I don't know if you guys have been following the recent thread on ncbf.com, but the latest DFG fishing regs booklet apparently makes it very clear that culling under any circumstances - even with a tournament permit - is a no-no. And that they'll be enforcing the rule this year.

How can we go about changing this rule? Some time ago, Mr. Swimbait explained how the F&G Commission meets & goes about considering changes to the regs. Rob, could you go over this again? This culling rule obviously pre-dates tournament catch-&-release practices & does nothing to protect the resource. I think the Commission would be willing to change it, although I'm sure it will take at least a year.

This is another reason why it is so important to belong to BBAC. They are working non stop on this and will have it resolved. I will fill the board in with info as I get it. Just hold tight

Lol,where will it end.Looks like we might have to make every tourney a team tourney if you want to be able to cull,lol.

Thanks, John. You're right, this is a great example of the importance of organizations like the BBAC & the BASS Federation to advocate for us.

I don't know what's going on with this one. I have a feeling that because so many people are pissed off about it, it could get some kind of fast track thing and get changed much sooner than the regular DFG reg change timeline.

The commission has the ability to make changes whenever they want, they just don't typically do it if Joe Public sends them a request to change the regs. They usually make changes when the biologists recommend changes to protect fisheries or things like this (rockfish closures or a change in the size limit for bass at Diamond Valley Lake for example - both of which were probably recommended by DFG biologists). So if this issue feeds back via actual DFG biologists or enforcement people who realize that it's a stupid reg, it may get changed quite soon. That's just speculation on my part. I'd sure like to know who snuck that one on the books though. You may be able to find that out on DFG's website for the commission. Too busy @ work today to check.

Here is the actual text from the 2005 DFG fishing regulations book, pg. 16, article 4, 5.00 Black Bass.

"Fish culling (replacing) is prohibited. Neither regulations nor fishing contest permits allow tournament anglers with a daily bag limit of five (5) black bass to continue to fish (take) for black bass. Nor may any angler with a daily bag limit in possession, even if kept alive in a live well, cull (replace) any black bass held in the live well."

From what I read on the NCBF forum, this reg was written by Dennis Lee, who up until now has been a very pro-tournament voice in DFG.

So the next question is, what are we going to do this weekend @ Naci? And, oh by the way John, you need to DQ yourself from your 4th @ Oroville because you culled...
;-)

Well, worst case senario is a four fish limit, therefore you can cull. It seems to specifically mention the "daily bag limit" and not if you have less than the limit.

Todd

So what actions are the clubs going to take?It seems like this is a higher profile law then the transporting of fish.

FYI: I have been in discussion with BBAC about the trans. of fish issue and they are going to work with us on this, but they have the hands full with the culling issue right now.


the balls rolling

How about we have a fish fry after every tourney. We could also feed the homeless with all our limits, if Im lucky enough to catch one. Soon there would be very few fish and very few fishermen to pay taxs for the DFG's payroll. I think that this law has as much weight as the J-walking law. Out of the millions fishing tourneys and fun fishing I don't remember hearing of any one getting ticketed. Im sure that some where in some far away crany some Game Warden with SMS has given some good ol boy a ticket for culling. Oh well. If I got a ticket for culling it would go with the one I got while going 50 MPH down Fountain Grove when I was 14 years old. LOL :+

Rich

Cool,culling is definately the #1 priority.

Read the text carefully: "Fish culling (replacing) is prohibited. Neither regulations nor fishing contest permits allow tournament anglers with a daily bag limit of five (5) black bass to continue to fish (take) for black bass. Nor may any angler with a daily bag limit in possession, even if kept alive in a live well, cull (replace) any black bass held in the live well."

The first sentence says "Fish culling is prohibited." Period. And technically, if you have 4 in the well and you catch your 5th, you now have the daily bag limit in your possession, so you cannot "cull (replace) any black bass held in the live well."

Maybe it's time to go to the honor system and a paper weigh-in...

I would just try and relax and let the people we pay to handle these sort of things, handle them.

From speaking with someone in BBAC this law has been on the books for years but has been overlooked up until last year. The warden who started making a big deal out of it has really upset many people within DFG, including the higher ups. BBAC has been working VERY HARD on getting this law changed or atleast the wording to exclude tournaments from the law. From the info I got from the BBAC the main reason this law is on the books is because of other species that are not as likely to survive upon catch and release (trout, salmon, etc.) The reason it has become such an issue for the bass fisherman is that the people who fish for those other species are upset that bass fisherman don't pay attention to the law and continue to fish and cull when they are not allowed to.

The BBAC rep said that if you were approached by a DFG ranger who actually started to make a stink about it the best thing to say is that you are fishing for catfish, carp, trout, a trophy bluegill, etc. something other than Bass. Which is perfectly legal even after having a limit of Bass.

The law will get changed because of one main reason, MONEY! The areas surrounding these lakes, especially the big ones such as Clear Lake know how much money is brought in by having the tournaments in their area and they don't want to lose that.

Unfortunately since they have not tried to pull any of this stuff on any of the big tournaments like Bassmasters, Everstart, or the FLW tour it is still in the process of trying to be changed. Could you imagine a DFG ranger going up to any of the big names in a Bassmaster event and tried telling them that they weren't allowed to cull how fast this law would change?

Brian L. Garland