Clean Fish in Boat, Put in Cooler

[Bill Krejca]

If someone in a boat hypothetically cleans a lake trout and puts the fillets in a cooler with ice to prevent spoilage in the livewell, is this allowed in Ontario? Because the length cannot be established after cleaning, would this be considered an infraction? What if the fillets in the cooler totaled a limit?

It could seem a little "iffy" re: the wordings as to "just prior to eating", or "taking home." What are the chances this hypothetical person could be breaking the law?? Do you get my gist? There is obviously not a question if the fish remain whole, but does cleaning present a problem?

Should be some interesting replies.

Bill Krejca

[Jimmy Jig]

I wouldn't do it. Gill and gut them and then put in the cooler.

[Juls]

I'm thinking you have to have the carcasses on board, since I don't know of any lake (US or Canada) that allows dumping the carcasses in the lake. I believe it's against the law.

I could be wrong about Canada, but that's how it is here in the states.

Juls

[v-bay gord]

If there are size restrictions (ie slot sizes) then obviously cleaning the fish does not allow for the size to be checked by a C.O.

[Stu]

I addressed this issue personally several years ago on Wabby after I had a laker spoil. I even put it in a cooler, but it didn't help. The lodge owner told me that I should have cleaned it when I caught it. It's been a while, but I don't think there was a slot restriction. If you keep the carcass, you would be able to confirm the length. In my "limited experience" with Conservation Officers, they seem to be pretty flexible when you are doing your best to obey the law.

[Mike Kansas]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Jig

I wouldn't do it. Gill and gut them and then put in the cooler.

Jimmy has the right approach. That is what I have done on several occasions and it works well for meat preservation and will make the Warden happy to. I do keep the removed parts in a Ziploc bag so there are no questions about throwing them in the lake.

Good Luck, Mike Kansas

[Mohleye]

I'm not aware of any restrictions on throwing fish carcasses in the lake. We clean fish for shore lunch all the time, but we throw the carcasses on land and the gulls make short work of them. I've also filleted fish for supper or take home on the lake before and have had a CO tell me not to do it anymore. I made sure that the total we had was no more than 1 fish per person, so technically they could have been any length and there was no reason to need to verify that they were under the slot (although that's all we keep). But trying to explain that starts to sound like splitting hairs, and I have no desire to start an argument with a CO, so I didn't push the point.

A lake trout I would gill and gut.

[Obabikon]

You aren't allowed to throw fish guts into the lake. I wouldn't do it, but if you do clean the fish... keep the carcasses

[Golden Eagle]

Originally Posted by Stu

I addressed this issue personally several years ago on Wabby after I had a laker spoil. I even put it in a cooler, but it didn't help. The lodge owner told me that I should have cleaned it when I caught it. It's been a while, but I don't think there was a slot restriction. If you keep the carcass, you would be able to confirm the length. In my "limited experience" with Conservation Officers, they seem to be pretty flexible when you are doing your best to obey the law.

Guessing you've never met Don Maw in the Red Lake District. Zero flexibility for that boy.

[hoppy63]

Juls, just got back from salmon trip in NY on lake ontario. The way i understand it, it is ILLEGAL to cut fish on shore. They all clean them on board, then feed the gulls. In fact for tourny we left biggest fish whole to bring in to weigh, then they had to take boat back out on lake to clean fish and dispose carcass.