Culling

[robhj]

Nice culling reminder for anyone who fishes tournaments. I know I'm guilty sometime for not taking extra care when attaching a culling ball to fish.

[djkimmel]

I notice he doesn't mind bouncing the bass off the carpet though, rubbing off their slime layer. He should land by hand without laying the fish on the boat floor, or use a wet rubberized net to minimize how much slime layer he's taking off the bass.

I also personally don't poke any holes in the bass mouth with a culling system. I don't fish tournaments anymore so I don't mark bass usually but I had found a culling system that clipped on the lower jawbone holding very well without having to poke any hole. Unfortunately they don't make them anymore or I would recommend them because they didn't come off either.

I believe they should come up with systems that don't require poking holes at all beyond the hook point you caught them with to minimize harm to bass. If we're going to release them we should do it right and very well. About the only additional harm I do is holding the bass for a picture or video for a little extra time.

I too hate to see the big holes in a bass' mouth from culling pokes. I landed a bass last summer that my thumb went right through the bottom jaw from a big hole. That just shouldn't happen if we really care about minimizing our impact on bass we plan on releasing to be caught again.

[robhj]

Great points Dan, I saw that too. I have culling balls with small black clips that attach to the clip withou penetrating. I can't remember where I got them but noticed this style online:

Link removed due to No Links Policy

Another thing that I can't believe hasn't changed is how you can't use nets during BASS events. I always thought that was crazy considering it's safer for the fish and the angler.

[djkimmel]

A few pros has asked about using nets again but the camera people don't like it. I think they should allow nets and have them use good conservation nets, nice rubberized or soft ones.

PS: I have a no links policy on GreatLakesBass.com for only one store and you nailed the link for that store. They are unfair with me about not recognizing referral traffic from this website so I won't give them any referrals. Nothing personal. Just that one online store. If they ever come around honestly and recognize the value of the referral traffic they get from this website I'll start allowing links again for them but until then, no links for that place please. Thanks.