Sorting Fish.........legal issues

[GeoFisher]

So, I understand that some states have rules about sorting fish, meaning if you catch a fish keep it and then catch another fish you want to keep instead, it is illegal to do so.

So the legal question.....if sorting is illegal, do folks fishing tourneys still sort fish.....Just wondering.

In Indiana, you can sort, but the fish must be alive and well..that is really, really subjective, if you ask me.


Later,

Geo

[crappiepappy]

So, I understand that some states have rules about sorting fish, meaning if you catch a fish keep it and then catch another fish you want to keep instead, it is illegal to do so.

So the legal question.....if sorting is illegal, do folks fishing tourneys still sort fish.....Just wondering.

In Indiana, you can sort, but the fish must be alive and well..that is really, really subjective, if you ask me.


Later,

Geo

If you're referring to "culling" in KY ... then yes, it is legal, and yes, tourney anglers DO cull.

I do know that, in some states, if you have a partner in the boat ... you have to keep your fish separated. So that, say you catch your limit & your partner is one short of his, then YOU can't catch & keep a fish on his behalf. You'd have to release the fish or cull one of yours & put the new fish in YOUR section of the livewell.

... pappy

[robertdilbert]

you CANNOT cull if it is the stocked rainbow trout. at least around the Lexington area that is the case.

[outdoorsman_33]

No you can not cull in a tournament if the state prevents it. Typically the tournament will hand out tags for the fish. Every fish in the live well has to be tagged. Once the tags are used up then it's time to call it a day.

[trickworm]

In Ky I think it is legal to cull, but once you have kept a limit you must stop fishing. I believe that's why tournaments set the limit at 5,1 fish below the legal limit, you can continue to fish and cull up.

[creekrock]

In Ky I think it is legal to cull, but once you have kept a limit you must stop fishing. I believe that's why tournaments set the limit at 5,1 fish below the legal limit, you can continue to fish and cull up.

I'm not sure about that. I can't think of a situation in ky where you would have to stop fishing. If you have a limit you can continue to fish. Just not keep any more than your limit.

[jcb]

you CANNOT cull if it is the stocked rainbow trout. at least around the Lexington area that is the case.

You can't cull trout below Wolf Creek Dam either. Which I may or may not have found out the hard way when I was much younger.

[sweetwater]

No you can not cull in a tournament if the state prevents it. Typically the tournament will hand out tags for the fish. Every fish in the live well has to be tagged. Once the tags are used up then it's time to call it a day.

I think this should be mandatory for all tournaments held in the summer months.

[Wormin]

No you can not cull in a tournament if the state prevents it. Typically the tournament will hand out tags for the fish. Every fish in the live well has to be tagged. Once the tags are used up then it's time to call it a day.

Which state does this.

[outdoorsman_33]

This is more common with walleye tournaments up north. I am not aware of any states that have it for bass but I do not know all state laws.

[fishinfreak]

I know a few years back on the upper mississippi river brandon paulanik was disqualified from an elite tournament because he crossed state lines in to MN (i think) and didn't know, and culled. It was legal in WI but not in MN causing him to lose the tournament. It was crazy stuff