Thread: Which is it here. I'm confused.

I have always assumed (ok I'm aware of how the word assume can be broken down :D) that culling was illegal in Kansas.

I can't find anywhere in the regulation stating specifically that culling was illegal. Here is what I have found and find it somewhat confusing.

This taken from KDWP web site under definitions
Culling / Definitions / Fishing Regulations / Fishing / KDWP - KDWP

Culling: Replacing one live fish held by an angler for another live fish of the same species if the daily creel limit for that species of fish has not been met.

This taken from page 7 of 2009 Fishing Reqs PDF under General Information Definitions.
Culling: Replacing one live fish held by an
angler for another live fish of the same
species if the daily creel limit for that species
of fish has not been met.

This taken from page 13 of 2009 Fishing Regs PDF

Once a daily creel limit of any particular species has been possessed, any other fish of that species that is caught must be released immediately, unharmed, into the water. It may not replace another fish already in the creel, except in registered bass tournaments.

Now my question- Is it legal to replace a fish in my live well for another as long as I haven't put that final 'creel limit' fish in the live well?

Lee...

Where I find the ladder start to shake is when you have "possession". May not be until you put that last fish on the stringer or in the live well but I know there are guys in uniform who would not hesitate to give you an invitation to county court. Was stopped on the lake with a friend once up at John Redmond...were drifting for channel cats. He pulled up his boat and checked us out and started to count. We knew we had 19....he counted 3 times before he convinced himself that he could count correctly.

We always start before we get that close to the limit just to be safe.

Lee, that is the way it was explained to me by a conservation officer. You can cull unless/until you have your limit. I guess some of them might interpret it differently, so probably not a bad idea to check with your local guy.

However, it should be noted that this does not apply to duck limits. "releasing" divers to get puddlers is never an ethical decision.:D

imo if it was good enough to put in your box keep it there. if your getting close to your limit throw some keepers back when you catch them if you are hoping to catch bigger ones.

al