The West AAP is discussing the use of culling tags on waters where culling is prohibited. The MWC will be getting some sample tags for AAP to review.

Chad,
Can you explain what a culling tag is and what it would be used for?

If the tournament limit is 6 fish you would receive 6 culling tags.

In a no cull tourney, before you put a fish in the livewell you must have a tag on it.

the tags are numbered and can not be removed unless cut. This would be done at the weigh in.

Failure to put a fish in the livewell w/o a tag would call for disqualification. It is an effot to prevent guys from illegally culling.

Ok, thanks for clarifying. Oh by the way.....GREAT IDEA!!!

Glad to hear. Want to keep everyone on a level playing field. This just takes the temptation of culling off the board.

Absolutely. I know I've used them in other tournaments and thought they were great.

The MWC did use tags for tournaments back in the early 1990's. (I hate to date myself:-)) There were many problems with them including, defective tags, tags that broke in the livewell and tags that pulled out of the fish to name a few. Perhaps the tags have been improved, but be pepared for lots of contoversy if they are used.

I have no idea what these tags look like or how they are supposed to work. I also have limited experience with no cull events. I am all in favor of anything that keeps everyone on a level playing field.

My thought is what would keep someone that is set on breaking the rules from putting fish into their livewell with out a tag on them so they could cull them later? It would seem to me if someone was willing to break the culling rules why wouldn't they be willing to break the tagging rule? Maybe there is something I am missing as again I am not familiar with these at all.

Matt D

Matt,
One option is if we have patrol boats checking livewells anyone with an untagged fish could be DQ'd. Without someone could have 5 fish, catch a better one and cull without anyone knowing unless they were observed.

Bill,
Appreciate the heads up. We have a few samples and will do the best we can to make a good choice. Either way presents pros and cons to consider. Was the early 90's before livewells and GPS?

We have been using tags for many years out west and even last year at the Cabelas NTC with 216 teams and no problems. You guard the tags with your life and handle them right and don't use them to pick up the fish and all will be well.

We used them last yr. at the NTC and 2 of the tags that was supposed to be that there was no way they would come appart, came appart in our livewell! That was a little scarry but the weigh in guys said nothing about them and come to find out alot of guys had them come appart! If I would of been dqd because a piece of plastic didn't do what they said it would do I would not of been a happy camper!

quote:

Originally posted by walleyejim1216:
We used them last yr. at the NTC and 2 of the tags that was supposed to be that there was no way they would come appart, came appart in our livewell! That was a little scarry but the weigh in guys said nothing about them and come to find out alot of guys had them come appart! If I would of been dqd because a piece of plastic didn't do what they said it would do I would not of been a happy camper!

WalleyeJim,

I called the MWC and asked if any anglers complained about defective tags. They were not aware of any complaints regarding defective tags. This is the first they have heard of any.

Other events have used the same tags without problems.

Please call into Jeff Ahlstrand toll free at 877-893-7947 and explain what part of the tag failed so they can research?

Chad, It was not the mwc it was the ntc. And all I can tell you is we put the tags on the fish as we were told and two of them fell off in the livewell! When we got to the weigh in and opened up the livewell and saw the tags floating there was a little panic cause I was sure we would be dqd, but we ended up just putting the tags in the bag and they dumped the fish out the tags was not attached to the fish and nothing was said! Don't get me wrong I like the idea of using the tags but the ones we used had issues!

Got it...Jim, please still give Jeff a call so we can see if those are the same ones we are looking at for the MWC West. We want to get it right to avoid as many problems as possible.

I'd have been nervous too...I would have expected to be dq'd.

Chad I tried to call them today but just got a machine. Did not leave a message, but feel free to call me anytime! 785-423-6835