I was reading through the on-line regs on possession limits and found a paragraph stating that once you have a full possession limit you cannot sort or cull from the livewell. Does this mean it's ok to cull before you have your limit? I thought that was always a big no no.

These slot limits are a form of culling or sorting. So yes it is ok to take a desireable size. Lets hope all are responsible and take the correct size.

From what I have understood it has been illegal to cull for quite some time. I think they are just emphasizing the law.

The way it was explained to me is that you can cull up to when you are one fish short of your limit. So with walleyes on most state waters you could cull up to there being 5 walleyes in your livewell. If you have six in the livewell you are done.

I didn't know you could cull once they were in the well. Hmmm, interesting information.

...See all those dead floating walleyes on Mille Lacs last year...

Regardless if it is legal or not I will not cull before a limit. I have my own personal slot I follow above and beyond the law and either I'm taking fish or I'm not. 14-18 walleyes inches are eaters and very rarely will I take home a 19 or 20 inch fish. If I hook a fish deeply and the chances of it surviving are slim then I will keep it. Plus I have typically never take a limit. I dont need 6 fish. But I try to do everything possible to minimize stress on a released fish.

I agree SD, just thought it was interesting that you can cull. I've never done it and don't see me doing it. Once I commit to keeping a fish, I keep it.

you're just happy when you catch something worth keeping!!

Bass tournaments cull at almost every event and have for years. Limit for most events is 5 fish so you are under the limit regardless and fish have invariably been in the livewell for some time that are culled.

Just learned a couple of weeks ago that they call it "hygrading" or some such in South Dakota.

I fish almost always for bass and it is always all catch & release. Have kept some walleye and crappies but never think to cull them.

I think with today's nice boats and automatic livewells. The fish are just find after being released back into the lake. I rarely see any floaters anymore....

I also contacted the DNR with this question. They also told me that once you reach your limit you must stop fishing. Your limit is made up of all fish combined on hand or at home. So if you have 6 walleyes in your freezer you can't go fishing even if you release everything you catch. That is pretty strict.

lake Off is correct. You must remain 2 fish under the limit to be able to cull legally. Using bass for example with a limit of 6. You have "5 fish" in the livewell and and catch the 6th fish and once you land the 6th fish and "decide to keep" it, you legally met your 6 fish limit, meaning you can't throw out a smaller fish just to stay at 5. But if you don't keep the 6th fish and threw it back you can keep fishing.

Yeah, i rarely take any fish, but if i am hungry for a meal i will take a couple for me and the wife!

FYI: Mille Lacs is a NO CULL lake. Once you have your four walleye you are done fishing for walleye.

Vickie