When to cull

[Seale_eric]

When I fish a tournament, I weigh each fish as I catch them, attach my cull ropes (home made) and, upon my sixth keeper, cull my smallest fish by weight. I thought everybody did it that way until I heard some guys talking at a bait shop recently. This one guy said, as long as he is in a "good spot" (or they are biting well) he may have multiple keepers in his live well at a time, then cull maybe once or twice in a tournament. It got me thinking that, on tv, you never see the pros weigh any fish while in their boat... I often see them measure, but have never seen one weigh or use a balance beam. any thoughts?

[ww2farmer]

If your by yourself, and the limit is 5, you best cull when you have caught the 6th. If you put a 6th fish in the livewell and keep fishing your over the limit. Simple as that.

I have fished team tournaments with a partner where we have had more than 5, but no more than 10 (5 fish limit for each man in the boat) and culled down to our best 5 combined, but this was within the rules.

[Hot Rod]

If your by yourself, and the limit is 5, you best cull when you have caught the 6th. If you put a 6th fish in the livewell and keep fishing your over the limit. Simple as that.

I have fished team tournaments with a partner where we have had more than 5, but no more than 10 (5 fish limit for each man in the boat) and culled down to our best 5 combined, but this was within the rules.

X2

Check the tournament rules for the event you are fishing.  They may detail culling procedures then again they may not.  But you should never have more in your boat than the daily limit allowed by law just as ww2 said.  So check the state regs as well.

The "pros" weigh or balance to cull all the time if the fish are close they just don't always show it in the final footage.  When there are thousands of dollars on the line every once counts!

Some weigh and record as they catch each fish,  others wait until they have a limit to size 'em up.

Generally I don't weigh mine until after I have a limit.  Then I'll cull out the dinks as I go.  I don't want to wast time weighing/recording fish until I have a limit in the boat.

[Chaz Hickcox]

Balance beam is the quickest way to do it.  The pros do it, but they don't tape it (or rarely do).  Having to weigh and write down weights and what not takes too long.  I personally want a fish in, culled and line wet within no longer than a minute if I can help it.  Slowing down to write down weights and get a scale online takes to long IMO.  As far as everything else, depends on the tourney rules and the day/water you're fishing.  Around here fish can turn off in a heartbeat and I cull immediately when I can.  That's just my success.