Finally – Culling comes to Wisconsin (wink, wink)

Let’s not confuse personal ethics, beliefs with the actual state definition of something—which is the law.
If someone won a tournament, of any kind, by breaking a state law–they should feel bad, rotten, a cheater, etc—nothing less. My beef with this is, it’s for a “group” rather than the good of all; how is that right?
Far as the bass on the beds, well, those are not female fish guarding the eggs-fry, well as that is the most vulernable time period for those fish-different from the rest of the year. If someone wants to keep a 30 inch walleye or 5 lb bass for the pan, well it’s their legal right long as they are not breaking a state law. I realized that point I thru under the bus on this thread when it has nothing to do with culling-but the bass guys could do a catch, record, release during bedding periods and every fish would be released and drop right back into it’s bed-rather than being trucked up-teen miles and released elsewhere.
The definition for any legality is what the state says it is, nothing more and nothing less.
Far as I am concerned, for all those that come out of the woodwork now and admit to past culling are doing nothing more than admitting they cheated–which does show someone’s moral fiber–but, your right, that is getting subjective here. In the end, this will attract more, bigger tourneys to WI, but I guess if I enter a BFL, FLW or BASS tourney and blow all the no-wake zones and get away with it–I’ll just use the “unwritten rule” excuse—
Like I said, hopefully this rule, politically motivated by lobbying, will now allow the tournament directors to have a set of balls since one of the black eyes “the unwritten rule” of WI bass tournaments is essentially nullified.
Sad that the bass guys could not police themselves and it came to mandation of a state law to fix the problem.
What happened to fair is fair?
BTW, we know a TON of guys are reading this thread and not saying a thing, is it due to possibly incriminating themselves and admitting to culling?–far as you Slop, and others, least you have the guts to get out here and voice your opinion. Seems you and like minded bass guys did try to constructively address this issue once and for all, for that I give you credit–this has been the black eye for way too long

Maybe we should mass produce scarlet “C”s that all bass anglers have to wear for their historical crimes against humanity.

for the record, I also go 70-80 down I94 on my way home from work most nights.

okay.. lets just look at the ELTON JOHN CONCERT.. only about 6000 could get a ticket or less. .but that night of the cancellation.. almost ever restaurant was BOOKED IN ADVANCE..

you bring a tourny to town.. a big tourny.. now you have all the contestants, the SPONSORS, the equipment folks, and all the guys running the contest.. more likely then not a mini sport show.. far better then is put on at the LaCrosse Center in March..

so now the hotels all get business. all the restaurants, especially the Mom and Pop places ,because these guys are looking for good food CHEAP.. all the bait shops get guys.. and then all the gas, pop, chips and ice sold in town for 6-10 days.. it really brings in money.. lots of money..

and again.. if there is a BIG STRINGER caught here.. or the tourny is famous . .as in THE FAMOUS RICK CLUNN LA CROSSE TOURNY that guys talk about to this day.. it all adds up..

you guys just can’t see beyond your self. . HOW DOES IT EFFECT ME.. Well ME.. isn’t alway the BIG PICTURE.. the community.. the STATE.. the JOBS. the influx of money INTO THE COMMUNITY..

now the law is finally passed. I have been fighting FOR IT FOR YEARS..

its a PLUS FOR WISCONSIN.. and not a hinderance.. even if it doesn’t affect YOU.. it keeps us EQUAL and in the game..

heck the guy who schedules the FLW IS FROM LA CROSSE. HAS MAJOR LA CROSSE TIES.. wants to BE HERE.. spend MONEY HERE..

what in the wide wide world of sports is wrong with that?

so if you work in the food industry like for a bottler, or a bread truck, or a food vendor, or you work for Kwik Trip or the like, GO AND TELL YOUR BOSS that YOU DON”T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN.. that you don’t want bread sales to go up for a weeks worth of sandwiches. or Coke or Pepsi Sales to go up.. or beer sales..

do me that favor and tell your boss to call and complain, and just see what happens.. Because it all affects EVERYONE..

we all feel the influence of the cash flow.. directly or indirectly..

Well said Old Rat

Kind of funny reading that MN post near this one …. Steve Fellegy is considered a hero for breaking and taking on the law, yet we’re still outcasts and we were both doing what we felt was right….

I wish Steve the best and hope he and the sportsman of MN win that equal rights battle….really not much different comparisons, one is a state level and ours was more of a national level deal….

Say what you want, but the law is the law.
If you culled in the eye of the definition of the state law of WI–you broke the law, hence won by cheating.
Can anyone, OBJECTIVELY argue with that one?

Minor as people think it is-if you get caught speeding you broke the law and pay a ticket.
Anyone can cheat, it takes a real person with integrity to not cheat.
Far as the money coming in for tourneys, like I stated before, I stand corrected on that point.
Argue all you want, but if people won by culling, they cheated–far as the scarlet letter, it would be effective and the rif raf would leave. I’ll bet a 12’ver of beer and a dozen doughnuts not too many will get on this thread and admit they culled and won a tournament.
This is not an instance of “cast the first stone”, it’s called accountibility, which least now they have a better chance at.

How do you think the image of Bass tourneys (or any for that matter) would be if articles in the paper stated “the change to the law will now better address the past problems of tournament participants breaking the law, winning tournaments by illegally culling fish”?
You want grey areas? Really?

Arguing the technicalities of an antiquated law is a ping pong battle that really goes no where….but you are correct, a ticket would have been issued and a fine paid.

btw – jaywalking is illegal.

Jaywalking is a dumb one, and unfortunately, when my wife was a Milwaukee cop (district 7), there was a summer they had an emphysis on ticketing jaywalkers—-guy is not safe doing anything these days………
I am done with this one—think the dog has been beat enough with a stick.