MWC Mille Lacs - No Cull

[Bad Finger]

This is a follow up to the Mille Lacs cull/no cull debate:

I went straight to the proverbial horses mouth and this is a direct quote from the MWC:

"It will be a no cull tournament.
Kristine Houtman
Events Director"

So that's that!

[gonfishn95]

Does that mean that if the limit is 4 per person and we can weigh 5 we have 3 we can decide what we wish to do with or do we have to quit fishing when we have the 5 in the boat. Or when we have 5-15" fish in the boat can I go look for 2-30" fish But then if I have 5 in the boat and throw 2 back after I catch my hawgs would that be considered culling,
I am so confused since I am not even entered there,
Those of you who read this and get offended don't be because this is a question that will be asked.

Larry
P.S badfinger how did you come up with that name?
hahahah

[Bad Finger]

Hey Larry, I’m not entered either…so I don’t know why I even asked!! Curiosity killed this cat. You are right, that question will be asked. No Cull (in a tournament) to this guy means if you put a fish in the well, that’s a fish that will be weighed. But again, that’s me.

Bad Finger…??? Can you say table saw accident?

[gonfishn95]

Jon I often wondered when you pointed why I always turned the boat the other direction. I thought it was on a pop top.

[Tom Miller]

In Minnesota there is no culling period. Once a fish is reduced to possession, it can not be released. That means if it goes into your livewell, it has to stay there. In our tournament series we allow 12 fish in the livewell then bring your 6 best legal fish to the scales. I do not know what the MWC is allowing you to keep in your livewell however.

Tom Miller
Tournament Director
Minnesota Walleye Trail
www.polebender.com

[Dave in Mpls]

Tom-

No offense, but if you are the tournament director, you need to know and understand the State fishing regulations. In Minnesota, you CAN cull fish till the cows come home until you reach your limit.

Regards

[bw]

What happens when the cows come home?

[FJH1]

Once a "limit" is in posession you are done fishing, until then the regs say you can cull. If you're a tournament director this is one of the most important aspects of tournament rules.

Best Regards,

FJH

[WALLAHOLIC]

DAVE IN MPLS,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE YOU GET THIS INFO. AS FAR AS I KNOW, I MIGHT BE WRONG, CULLING IN MINNESOTA IS ILLEGAL. WHEN FISHING IN A TOURNEY, LIKE THE MWC MILLE LACS, THE TOURNEY DIRECTOR WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW MANY FISH YOU ARE ALLOWED IN YOUR LIVEWELL. THEN YOU WEIGH YOUR BEST HOWEVER MANY FISH.
WALLAHOLIC

[4EYESONLY]

What he is saying is that the MWC will be a no cull tournament. which in essence says that you have to make a decision if that fish goes into the livewell or not. Once the fish is in the box you cannot throw it back.......period. The only thing that makes this good is the fact that the tournaments usually allow you to put your normal state limits in the box for each person and weigh the biggest five or four... In other words on Mille Lacs the new regulations are you are allowed four fish between 14-16" per person........so the tourney will allow you to have 8 in the box. Once that 8th one is in the box you must stop fishing. You cannot try to upgrade with 2 over 28. I wish I would be in your shoes if this becomes a dilemna...........good luck fishing boys.

[Dave in Mpls]

What Tom Miller is saying is that in Minnesota there is no culling period. Once a fish is reduced to possession, it can not be released. That is not the case.

Regards

[Dave in Mpls]

The MN fishing regs can be viewed at the following location:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_and_wildlife/regulations/fishing/2001_fishing.pdf

There are no regulations prohibiting culling in Minnesota.

Or, if you wish, call the MN DNR at 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367

Regards

[Pitts]

Dave I think tounament rules can superceed or be more restrictive than DNR regulations but cannot be less restrictive or allow a higher limit in tounaments. The only 2 touneys I have been in stated all MN regulations will apply and you will weigh this # of so big of fish on slot limit lakes.
I reread the regs and it states specifically that culling is allowed in the state inland waters of MN.


Pitts

[AquaMan]

Culling is only illegal in WI/MN and SD/MN boarder waters. Not in the inland waters. Right from the regs!


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all begins and ends at the water's edge...

[Fish-on]

The regs seem to make it clear that you are allowed to cull until you take posession of the fish that completes your bag limit. Then culling must stop. It doesn't seem to make clear whether or not you can continue to fish and release your catch.

I predict that if you have both fish over 28" each day on any Mille Lacs tournament, you won't need to worry about culling, you will need to worry about how to spend the money you've won.

[eyewitness]

I just read the entire 2001 regs cover to cover and there is only one place it mentioned anything about culling and that was for Mn/Wi border waters. Even that was a grey area. It states like this: "It is illegal to cull fish that have been reduced to possession." The problem is that only one place in the whole book does it refer to "possession". Under "Possessing and Transporting Fish" it states: "Daily and possession limits are the same unless otherwise noted. Fish are in an anglers possession whether on hand, in cold storage, in transport, or elsewhere." Other than that no where in the book does it refer to culling. If the good book has changed for 2002 I stand corrected, otherwise the only law that stands is that you can't willfully waste fish.....

[eyewitness]

The statement regarding culling is only under the Mn/Wi border rules. Unless it changed for 2002

[eyewitness]

This post is killing me! We're all posting on this as fast the next guy. Good thing we're not on a conference call we'd probably all sound like a bunch of....well you get the picture! :7

[Dave]

Dave,
Read your regulations. Minnesota is a no cull state. It says that right in the regulation book. Just thought you should know this.

Pauly

[Dave in Mpls]

You're absolutely right, Pitts. Tournament rules can be more restrictive than the State regulations. The whole point to my original "Huh?" post was to set the record straight on culling in the State of Minnesota. It is NOT illegal (with some exceptions, such as border waters). Nothing like getting bad information....

Regards

[Fish-on]

This site has gotten unbelievable. When I first started coming here about four years ago, it would have taken a week for a post like this to get this many replies. This one's getting them over minute or so. Holy Granola Batman.

[Dave in Mpls]

FYI, Minnesota IS a cull state. 1-800-ABCDEFG

Regards

[Dave in Mpls]

That's progress, Man!

Regards

[Eyez]

I'm thinkin MN needs to clarify their culling regulation.

so basically - you can cull all you want, so long as you have less than your daily limit in posession. Once you put the last fish in, you can't cull? Kinda seems to defeat the purpose.

The way tournaments in SD are usually run, you weigh 5, have up to your limit in the boat, so whatever you want to do with the other 3 after weigh in. Put them back if you want. The mindset of the SD reg is that you can only reduce your daily limit of fish to posession, even if you throw them back later. It sounds almost like culling, but since you didn't ever reduce more than your daily limit to posession, it's not. And MN's reg is more complicated than SD's. Regulations shouldn't be that vague, IMO.


Eyez

[Mark]

ROTFLMAO!! Too funny!

[AquaMan]

Where do you see that reference to culling in the 2002 MN fishing regulation handbook outside of the MN/SD and MN/WI boarder rules? I went cover to cover and found no reference to cull or culling anywhere else.


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all begins and ends at the water's edge...

[Bob]

What I know of the MWC it will be, bring your best 5 Fish, Badfinger and Larry are not fishing, just starting trouble. LET the MWC give the Real Facts of whats going on.

[Dave in Mpls]

How are they starting trouble, Bob?

Bad Finger said:

I went straight to the proverbial horses mouth and this is a direct quote from the MWC:

"It will be a no cull tournament.
Kristine Houtman
Events Director"

That sounds like fact to me, 'eh!

What does how many fish you can weigh have anything to do with culling?

Regards

[Dave?]

Hey Dave it is Pauly again. The way I understood the regulation is that once a fish hits your livewell, it cannot be released. This is the way I understand the no cull rule in Minnesota. I just had this discussion last week up in Walker at the Pout Fest with a couple of other fisherman. I think it is grey on this matter. I was just giving you my interrpretations of the rules. I should have explained myself better on this.

Later,

Pauly

[Bad Finger]

Bob,

I am not starting any trouble. Just posting the answer to the cull/no cull ruleing from the MWC. Larry posted the obvious follow up question. I'm sure the MWC will clarify. I have already sent a note to the MWC with Larry's very valid question.

We are not entered, true. That don't mean it won't change. Will see after Spring Valley. I'm not interested in fishing a tounament with 450 boats all going for 2 inches of fish. If I feel my team needs the points, I'll be there.

As far as culling being legal or illegal in Minnesota.... in my book it's wrong and should be illegal. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[Dave in Mpls]

I hear ya, Pauly. It is not very clear in the regs. In fact, it is legal only because it does not say it is illegal!

The fact of the matter is that it is legal to cull in the State of Minnesota until you reach you limit.

Regards

[curt quesnell]

Sorry I got here late kids. I thought I walked in on the rules
meeting of every fishin tournament or snowmobile race ever held.

This reminded me of a cute story..at one of the meetings before
the old Winnepeg to St Paul snowmobile races one of the drivers stood up and asked "do we have to stop at stop signs along the trail...or do
we just slow down?...does stop mean stop". It took about an hour
to explain to the group that they would have to stop at the stop
signs that were posted along the way.

Moral of the story.......be very clear and then be even more clear
with instuctions for a contest....dont expect common sense or any
sense at all to be engaged in the competitors brains...thats no
badmouthing either...the eyes are on the prize, not all that stuff
inbetween.

Makes it interesting every time...

Curt Quesnell

[Jason]

Curt,a good story. Sounds like Bill Clinton, "It depends what is, is."
Most of the above posts should go to the MWC website for an answer.

[Bob]

Dave,TheMWC can say all it wants, but fact is, 2 persons in a boat in Minn. can have 8 fish.The can say No Cull, But what will be of the 3 Fish we do not Know about, some what like years gone by,I think, You may know what I am talking about.

[Jim Carroll]

What I find so curious is why Minnesota would allow culling in the first place? Put the angler to a decision. To haul a bunch of fish around in your livewell until you catch some bigger fish to replace them with seems to fly in the face of modern conservation and fish handling practices. Am I missing something here? As over regulated as Minnesota is this seems to me to be an archaic law. What is the purpose of this law? To catch the biggest fish in the lake? Somebody please explain this to me....

[JasonMN]

HAHAHAHAHA.....good one Dave! I am going to have to use that one in the future.

[gonfishn95]

Badfinger you trouble maker you!
Why don't you wait til the rules meeting. it might be a 5 fish tournament and when you have 5 you stop fishing. If you are caught with 5 in the boat and still fishing your done. I would say I can ask the obvious question. As far as not entered like John says that all could change.
I have fished the MWC SINCE well my first tournament was Mille Lacs out of Izatys many a moon ago and never missed a tournament till 2 years ago. And have seen a lot of rules good and bad but all in all the rules meeting is where you shut up and listen and then shut and fish on Sat. Isn't winter fun waiting for the ice to go off. Went to Red Wing Sat was nice to be in a boat for all of you who winterized your boat get them out. A nd go blow off some steam.
Larry

[Tom Miller]

Hi Dave, You got me thinking I'll have to go and re-read the rules. I believe once you have a walleye in the livewell or on a stringer, it can not be put back because of the stress put on the fish. I have been wrong before. Culling is putting back a fish that has been put in a livewell or on a stringer. Not one that is put back as soon as it is un-hooked. Just by what I've read in these posts there are a number of opinions.

Tom Miller

[5 Good Fingers]

"I'm not interested in fishing a tounament with 450 boats all going for 2 inches of fish."

Because you are not a competitor. As Teddy Roosevelt put it, "A cold timid soul that knows neither victory nor defeat."

Talk is cheap and arm chair quarterbacks are always right on Monday, therefore.......Shut-up and Fish!!!

[gonfishn95]

hey 5 good fingers don't throw stones Badfinger simply said he is not entered in that one at this time, Badfinger has fished his share of tournaments and more than likely will be at Mille Lacs if not I know he is fishing 3 of the MWC and probably a few others. And if you read the original post he was simply stating he went to the horses mouth.
Boy am I glad he went to that end to get the answer. Imagine what he would of found at the other end of the Horse.
Larry

[Bad Finger]

I'll guarantee one thing....come August, we won't all be glued to our PC's debating MWC tournament rules for the LBDN event!

Your right, I'll shut up and fish....yes, today, in a boat, in Mn, on the river.

[Walleyehog]

I have enjoyed sitting back for the "Cull or Not to Cull" posting. It is quite simple how it works in Minnesota. Tournament permits do not have the same rules and regulations that apply to non-tournament anglers. All DNR permits state that culling is prohibited. If the person applying for the permit states a four fish limit per boat, no matter how many people are in the boat, then when you get your fourth legal fish in the boat, put your rods away because you are done for the day! Now, in the Lake City MWC tournament, you can have seven fish in the boat. How does that work?? When we apply for a tournament permit, we ask for a seven fish limit per boat per day. The DNR may change this on the permit when they grant it however. When you get your seventh legal fish in the boat, you are done. You can only weigh in 5 fish per the MWC rules, so the two extra legal fish must be brought to the weigh site and ran through our release tanks to assure the fish are ready to return to the water. The MWC announced that the Mille Lacs tournament is a no-cull tournament. That is not by the choice, that is the rules of all DNR permitted tournaments are.

[Gonzo]

FYI
I got this email answer directly from the DNR folks:



"As long as you don't have your limit of fish, you can cull."

Thank you,
Billie Jean Kennedy
DNR Info Center
651-296-6157 or
1-888-646-6367
billiejean.kennedy@dnr.state.mn.us

[s.f.]

So the question was answered right from the beginning....


#49

[Bad Finger]

No, not really.

The question (Statement) was not is it legal to cull in MN (YES), will the MWC allow it ? (NO)

Now it's just a matter of this... How many fish are you allowed in the well before you are required to stop fishing.

Check this link to the bulliten board on MWC website. (See topic Mille Lacs, post by JB) This question will be answered there.

http://www.masterswalleyecircuit.com/bb_default.asp

[Dave in Mpls]

It really never was a question, per se. I think I started the whole debate when I replyed to Tom Miller's post about Minnesota being a "no cull" state!

Regards