Been thinking about fishing some tournaments and getting a culling setup. What's everyone using? Scale, beam, both? On the tags are the metal clips or clamps better/worse?
Been thinking about fishing some tournaments and getting a culling setup. What's everyone using? Scale, beam, both? On the tags are the metal clips or clamps better/worse?
Plastic clips and a beam here
I personally like the beams for culling purposes and have tried all kind of different clips and still have the metal ones for now. My friend had the plastic clip on ones from Bass Pro Shops that worked really well but are no longer available. I have not been able to try any of the newer ones on the market yet.
I use both scale and beam. I like the rapala scales that let you store weights. If I catch a fish that is within an oz or two I will beam it then. Personal opinion on puncture vs non puncture tags. I think if people are careful with how they use the puncture tags then they don't do that much damage to the fish. I have tried a few non puncture tags but they seem to come off from time to time
Most use the Rapala touch screen scale but the tags suck
The CalCull floats are nice but you get 7 floats and the scale has 8 memory slots
Always keep a balance beam to help confirm what fish to release
When weighing fish in a boat it’s rare you actually can get the boat, fish and yourself to sit still long enough to get a perfect weight so I always check with a beam any two fish that are close on the scale just to be sure
Get a balance beam with a T handle so you can hang onto it when 2 fish are jumping around - Imagine you’re in rough water and have two 5+ pound fish on the beam the last thing you want is to fight to hang onto the beam
Last edited by MichAngler; 09-30-2020 at 09:12 AM.
"The handicapped angler"
I use the Rapala touch screen scale and have Ardent plastic clips on old style ropes for culling still carry a bean for when there real close .
1990 374V Ranger Still kickin' bass after all these years
Here's the thing about the beam, and why I don't use one. I use a hybrid between the H2O dial type floats, and the TH Marine clips. I like the dial because once I've weighed a fish and set the dial, I don't mess with that fish again until it's about to go back in the lake. With the beam, you are constantly pulling fish out and looking/weighing them which is causing them even further stress. And in the South where I do most of my tourney fishing; stress=mortality=dead fish penalty.
Of course...the way I'm fishing this season, I am not stressing many fish at all due to culling
2018 Ranger 521C, 2023 Merc 250 Pro XS 4S (3B261295), 36V Ultrex, 10" Atlas, Power Poles, Lowrance 12 Carbon, and 2-12 Lives.
I have a seven tag system and you can just consider the untagged fish number eight in your scale device.
Great scale https://catchcommander.com/
1996 Stratos 201 pro xl
1996 Johnson Faststrike J150GLEDB
I use the RMP bags. It took me a little bit to get a good system with them, but I feel it takes me no longer with them than any other system. They are a whole lot easier to get out of the livewell. Mostly use a scale, but have a beam if they are close.
Scale, beam, and tags here. Use the rapala weight storing scale, non touch. Clips are cal coast clips and so is the beam. We weigh the fish and store them in the scale, if we get a fish close to need to cull we beam them. Easy simple system.
06 Skeeter 20i Yamaha 250 HPDI
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TH marine cull tags and beam for me.
Chris
2020 Nitro Z19 Pro w/ 200 ProXS
I keep it simple with Ardent clips and a beam. Put the red tag on my smallest fish, warning me that’s the smallest one. Any fish that’s close I beam. A beam is a lot more accurate than a scale and you never have to worry about the batteries failing. Never tag any fish until I get a limit either
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
Ive been waiting on the Ardent Smart culling system (ordered in June) from TW. Still shows no in stock date...
2016 Bass Cat Cougar FTD
250 Pro XS
I do exactly the same.Originally Posted by RANGER487
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Second this. I just switched to this scale as my Brecknell (MLF uses) got submerged and while water resistant is not waterproof. Have had the Rapala one in the past and that one is good but like this Catch Commander better as it is easier to use.
Beam for culling. I bought the plastic clips this year after using the metal for 30 years. Cursed. Haven't caught a limit all year.
Thanks for the replies. Was planning on getting a beam, guess I'll get tags, maybe a scale, then try it and buy more stuff, try that stuff then buy more stuff.....just like the any other fishing gear.
Rapala scale, CalCoast clips and beam. Like others have said, use the scale primarily but still beam those that are close.
I cull fish that have an obvious 1 to 2 pound difference, no need for any of that.
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