Cleaning fish while catching them...

[howellcanufish]

Just curious as to whether or not this is legal. I have heard of people who sit out on the ice all day and eat some of what they catch right there on the spot. Is this considered illegal due to the fact that one would be able to catch more than there limit in one outing? Any Ideas?

[Team Otter]

Very illegal.

If you see or hear of anyone doing this, report it to your local law enforcement or conservation officer.

[LaZyDayZ]

Starting at around page 17 will give you information.

Link to 2005 DNR Fishing book.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing.pdf

Now, lets say you are out in your fish house for a trip of multiple days. This appears to state you can not clean some fish for a meal and eat them in your ice house. Though I can not find clear guidelines relating to ice fishing.

The way it is stated I would have to drive/walk to shore clean the fish then I could return to my ice house and fry them up. Just doesnt make sense.

Someone cleaning there fish on the lake for transport is a different story.

I really think this isn't as clear of an issue as he's a poacher turn him in but this is just my interpretation of the law and my opinion.

Isnt possesion limit whats in your freazer/boat/stringer and not what is in your tummy? If tummy is included when does that expire? lol.

To the origional poster. Good question! I am hoping to learn more about this.

[eyepatrol]

Is it legal to clean your fish and fry them in say a sleeper house, as long as you stay within your legal limit? Or is it alltogether illegal to clean a fish on the lake, period?

Just curious about this as I'm going up to URL in a couple weeks, staying in a sleeper, and would like to eat a couple fish in the sleeper if I'm fortunate enough to get a few (and if it's legal).

[eyepatrol]

lazydayz

I'm pretty sure your tummy is included. You can go out, catch a limit of walleye, bring them home and eat them, but you can't go back out to catch more that same day to bring home. I believe the DNR would consider that taking two limits in one day.

I'd have to go on the DNR's website to do some research, but I believe a day is from 12:00a.m. to 11:59p.m. That's just my take, but again, I haven't researched into it....yet.

[Rip_Some_Lip]

I was under the impression that you could but had to keep the carcases as part of your limit. In fact about 7 or 8 years ago, we were having a fish fry in our big house and the warden stopped and checked us and didnt say anything. I believe he even ate some of the fish when we offered it. Maybe it has changed since then.

[eyepatrol]

That's what I've been told by one of my co-workers. He was checked last year in his ice house on Waconia, and asked the DNR about it and he's pretty sure they said the carcasses needed to be kept.

[Team Otter]

Certainly there are "loop holes" to nearly every law out there. But, generally speaking, cleaning fish in your fish house is illegal unless you maintain the complete carcasses for your entire stay on the ice and also any fish you may not eat. A cooked fillet can also count against your limit should you happen to get stopped.

This is one those laws that I just simply stay away from. It's too gray for my liking.

[Flash]

What would be the difference here than having a shore lunch of the fish you caught? Many times on LOW or where ever, they pull in and have a shore lunch and go back out and catch some more.

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[Team Otter]

The fish that are eaten during a shore lunch must be included in your daily limit for that day.

[eyechaser99]

I seen that in Canada alot of people shore lunch there fish and go back out and catch more. The rules could be different too in Canada but in Minnesota it goes by the daily limit and not over. Is it legal to catch a limit of fish and have some fish in your freezer from prior trips? Also is it ok if you go to LOW and catch and eat a limit up there (not on the lake) when you have some fish in in your freezer at home?

[Team Otter]

The possession limit is 6 walleyes. If you bring home a daily limit, you must include that catch with whatever you may or may not have in your freezer.

[mrwalleyee]

Ran into a similar situation up on Rainy. I rented a cabin from a guy up on Rainy lake this past summer. His cabin happened to be on an island. When we were cleaning fish at the cabin to take home, we have to just gut and gill them and leave them whole. Had more to do with slot limits and such, but a pain in the rear. The CO's had to be able to measure the fish as long as we were technically still on the water. We could have gone to mainland, cleaned the fish, then put them on ice and been fine.

From what I get out of the rule is that you have to make it so the CO can count what you have caught that day. That is part of your daily limit. As long as you don't go over your daily limit and possesion limit, you should be fine.

[bitz]

I asked this from a DNR 2 yrs ago. His answer was, if you catch fish and want to clean them and cook them on the ice, that is legal (as someone said, a "shore" lunch) The limit for the day is not changed. (i.e. you can't catch additional fish to make up for the fish you ate) So, if you catch a limit of w-eyes and then have a dinner, you can't legally keep any more eyes. This was the way it was explained to me.

also, for most fish in minnesota, the daily limit is the total limit, can't have a daily limit at home and fish in the live well...

Bitz

[Team Otter]

That's the bottom line bitz. Well said.

[raymondk]

One other thing that i was told by the dnr is that the lake that you are on has any size limit you are not allowed to clean them on the ice.

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

well that say's it, What lake should we have a fish fry on?

[boooo-ya]

SOME LAKES VERY LEGAL TO DO. CHECK REGS..MUST KEEP ALL REMAINS AND COUNT AS YOUR LIMIT.EG...CAUGHT AND ATE 5 SUNNIES,COULD ONLY KEEP 15 MORE.