Transporting and identifying walleyes

[Jay Thomas]

I'm new to walleye fishing and I would appreciate tips/ideas regarding the filleting of walleyes so as to comply with transportation and identification requirements, whether those requirements be Ontario or Quebec requirements.

For instance, Quebec regulations specify that each walleye can be transported as two separate fillets as long as the fillets satisfy minimum length (usually 20 centimetres (approximately 8 inches)) and the skin is left on the entire length of each fillet. Ontario regulations stipulate that a patch of skin must be left on each fillet.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience. Jay

[Yankee]

From Sask into states is same way. Probably is universal rule, my guess.

[BD]

I leave the skin on the entire filet even in Ontario. It's easier to remove the entire skin instead of trying to get off a small patch when getting the filets ready for the pan. It doesn't matter if there are one or two filets in a package as long as they can be identified, counted, and measured easily.

[Bob G2]

What I like to do is to deskin the filet to the point of leaving only a small tag end of skin attached to the meat. With the entire skin still intact and it's attachment to the filet, I lay the skin back onto the filet and carefully wrap so that the skin can be easily identified if inspected. This way it still fulfills any identification requirement, but also, when the filet
is thawed out from freezing, all you have to to is pull on the skin and it usually just pops right off completely.

[MNBS]

On the same topic. How does the DNR know EXACTLY how long that fish actually was from the fillet? I am nervous about this because I fish on Lac Suel where there is a slot in place. Last year, I gutted and gilled my walleyes. I did get stopped south of Dryden, and after telling the conservation officer that my fish were whole, she sent me on through without checking my cooler. The problem is gutting and gilling is a pain. You have to clean the fish twice. I guess I am just wondering how picky they are on the sizes? I am honest, and I don't want to get a ticket on a fish that is close.

[Jay Thomas]

Yankee, BD, Bob G2 and MNBS:

Thanks for the replies.

Perhaps a stupid question but are you guys scaling your walleyes before filleting or not?

For MNBS, as an example, the Quebec regulations specify minimum fork length of 30 centimetres for the whole walleye and a minimum fillet length of 20 centimetres. Unfortunately, that relationship (2/3) probably wouldn't hold on all sized fish. Probably the best bet is to email the DNR folks in the area you plan to fish with the question. Then you'll have peace of mind and enjoy your trip totally. Jay

[BD]

With perch or bluegills I scale the fish because they are fried with the skin on. With walleyes I don't bother since I skin them anyway. When I did fry the eyes with the skin on they were scaled right away.