Clamp on culling tags

[LipRip]

Been looking to change from my metal clip style culling tags to clamp on tags. Does any one use these and if so, how well do they stay attached to the fish? It just seems like there is so much damage done to a fishes mouth from the poke through style that ive been using, there has to be a better way. Ive seen that they make the ones that go though the gills too, those just seem like you're asking for trouble.

[djkimmel]

While I was still fishing tournaments, I went away from the metal pokers or anything involving poking a hole through the bass beyond the one hookset. I would definitely not use anything through the gills. There are people who do it that way but the gills are pretty delicate and it is way too easy to kill a fish that way. Maybe it seems safer if you only fish calm water, I don't know? Plus, you're now putting something near their gills AND holding their mouth open. Seems like double stress? I could be wrong. I would probably ask a few fish biologists I trust for their opinion again if I still fished tournaments.

I was using some plastic clips that fit real well over the narrow bony part of the lower jaw. They stayed on really good and you could even get your bass out of the livewell with them if you wanted to unlike the small metal clips. For whatever reason, I was always finding those metal ones in the bottom of my livewell. I also found the metal lip clips would tear or slice holes in some of my bass' jaws. Not how I wanted to treat them. I quit using them before two seasons were up.

I made myself get out of the habit of lifting bass completely and only by the clips anyway. I wanted to reduce stress and increase health and liveliness. Unfortunately, the plastic clips I have appear to no longer be made. I think the company dropped that whole line of business. All the old links I had fail. I have seen other plastic clips now out there that look about the same - lower jawbone clip.

I have since seen a few pros talk about not wanting to put anything in or through the bass' mouth because it adds stress, can harm the bass too much and increase their risk at getting a dead bass penalty. Seems like more of the pros that do put some type of clip on their bass are now only clipping their one smallest bass to minimize the stress and risk. That makes more sense.

I think what I would do for now if I still fished tournaments is use the lower jaw plastic clip and only put it on my 1 smallest bass to reduce stress as much as possible. Stress in the livewell is actually 'contagious' considering the chemical stressed fish release and the affect 1 fish can have on other fish in such close proximity.

I always liked a small dose of the calming livewell treatment, keeping the water pumping a lot and keeping the livewells consistently filled as close to the top as possible. I capped the overflow on long rough rides in. I'd rather have a damp back deck and strong, lively bass like they were just caught than a bunch of battered and dead or dying bass. I've seen too many bass that probably weren't going to make it released 'alive' back into the water in front of people who knew better over the years. It worked pretty good for me for quite a few years.

You'd think by now more tournament anglers would demand and someone would come up with a real innovative way to identify and cull bass with very little harm or stress.

[Team houston]

I use the small metal ones and they work well. Behind where the tips pinch together is a gap that fits perfectly around the fishes outer lip. have not had one come off yet. You cannot however pull out a fish with them, they will come off if you try.Maybe you can get away with it on a small fish. I also use them on the upper lip so the colored rubber bands float up out of the fishes way.

[BNL]

DK and I have actually spoke about this topic and it was from that discussion and my own feeling about poking additional holes in the fish, that I purchased a clip system by Accu Cull. I really like it. Works well and have had a tag only come off once. I see some have plastic clips. Mine are metal, but plastic might be even better.

Good luck!

[LipRip]

I usually only tag fish that I think i'm going to get rid of. And what you say about fish stress in a livewell being contagious is completely tru! If one fish starts lookin bad I always put it by itself in a seperate livewell.

Ive seen so many fish over the past few years on the lakes that get a lot of fishing pressure that had broken jaws, or multiple holes in there mouth. The fish are just getting beat up bad.

Im thinkin that these are the ones that Im going to get. Accu Cull E-Con Tags Culling System

I will let everyone know how they work out. Thanks for the input dan and everyone else.

[Team houston]

Those are the ones I have except metal holders not plastic. They hang on to the fish lips very well.

[djkimmel]

The clips on that brand look a lot like the old Quik Cull clips I have. I think the skinnier floating ropes are probably a little better and safer for bass in the livewell too. I didn't look at their metal version. I don't need new cull tags anymore. As long as they don't cut or tear a bass' mouth then they are an improvement.