make the fish do this. It wasnt a big fish It weight 2.8 pounds. Anyways, I caught a limit of 13.26. had them by noon. spent three hours looking for my kicker, never found her. I dont know were I placed because I just weighed my fish and left. Its Clear Lake that kinda weight just dont cut it there.

[R watts]

Check your pm

[JGB]

Never had the problem because those clips always would fall off and I never could get them to stay on the fish once put in the livewell. Have you modified them at all?

JGB

[Sumo]

It would be interesting to hear the answer to your question. A few weeks back I was fishing Berryessa and having a contest with my partner he handed me some culling clips and the same thing happened to me. One of the fish was not fortunate enough to survive but when I took the others off they recuperated. I thought that it was a fluke but apparently it is not. I hooked them on the lower lip.

[Mike D]

I also have the x-tools and this weekend I had the same thing happen with my 2.95 lber. When I checked on her she was belly up but still alive. I flipper her back over and didn't have a problem the rest of the day with her. I also thought it was just a one time thing, but the more people that post the same thing, it makes you wonder.

[Long Nguyen]

G-man,

I can't comment about the fish being belly up with the cull bobber, but I can tell you that adding Rejuvenade into your livewell will really help keep those bass lively. It's not cheap stuff, costs about $12-15/bottle, but it is worth it to keep your catch alive. If you haven't tried it, give it a shot.

I've had deep hooked bass bleed in my livewell. Added this stuff and blased the areators and it made it fine all the way to weigh in.

Any pro shop should carry it. Check first with the shops that sponsor the board.

Good luck,

Long

[Dave A]

Hey JGB,

I have the same problem with those clips falling off. Frustrating.

[R watts]

I took my markers and cut the number off where the stick meets the circle (loop) portion and the same on the connector clip. I conected a length of plastic line, almost like thick weed eater line, from an old set of fish markers. I used small cable crimps to connect them and they work perfect.

I think that the stiff piece of plactic used in these markers does not allow the fish to move freely in the live well. Since I made this change I have had no problems at all.

If anyone is interested I would be happy to take a picture of what I did so it might make a little more sense.

[chaoscow]

What's a culling kit?

[Phil]

ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT THE CUL-M-RITE ???????

[R watts]

JIGS,

they are talking about the XTOOLS fish markers that come in the culling system.

[Phil]

OH OK

[Brian]

There is a groove kinda in the bottom of the jaw. It runs from the front of the mouth back towrds the gills. If you make sure that you get the outside clip in that groove they will not fall off. I can even grab the floats and pull the fish to the top of the water in the livewell to cull without it falling off if I do it this way.

Never had a problem with fish going belly up and I have been using the xtool for two seasons now.
Brian

[g-man]

r-watts, please send a pic of how you modified the xtool. i would like to see what you did. someone needs to come up with something less stressful for our little green buddies. thanks for all the responses guys. i guess we would be stressed out too if we had something the size of a baseball bat hanging off our lips.

[R watts]

G

I will do that tonight when I get home. It is very simple and it cost almost nothing.


RW

[Gator]

Thanks RW - if you could post it here I am sure several would appreciate it.

[R watts]

No problem Gator

[steve0806]

Go to www.bassboatcentral.com and search for "xtools". There is a description of how at least one person solved the problem with the marker clips. Search the "Product Review" section of the BBC forum.

[R watts]

This is what I did to mine with what I had in the garage. It has work for me and I have had no problems with the fish going belly-up or the clips coming off.


http://photos.yahoo.com/randy-delia@sbcglobal.net