culling illegal in MN

[walleye365]

The other day i emailed BASS wondering why they havent come back to MN sense the 90's. I said i thought it be great to see these guys come up here and fish and it be a good twist to a season of the elites. The reason is culling in MN is illegal ya right thought he was filling me full of [PoorWordUsage] so i called the DNR and it is that sucks and should be changed. Im not sure how many know this but i didnt never even thought about it.

[TruthWalleyes]

It's amazing to me how many people don't read the regulations

I guess i'm impartial either way, but why do you think it is illegal, and why do you want it to change?

[DTro]

I always thought you could cull as long as you don't have a limit in possession.

Not quite the same as the more popular culling you see in tournaments where you catch your limit and then try to better it, so maybe that is what they meant.

[walleye365]

Thats what they meant as soon as a limit gos in to the live well you would be done. I read the regs but have never come acrossed it and didnt find it today thats why i called.Its amazing how many people just assume. Truth do you fish tournaments?

[Traxxx]

• Once a daily or possession limit of fish has been reached, no culling or live

well sorting is allowed. No culling is allowed on Mille Lacs or Wisconsin

border waters.

From the Regs Book Page 11

The reason tourney limits are five is so you don't ever reach your daily limit of six

[walleye365]

You beat me to it traxx.

[Burchoid]

The other day i emailed BASS wondering why they havent come back to MN sense the 90's. I said i thought it be great to see these guys come up here and fish and it be a good twist to a season of the elites. The reason is culling in MN is illegal ya right thought he was filling me full of [PoorWordUsage] so i called the DNR and it is that sucks and should be changed. Im not sure how many know this but i didnt never even thought about it.

BASS is misinformed... !!!

Like the last post states, you can have up to 12 fish in the boat before you can't cull (assuming 2 licensed anglers are in the boat). No BASS tournament I know of lets a boat weigh in 12 fish...???

Only exception is the MS river and millacs, but that could be changing soon.

[walleye365]

yup! i see that goin to send him anther email.

[RK]

Hiya-

The no cull rule has been around for quite some time, and Dtro and Traxxx both cite it correctly - you can't cull once you've reduced a limit to possession.

I also don't think that's the issue. As Traxxx also rightly pointed out, a 5-fish tournament limit solves the issue, and lots (most? Tournament guys help me out...) regional and local events have 5 fish bags for that very reason. Same is true for walleye tournaments.

The larger issue with major tours like BASS and the FLW is that the DNR isn't wild about off site weigh ins, especially during the warmer months. Delayed mortality in those events can get pretty high, and the DNR just won't issue those permits very often. They can require a kill tournament, which obviously BASS won't go for - too much bad press.

Before anyone suggests it, the DNR also won't give out waivers or special permits for major organizations like BASS or the FLW. I've sat in on tournament meetings and heard them try, and get shot down. Rightfully so, IMHO. Level playing field for all... If you give a special permit to BASS, you have to give one to the FLW, or AIM, or MWC...

As probably any tournament promoter will tell you, Minnesota is very strict on their tournament permits - far more so than other states. They are very protective of the fishery, and personally I'm fine with that.

For the record, I don't fish tournaments. Don't have anything against them - just don't enjoy it. I don't know if that makes me unbiased, or completely biased. One of the two I guess

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Effie07]

Yup, had a conversation on lake of the woods with a DNR Officer last year. He said we always needed to be two short of our limit in the livewell so to never reach our limit. As soon as we were one short of our limit, we could continue throwing back the final fish until we caught one that met our size requirement, but we could not release any from the live well once we were within 1 fish of our limit.

[polarsusd81]

If you want to take a deeper look at it, once you have a tourney limit (5) in the boat, you really can not cull. Cause your next fish, one you want to use to cull a smaller fish, will be your 6th, and you have a full possession limit. No more culling at that point, and you are done.

[RiverFish]

I think this has been discussed on here before but I have a thought.

Your fishing a tournament with a partner, you have your 5 fish in the well. You catch a 6th fish and realize it is larger than your smaller fish before you get it in the boat. Could your partner release/cull the smaller fish. Your 6th(larger fish) is not in possession yet. Catching a fish does not reduce it to your limit.

Is this a possible scenario?

[Dylan33]

If you want to take a deeper look at it, once you have a tourney limit (5) in the boat, you really can not cull. Cause your next fish, one you want to use to cull a smaller fish, will be your 6th, and you have a full possession limit. No more culling at that point, and you are done.

True- if there is only 1 person in the boat. Most tourneys have 2 licensed anglers, therefore making your boat limit 12.

[walleye365]

Just got off the phone with Al Stevens head of tournaments for MN DNR. He said that they would be fine holding tournament in MN and they have permits they can issue for the off site weigh ins like RK said. He also said theres been issues in the past. I emailed bass back with the info and think it be sweet for them to come up here to fish proably not goin to happen anytime soon.

[DTro]

If you want to take a deeper look at it, once you have a tourney limit (5) in the boat, you really can not cull. Cause your next fish, one you want to use to cull a smaller fish, will be your 6th, and you have a full possession limit. No more culling at that point, and you are done.

Actually no, that is not right.

That last fish isn't in your "possession" until it is put in a livewell or bucket. Being on a hook or even holding it up for a picture does not constitute possession.

[CAMAN]

I remember hearing last time BASS was on Minnetonka they had many issues with the lake association wanting so much insurance and other things that raised costs dramatically. I know the fishermen loved the lake and tournament, but BASS was fed up with all the hoops they had to jump through.

[Burchoid]

I remember hearing last time BASS was on Minnetonka they had many issues with the lake association wanting so much insurance and other things that raised costs dramatically. I know the fishermen loved the lake and tournament, but BASS was fed up with all the hoops they had to jump through.

I call the LAKE MINNETONKA CONSERVATION DISTRICT the lake nazi's. Have you actually read or gone through what they want tournament anglers to do? Tonka already has zebra mussels, spiney water fleas, and milfoil. They should be trying to protect other lakes from the infested lake Minnetonka!!

Here's what they wanted last year (pick one):

"I certify that the watercraft in which I will participate in this special event will not have been in any of the listed infested waters for at least thirty (30) days prior to participation in the event: or, if the watercraft has been in such infested waters within such thirty (30) day period , it will have been completely dry (including all live wells, bilges, and other parts of the watercraft which are capable of holding water) for a period of at least five (5) consecutive days prior to participation in the event. By my signature below I acknowledge that I understand: 1) that a false certification is a crime under the ordinances of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD); and 2) that if the watercraft identified below is placed in infested waters within thirty (30) days prior to launching into Lake Minnetonka and is not completely dry for five (5) consecutive days during that period, I will be required by law to have the watercraft inspected and cleaned by personnel approved by the LMCD."

"I acknowledge that the watercraft in which I will participate in this special event has been in, or may be in, infested waters within thirty (30) days prior to participation in the event and may not be completely dry) including all live wells, bilges, and other parts of the watercraft which are capable of holding water) for at least five (5) consecutive days. By my signature below I acknowledge and understand that it is a crime under the ordinances of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD) to participate in the event without first having the watercraft inspected and cleaned by personnel approved by the LMCD, securing a written certification from the LMCD that the watercraft has been so inspected and cleaned and provided the certification to the organize5s of the event prior to my participation."

[TruthWalleyes]

Thats what they meant as soon as a limit gos in to the live well you would be done. I read the regs but have never come acrossed it and didnt find it today thats why i called.Its amazing how many people just assume. Truth do you fish tournaments?

Nope, Don't fish for Green Carp...

Thanks Traxxx

I wonder how many emails the DNR gets every day about things that are clearly in the regulations book. Spend 30 minutes reading the book. Next year you only need to spend 2 minutes going over the "whats new" section...Very little time spent reading can save you $$ on a ticket.

[Jig Master]

The DNR is an organization that unfortunately bases a large part of their regulation on social influences and pressure rather than sound science. Culling isn't illegal, and if it was everyone would do it anyway. Why would they get so worked up over culling, and then give a bunch of permits to spray toxic chemicals into our states lakes and rivers, destroying aquatic vegetation (milfoil as well as native species). If you don't fish tournaments that's fine, but overall tournament anglers have done A LOT to advance knowledge and equipment in the sport of fishing. The average tournament fisherman knows how to care for fish better than the average fishermen. Livewells were invented due to tournaments, as well as livewell oxygenation systems, cooling systems, and fish care products. You don't need any of that when you are going to cut the fishes sides off after you catch it. Major tournaments should be offered exemptions of slots/size limits. Florida does this, and the last time I checked there were still one or two bass in that state. People in MN and WI who turn their nose up at tournaments are close-minded and have tunnel vision.

[knoppers]

It would make bass fishing contests that much better if they allowed no culling what so ever. I am talking all states. so when you catch that in-betweener, either you through it back, or hope you can catch another. it puts more thinking into these high doller tourneys.

culling in minnesota has always been illegal. again, read the regs.

[Traxxx]

Here is what the regs say Page 11:

• Once a daily or possession limit of fish has been reached, no culling or live

well sorting is allowed. No culling is allowed on Mille Lacs or Wisconsin

border waters.

Looks legal to me. As long as, you don't have your full limit in the livewell, you can continue to cull. Once you put that limit fish in the livewell, no more culling.

[Esox_Magnum]

We can cull here BUT the culled fish counts as part of your daily limit, however there is an exemtion for tourneys.

[walleye365]

I want to say thanks to the guys that have cleared things up on here.I was misinformed by Bass and the DNR the first time i talked to them. The secound time around i got the facts rite from the man that deals with this issue the DNR tournament director. Yes i could of read the regs better and should of listed this topic differantly i just got alittel caried away by what i was bein told by the first 2. The topic was for tournament culling only. as far as culling other fish to be honest i dont keep a limit of fish very often. I dont see the point in keeping 6 walleye when 3 will do and so on.

[JohnMickish]

The DNR does issue off site weigh in permits. The FLW held it's Walleye tour championship on Leech last fall and the final day LIVE fish weigh in was at the casino. The anglers where not allowed to transport lake water. The FLW had an elaborate set up to flush the livewells of infested lake water and put in fresh water.

The FLW is coming back to Leech this year and that is a culling tournament as well so it can be done.

I'm thinking if BASS or any other series really wanted to hold a tournament in Minnesota it can be done, but the lake involved also has to be behind it, and the Leech lake association along with the Walker tourism department is behind the tournaments. The new MBC series is also holding it's Bass championship up there this year.

Minnetonka dosen't really seem to want that much exposure for whatever reason.

[skeeterpro1]

I heard now that the minnetonka lake association is now done. So for the major groups wanting to fish out there, they dont have to worry about getting an ok from them as well the DNR