Finally – Culling comes to Wisconsin (wink, wink)

Well they finally formalized what most of the bass guys (and gals) have been doing on the Mississippi, for years. Now, they won’t have to lie.

Culling comes to Wisconsin 5/31/2011

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill to allow culling in bass tournaments late last week in a ceremony at Okauchee Lake, ending a decades-long fight to put the state on even terms with the rest of the U.S. regarding the issue. It was previously illegal to release a live bass once it had been kept in a boat’s livewell.
“There is very little impact in terms of mortality when it comes to bass that have been culled,” said Wisconsin B.A.S.S. Federation Nation legislative director Dan Brovarney in an press release issued by B.A.S.S. “If there were data that proved culling or tournament fishing had a noticeable negative effect on the bass population, I would quit fishing tournaments, but there just isn’t proof.”

Said B.A.S.S. conservation director Noreen Clough: “Since 1980, Wisconsin B.A.S.S. and other anglers have been working with the Wisconsin State Legislature and fisheries managers to improve the management of black bass and black bass fishing, to include instituting bag limits, habitat programs and tournament standards. Legislation to allow culling at bass tournaments is the major highlight in those efforts and has been a long time coming.”

FLW Outdoors issued the following statement from Operations Division president Kathy Fennel:

“The state of Wisconsin made a positive move today that will benefit the fishing industry and the state’s economy with the signing of the bill lifting culling restrictions for bass tournaments. FLW Outdoors fully supports this move. This opens the opportunity to bring a major FLW tournament to Wisconsin. Some of the finest fisheries and fishing enthusiasts are located in Wisconsin. This is a great move for the sport and will also serve as an economic stimulus to the state.”

*WINNING*!!!!

Dose this mean you can cull on the Mississippi? The river has different rules then the rest of waters in both states. Minnesota has had a cull rule for inland waters but you still couldn’t cull on the river. Kind of a gray area.

Was the bill only for Bass?? Why nothing on our Walleye tournaments? Or was it for all tourney’s. I suppose the mortality rate is too high?

This is for permitted Bass tournaments only…Probably nothing on ‘eye tournaments b/c 1. mortality is too high as you mentioned and 2….nobody in the walleye world was fighting for it like we were….But it hopefully opened the door for some more common sense laws to be passed…

This is sort of perplexing…… First, there is data-least for walleyes-that warm water tournaments have a much higher mortality, and what about tournaments such as the Sturgeon Bay Open, where bass are routinely taken off their beds and transported miles away to a weigh in? I am sure the FLW and others are branding this as a win–but is it a win for WI, or just another example of good lobbying?
Were THAT MANY PEOPLE CHEATING in WI bass tournaments by improperly culling?—If so, where was the policing of this by fellow tourament members–or, did they all agree that this form of cheating is acceptable?

As my grandma always said, “If you are going to cheat, cheat honestly”. Sounds like an example of something the leagues and tournament directors could not enforce (no culling) and this law was the only way they could address it as they could not control their own people whom they knew were cheating. Sounds like this law was passed more for the good of that than the good of the fisheries.
Sure, these shows bring money to WI, but it’s really a spit in the bucket compared to everything else.

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Dose this mean you can cull on the Mississippi? The river has different rules then the rest of waters in both states. Minnesota has had a cull rule for inland waters but you still couldn’t cull on the river. Kind of a gray area.

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So can you cull on the river?

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Were THAT MANY PEOPLE CHEATING in WI bass tournaments by improperly culling?—

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I know for a fact that my buddy culled in the same boat as the head of a prominent member of a large bass fishing organization in a WI tournament.

I have seen it many times…..

Sad but sometimes you have to cheat to win!!!!

Says alot about the moral fiber of the participants.

Dog

I think a lot of the guys think it’s not cheating when they believe that everybody else is doing it and it’s an unwritten (exception to the) rule.

Just a few responses to your posts….(being as I was a large advocate and lobbyist for this bill, and in no way am I trying to argue – just get across my own views on the subject in civil conversation…

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This is sort of perplexing…… First, there is data-least for walleyes-that warm water tournaments have a much higher mortality, Walleyes are not bass, and it’s well known that ‘eyes do not have the recover capability that a bass does and what about tournaments such as the Sturgeon Bay Open, where bass are routinely taken off their beds and transported miles away to a weigh in? I am sure the FLW and others are branding this as a win–but is it a win for WI, or just another example of good lobbying? There is ZERO data to indicate that tournaments held during the spawn (ie.bed fishing/sight fishiing) has any ill effect on a fishery…and by the weights/health of the fish coming out of Sturgeon bay over the past decade, it speaks for itself.
Were THAT MANY PEOPLE CHEATING in WI bass tournaments by improperly culling?—If so, where was the policing of this by fellow tourament members–or, did they all agree that this form of cheating is acceptable? I’ll be the one to speak on it – Yeah we did all agree it was acceptable….WI was the only state still “enforcing” this archaic law..Does that Make 49 other states wrong and WI correct? don’t think so – that’s why this was dubbed a “common sense” law.

As my grandma always said, “If you are going to cheat, cheat honestly”. Sounds like an example of something the leagues and tournament directors could not enforce (no culling) and this law was the only way they could address it as they could not control their own people whom they knew were cheating. Sounds like this law was passed more for the good of that than the good of the fisheries.
If the Tournament Director hammered home the no-cull rule, it did effect the anglers and their decisions…ie.the last BFL ….
Sure, these shows bring money to WI, but it’s really a spit in the bucket compared to everything else.
if a 1.x MILLION+ Everstart or BFL All American or Elite Event is a spit in the bucket – they why do you guys care so much about it? LOL…

Can anyone tell me why culling bass in a tournament is bad?

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Dose this mean you can cull on the Mississippi? The river has different rules then the rest of waters in both states. Minnesota has had a cull rule for inland waters but you still couldn’t cull on the river. Kind of a gray area.

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So can you cull on the river?

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I do not believe that the average fisherman, fisher women or fisher kid for that matter can cull fish, anywhere in Wisconsin. Be it on the Mississippi or any other inland lake or river.

Maybe Slop can chime in here again but as I understand it, this rule applies to Bass Tournament fishermen only.

I might add that in no way, shape, or form am I advocating for or against this rule. Just replying to a question and hopefully, giving the correct answer as I understood it.

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Maybe Slop can chime in here again but as I understand it, this rule applies to Bass Tournament fishermen only.

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Correct

Any fisheries guy will tell you a bass removed from its bed and transported is not good–in other words, a “dead bed”. Just surprises me to no end that a group that advocates so strongly about catch and release turns such a blind eye, rather than being progressive and recognizing that is NOT a good thing to be doing.
Regards to the culling, I really don’t care one way or the other, but why just bass tournaments, in other words, why not let the average angler do it as well on a daily basis, if even just for bass–just reeks of special interest rather than sound fishery biology–which I would hope most fishery related laws would be based on. If the data is so strong in regard to bass-make if legal FOR EVERYONE!
Basically, where is the moral fiber if everyone accepted that culling would “be the unwritten rule”—begs to ask, what else is an “unwritten rule”? WI laws were broken, those guys should have disqualified themselves.
OK, I see your point on the ecomomic impact-I stand corrected, that is alot of money–but, the law WAS the law—I wonder how people sleep at night knowing they had to cheat to win?????
Least, now, hopefully, they can concentrate on running honest tournaments–there I’ll least throw that bone out there.

I agree with the new law allowing tournament anglers to cull. I’ve never once went out intending to keep 5 bass for the pan let alone culling to get a bigger meal. I do disagree with bed fishing even though it really has nothing to do with culling. I also find it odd that people that so strongly encourage c&r are so willing to take bass off beds and stop the process of reproducing. It kind of seems like a big contradiction. I’m not even a bass fisherman but those are my thoughts.

Seems a little sad that a law has to be passed so those trying to beat the rules are now legal.

Culling cheating….I don’t think so. While I am not a big supporter of our state government I will say this bill had nothing to do with cheating. This bill was designed to attract the bigger tournaments to the state which will inturn bring more money for studies and investment into the resource, not to leave out the benefits to businesses such as bait shops, motels, gas stations, etc. As for the people who think bass fishing is so bad for the fishery….you obviously have not noticed how much of a benefit bass fishing is to the South where many cities have learned to rely on bass fishermen as a way of survival. It seems we in the North are always last to see the benefits of anything. The Lakes and Rivers in the South are fished a whole lot harder than the lakes and rivers up here. If tournaments and bass fishermen were such a detriment there would not be bass fishing in the South. If bass fishing was such a detriment to WI we would not see all the 15 LB weights coming in at the BFLs. I guess we could say the haters are very disconnected from the benefits seen at tournaments around the state.

okay.. let me try to explain this without arguing as well.

IF YOU FISHED A CATCH AND RELEASE TOURNY AT ANY TIME..

you culled..

because you put a fish in your livewell. controlled it, carried it, and then released it.. meaning that the fish in question was “unacceptable”.. so after weigh in, you culled to nothing. so in effect, EVERY ONE CULLS.. if you fish a tourny..

its a matter of symantics. You ended the day by sorting down to nothing.

so the rule was ineffective and obsolete in that reguard..

the reason was so that fish were not stringered and then released.. that was the reason for the culling bill.

but sorry, if you fished a club tourny, or a work tourny , or a $10 in a hat tourny, and you RELEASED YOUR FISH..

you culled. bottom line.. Culled. down to nothing. .meaning no fish..

I am extremely happy that this law passed.

Amen this was long overdue

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okay.. let me try to explain this without arguing as well.

IF YOU FISHED A CATCH AND RELEASE TOURNY AT ANY TIME..

you culled..

because you put a fish in your livewell. controlled it, carried it, and then released it.. meaning that the fish in question was “unacceptable”.. so after weigh in, you culled to nothing. so in effect, EVERY ONE CULLS.. if you fish a tourny..

its a matter of symantics. You ended the day by sorting down to nothing.

so the rule was ineffective and obsolete in that reguard..

the reason was so that fish were not stringered and then released.. that was the reason for the culling bill.

but sorry, if you fished a club tourny, or a work tourny , or a $10 in a hat tourny, and you RELEASED YOUR FISH..

you culled. bottom line.. Culled. down to nothing. .meaning no fish..

I am extremely happy that this law passed.

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Hmmmn….That seems like a pretty strange definition of culling in my opinion.
No where in the rules book does it say that it is illegal to put fish back at the end of the day. Catch a fish, put it in your box and replace it later with a different fish, and then don’t count the original fish as part of your dailey bag limit, that’s illegal and it’s defined as culling.
(Unless your fishing in a bass tournament).

Compare that to catching only one bass of keeper size, then deciding and hour later that you don’t want to keep it after all, let it go. No problem. As far as I know, that is not illegal. You could actually even catch another bass and keep it as long as the total number you keep, plus the one you released are all counted in your bag limit.

At least that’s the way I read it.

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I also find it odd that people that so strongly encourage c&r are so willing to take bass off beds and stop the process of reproducing.

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Targa,

This isn’t 100% true….A female bass caught off a bed can still spawn depending on what stage it is in during the reproductive cycle. We’re starting to get off the original thread of the Cull Bill though….but I ENCOURAGE you guys to do a web search for on bed fishing and read up on some of the data that has been found regarding this issue, granted not everything is concrete, but it might open point of views that it’s not as bad as some of you make it to be..

http://fishing.about.com/od/bassfishing/a/catching_bedding_bass.htm

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/spawning_bass_bed.html

Lastly – sight fishing is 100% less harmful than flopping big females on the ice during winter ….for some reason the membership doesn’t care as much about that

Gmartell hit the nail on the head as to why this bill was passed. It had nothing to do with circumventing “cheating”…To question our “moral fiber” is a bit extreme don’t you think??? A law that was from the caveman era and the fact the entire United States Nation minus Wisconsin is allowed to do it and i’m supposed to not sleep well because I culled a bass??? come on… Do you question the moral fiber of somebody who’s deep hooked a fish and still released it back knowing it would most likely die, but b/c it was too small he didn’t want to keep it??? It’s like there is a whole culture of anti-bassites, but for no legit reasons other than we’re the easiest to target….LOL

I have no problem with the general public culling as long as dead fish aren’t released back and they’ve been carried around in an ample livewell system. Was it a special interest bill — yeah, b/c we were the ones who pushed for it…I hope this bill opens the door for more “common sense” “laws” to be passed….(like 3 lines in MN or +7″ bullheads, you know what your issues are)

Nobody has still answered my question as to why the act of culling is bad??

AB 35 (Culling Bill) will be published as ACT 24 on June 13 and become law on the day after. June 14th!!!!!

As far as I’m concerned you’re not culling until you reach your bag limit. At that point (although it may be only for a minute until you swap fish) you have more fish than you are legally allowed.
I don’t like the rule for two reasons. First, I think it is the first step down a slippery slope. Second, I have seen firsthand dead or near dead fish at the end of tourneys and it seems like a waste of a resource.

I personally am not against culling in tournaments but would find it very hard to support for the general public. I fear to many people would abuse this tactic for there own gain and at the expense of the fish & the fishery.
I also feel there is no good reason why the general public should feel the need to cull, especially where slot limits or minimum size limits already exist.

Remember, there are plenty of people that do not understand how to properly care for a caught fish. That goes for whether they put it the live well or even just trying to take a picture before releasing it.

Tournament fishermen as a whole, have a lot more invested in keeping that fish alive.

I would hope there is a rule applying to culling and the release of dead fish. This should obviously not be allowed.
Not sure if any tournaments address this issue or not but would guess they have as its a political negative for sure.

“””
if a 1.x MILLION+ Everstart or BFL All American or Elite Event is a spit in the bucket – they why do you guys care so much about it? LOL…
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Just curious, is that money that goes to the state or is that prizes, etc that the tounament entries and/or owners of the tournament get, that ends up leaving the state??

Personally if Wisc has a no cull law (?) I’d think it’s a bit self serving to try and eliminate that for just one class of fishermen, seems that way anyway.

But sometimes small steps lead to bigger ones…who knows…:)

Al

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Just curious, is that money that goes to the state or is that prizes, etc that the tounament entries and/or owners of the tournament get, that ends up leaving the state??

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That’s money brought into the community for one of these major events……Food, lodging, gas, tackle, tourism, etc…

Example – How much money comes to LAX for having the State Track meet here? A TON – that’s why so many other WI Cities want the event….

Ever hear of Lake Amistad? Many of you hadn’t until the Elite Series went there, and the township sky rocketed with business b/c of the attention that tournament brought that fishery…The aftermath of tourist dollars goes years after some of these events stop into town…

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Just curious, is that money that goes to the state or is that prizes, etc that the tounament entries and/or owners of the tournament get, that ends up leaving the state??

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That’s money brought into the community for one of these major events……Food, lodging, gas, tackle, tourism, etc…

Example – How much money comes to LAX for having the State Track meet here? A TON – that’s why so many other WI Cities want the event….

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ok..thanks, makes more sense that way

Al

Georgia is one of the leading States in this regard:

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/fishing/go-fish-georgia

<check out ramps and dollars and cents>

I find it ironic that every time I see a post on hear regarding somebody breaking the law, the general response is that the LAW IS THE LAW and the offender should be harshly punished for violating……I see that over and over again. But on the other hand, when tournament anglers are routinely breaking the law – because the ‘unwritten rule’ allows it…then it is fine and dandy and there is no guilt or any bad feelings – only feelings that they are above the law and that the law is terrible. Giving tourney anglers special privileges over the general public reeks of special interest and money-driven policy. But if somebody happened to kill a musky that was ½” under the legal size, or clobber a 27-3/4” walleye on Mille Lacs, the public outcry here would call for punishment up to and maybe even including public hanging.

Personally, I could not care less either way – but I find the hypocrisy very interesting

I do not not fish bass tournaments but I do fish others. I personally despise any one who cheats fishing a tournament. If you have to cheat to win you better go work on your skills and knowledge some. Plus that is pure poor sportamanship. We teach our children not to cheat at games, sports etc, but it is okay when you do not agree with rules? that is a load of you know what. The tournaments I fish if you get caught cheating you will be banned. I have not won a tournament yet and as a amatuer have come very close going up against the professional and no cheating was involved. I found it very satisfying to know that I can measure up based on my skill and knowledge. Thats just my opinion. I am not against the culling law, just the fact that cheating was considered acceptable.