carcasses found in the creek off the edge of the bank near a bridge I fish. The fish looked to be relatively leagal size and its good to know the fish are there, but is it ok to do this. What is your opinion on the matter. I normally take the fish I catch home, then clean them. I discard the remainder in the garbage or I give them to friend that uses it as fertilizer. I'm always suspicious of ones that do this because its normally done to keep undersized fish.

I missed the question. Is it okay to do what?

Lol

Car cass

You laughing at me, or with me?

Clean or fillet the fish your catching and leave the heads and bones behind.

Okay, gotcha! I don't think that's a really big deal personally as long as the fish were legal. Others might disagree, but I wouldn't consider that like littering or anything.

There may very well be a law or some regulation against that, I'm not sure. I don't see it as any different than cutting shad in half to fish with though. It's all food to another fish or other animal.

After some reading, it looks like some places do have regulations against dumping "fish wastes" back into the water. I guess it depends on the waterway, where you live and if they have regulations against doing so. Most of these restrictions seem to be passed recently though, mostly to keep large amounts of wastes from ending up in the wrong places like stagnant water, etc...

i do know you must clean them at home, not sure if it's legal to bring them back later and dump the rest in the creek or not.

Is it a "call the game warden" kind of offense or not. Maybe they can swing by the area more often. I've already had to pick up a couple of bags of cans and trash. It's a good spot and I'd hate to see it trashed out like what happened to Vances Camp.

You can call and ask the game warden. If it is illegal there, I'm sure he could stop by a few times to try and catch them in the act. Maybe just visiting is enough to scare them off if not licensed. Probably could citation them for littering as well.

I don't know of anyone who wants to screw around with a game warden.

At Lavon and Lewisville I have been told not to clean fish anymore at the creek or lake, by different game wardens and park rangers. Some wardens Inforce the law and some don't.

Even if I'm on the main lake in my boat, especially on Lavon, they do not allow you to clean fish whatsoever on that lake or anywhere around it. You're supposed to clean your fish at your home residence campground or RV. And I know you're not allowed to clean your fish in a preserve such as RC.

Years aqo in Bryan TX i got a $90 ticket from the game warden. Was told you can only clean fish at your final destination. Some state parks, etc, have cleaning stations that let you clean them there. In general I go by what the game warden says. Not sure why they do that just assume it is because once cleaned the game warden cannot determine if the fish was of legal size.

per TPWD THE RULES

In order to verify length and species, a fish caught may not have the head or tail removed and may not be filleted until an angler finally lands the catch on the mainland, a peninsula, or barrier island not including jetties or piers and does not transport the catch by boat. Broadbill swordfish, shark and king mackerel may have the head or tail removed, but the carcass must remain intact and may not be filleted.

Years ago we use to fish for catfish at the fish cleaning station at Lake Tawakoni White Deer Landing. We always caught our limits because those fish parts lured the catfish right in. I would never throw cleaned fish parts back into the water. It's illegal at most places to clean your catch at the lake (unless your camping or live their). Even then I would bag them up and discard them or put them in a garden.