One area I can improve in tournament fishing is my method for culling fish. I was a rider for many years, so I’m still developing my own method now that I have a boat. 

 

I typically use the clamp type cull tags until I get a limit. When I catch my potential fish that will cull, I put on the ardent smart cull tags (the ones that go just behind the gill plate) and put them on the balance beam. The primary reason for the  tag switch is that the ardent smart cull tags are more secure for the balance beam and don’t fall off in the livewell. 

Sometimes I feel like I waste time trying to figure out what my smallest fish is, while other times I feel like I waste time screwing around while weighing them or putting them on the balance beam when the bite is hot. A lot of times when I weigh fish I usually adjust the weight on the cull tags, but my scale is in decimals and the adjustable dial on the cull tags use pounds and ounces. Makes my brain hurt sometimes and it’s too much thinking for me lol. 

Here are some main questions I am trying to figure out:

-Do you measure/weigh each fish each time you put them in the livewell?

-what do you do when you get a limit? Do you stop fishing and mark all fish at that point? Or do you wait until you catch a potential fish that will cull? 
-do you keep notes of your smallest fish in inches/ weight or just note which is your smallest? 

-what tags do you use? 
-any particular culling system/strategy that works for you?

Thanks in advance,

Steve 

1) No

I only measure the length if it’s too close to call 

 

2) No

I wait until I can’t eye ball which is heavier 

(again only after confirming that it is at least the minimum length 

 

3) No, neither 

4) TH Marine clip type 

5) Not really

When I need to cull I always use a beam. 
I’ve won and lost by ounces, so once I get a legal 5 I take the time to weigh

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

11 minutes ago, Mike L said:

1) No

I only measure the length if it’s too close to call 

 

2) No

I wait until I can’t eye ball which is heavier 

(again only after confirming that it is at least the minimum length 

 

3) No, neither 

4) TH Marine clip type 

5) Not really

When I need to cull I always use a beam. 
I’ve won and lost by ounces, so once I get a legal 5 I take the time to weigh

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

So once you get a legal 5, do you check any new fish against a balance beam or a scale? 

If you haven't seen one yet check out the Bubba scale. 

6 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

If you haven't seen one yet check out the Bubba scale. 

How consistent is the scale? Don’t care if it is accurate, but I really need to be able to trust it. 

38 minutes ago, stk44 said:

So once you get a legal 5, do you check any new fish against a balance beam or a scale? 

Beam, it’s quicker but only if it’s not obvious 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Keep all bass over 10 pounds.  If you catch more than 5 over 10 quit fishing.  FOREVER 

I’ll let ya know how I cull if I ever catch a limit…..

47 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Keep all bass over 10 pounds.  If you catch more than 5 over 10 quit fishing.  FOREVER 

Have you checked my location? Lol

No cull for me, catch and release only;  I wish the tournaments would all adopt this policy.  

Keep at least one extra tag, so 6 for a standard 5 fish limit.  Use tags that can hang on a beam without any extra effort (most are this way now).

 

I put tags on fish when I catch them, try to remember which is the smallest if its obvious. 

 

6th and subsequent fish get the 6th tag and go right in the well, then I deal with culling.

 

If your smallest is known or obvious, then you don't have do anything but grab it and release after putting the new fish in.

 

If I need to decide between two, I use the balance beam.  It's faster and IMO more reliable than weighing each.  

 

When I have a bunch of cookie cutters, I'll take them all out of the well (with tags on) and put them in my rubber landing net propped between the seats and front deck (like a "basket").  Then, I'll balance beam them quickly to find the smallest.  Always leave the lighter fish on the beam, heavier fish goes back in the livewell...At the end the last fish standing is the smallest and it goes back in the lake.  This only takes about 5-10 seconds per fish and when you're done you'll not only cull the smallest but you'll probably know your current smallest as well, which makes the next couple culls quick and easy.   

 

If two fish are really close on the beam, like it's staying horizontal mostly, I'll keep the one that's been in the well the shortest amount of time OR the one that just looks healthier, even if it might appear ever so slightly smaller on the beam.  It's a risk/reward decision...I'd rather risk losing an ounce if it means saving myself from a dead fish I won't be able to cull later (which is WAY more of a penalty than the actual 4oz penalty in most cases).  I don't waste any time worrying about it either, it's just how I roll and I keep it moving.  

 

Keep your water aerated well, keep it cool if needed, use appropriate additives, and make sure you have battery capacity to support your pumps all day.  Everyone should be intentional and take fish care seriously, when you do it's pretty easy to get it right.  

13 minutes ago, Logan S said:

Keep at least one extra tag, so 6 for a standard 5 fish limit.  Use tags that can hang on a beam without any extra effort (most are this way now).

 

I put tags on fish when I catch them, try to remember which is the smallest if its obvious. 

 

6th and subsequent fish get the 6th tag and go right in the well, then I deal with culling.

 

If your smallest is known or obvious, then you don't have do anything but grab it and release after putting the new fish in.

 

If I need to decide between two, I use the balance beam.  It's faster and IMO more reliable than weighing each.  

 

When I have a bunch of cookies cutters, I'll take them all out of the well (with tags on) and put them in my rubber landing net propped between the seats and front deck (like a "basket").  Then, I'll balance beam them quickly to find the smallest.  Always leave the lighter fish on the scale, heavier fish goes back in the well...At the end the last fish standing is the smallest and it goes back in the lake.  This only takes about 5-10 seconds per fish and when you're done you'll not only cull the smallest but you'll probably know your current smallest as well, which makes the next couple culls quick and easy.   

 

If two fish are really close on the beam, like it's staying horizontal mostly, I'll keep the one that's been in the well the shortest amount of time OR the one that just looks healthier, even if it might appear ever so slightly smaller on the beam.  It's a risk/reward decision...I'd rather risk losing an ounce if it means saving myself from a dead fish I won't be able to cull later (which is WAY more of a penalty than the actual 4oz penalty in most cases).  I don't waste any time worrying about it either, it's just how I roll and I keep it moving.  

 

Keep your water aerated well, keep it cool if needed, use appropriate additives, and make sure you have battery capacity to support your pumps all day.  Everyone should be intentional and take fish care seriously, when you do it's pretty easy to get it right.  

Thanks, this was exactly what I was looking for. I like the using the net as a basket idea. I have a few lakes where cookie cutter fish are the norm and a cull might be just an ounce or two. So this will help me tremendously.  

 

I typically throw my fish on the balance beam and only weight when the beam is close to horizontal and I can’t tell which fish is heavier. I like your process of keeping the freshest fish when they are close, which is way more important on average given the dead fish penalty.

 

Your process is methodical and efficient, which is what I need. thanks for your help! 

4 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

If you haven't seen one yet check out the Bubba scale. 

Bass Pro/Cabelas has this down to $130 from $200 during their annual spring sale in March.

I use the Bubba Smart Scale. Everything gets weighed as I catch it and assigned to the color of their cull tag. Every fish after 5 gets weighed unless it's obviously not making the team. Occasionally, if I get two fish that are extremely close in weight, I just hold them side by side and eye ball them. I fish from a 1448 Jon Boat so bringing a balance beam and extra tags just takes up unnecessary space and weight. 

14 minutes ago, JHoss said:

I use the Bubba Smart Scale. Everything gets weighed as I catch it and assigned to the color of their cull tag. Every fish after 5 gets weighed unless it's obviously not making the team. Occasionally, if I get two fish that are extremely close in weight, I just hold them side by side and eye ball them. I fish from a 1448 Jon Boat so bringing a balance beam and extra tags just takes up unnecessary space and weight. 

I’ll have to check out the bubba scale. Does it consistently give the same readings? As an example does a 1 lb fish weigh exactly 1lb on mutiple attempts or is there a variance? 

On 5/6/2025 at 11:19 AM, stk44 said:

I’ll have to check out the bubba scale. Does it consistently give the same readings? As an example does a 1 lb fish weigh exactly 1lb on mutiple attempts or is there a variance? 

In my experience, yes. I tested it a bunch on household objects when I got it and they always came out the same. I've also found my weight is much closer to our tournament trail's scale than the Berkely scale I was using before. I think that's 50% because my scale is better this year and 50% because the trail's scale is better this year. 

 

 

Tournments I fish on have a slot limit so I keep unders in the livewell behind me overs in the pass side livewell. I dont use cull tags generally it's pretty easy to tell which under or over gets the boot if a replacement comes in.

I work to catch my limit first.  I do use the color clip tags and remember which one is the smallest.  Once I (we) catch the sixth, we determine the smallest by using the balance beam. The clip tags easily go on the beam. I do have a scale that we use sometimes, if necessary. I usually fish weeknight tourneys or an occasional weekend tourney, so I am not as invested as some.

BTW that Bubba Scale is on sale again at BPS/Cabela's for the Father's Day Sale.  I got a flyer in the mail for it the other day.

6 hours ago, gim said:

BTW that Bubba Scale is on sale again at BPS/Cabela's for the Father's Day Sale.  I got a flyer in the mail for it the other day.

Awesome I’ll have to check it out! 

On 5/5/2025 at 6:27 PM, Tackleholic said:

No cull for me, catch and release only;  I wish the tournaments would all adopt this policy.  

My club has gone to paper tournaments, except for our Classic, and I love it.  No more messing around with livewells and filling bags with water and fish at the end of the day.  Obviously, it is much better for the fish as well.   

7 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

My club has gone to paper tournaments, except for our Classic, and I love it.  No more messing around with livewells and filling bags with water and fish at the end of the day.  Obviously, it is much better for the fish as well.   

That’s all well and good, but I was asking about culling because my club weighs in live fish. 

56 minutes ago, stk44 said:

That’s all well and good, but I was asking about culling because my club weighs in live fish. 

 

Sometimes conversations on a public forum go on a little bit of a tangent and that's perfectly acceptable and even encouraged.  Don't worry- you'll get your answers.  

I

2 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

Sometimes conversations on a public forum go on a little bit of a tangent and that's perfectly acceptable and even encouraged.  Don't worry- you'll get your answers.  

Haha, I guess. This is more of a 180 than a tangent.

 

I do agree that the safest fish handling involves the least handling possible. But, I will admit that it’s a lot more exciting having fish at the weigh in though.

 

Can you fish paper tournaments during the closed season? 

Here's a detailed video that answers your questions: