Wonder how some of you guys haul your catch over longdistances back home on ice.
Is it best to Skin and gut them, and pack'm whole like that buried in ice. Then when you get home fillet them out.
Or, go ahead and fillet, place in freezer bags and bury in ice? Talking about being in a fish camp for 3-4 days, then driving about 4-6 hours to get home. Subject came up this weekend at Twok.
Thanks, always looking for good ideas.
Bittercreek.

When we go camping and stay in a state park we have a stand up freezer we take with us, clean bag and freeze fish the day they are caught. When it is time to go just dont open the freezer for a while unplug it strap the door shut and put it in the truck. It lasts for a 3 hour trip home for us just fine, most of the time not even starting to thaw out. Before we started that we just put the fillets in ice and let the water drain... but the freezer is really nice.

matt

I also have a generator to plug the freezer into, but have never done it because it isnt needed for our trip.

Filet, bag cover with ice then cover ice with salt will freeze solid, next day do same thing just another layer,takes a good sized cooler once done with layer dont open till ya puttin in another layer

Thats how I have always done it. One of the guys in another camp down there said to pack'm whole
after being skinned and gutted. They keep better that way. Just wanting to see how others did it.
Thanks.

Being in or at a fish camp/motel or any place that you are not traveling directly to your permanent physical address after the first day of fishing, you may not fillet or change their length; they may only be gutted & gilled.

Possession of Fish taken from Public Water

Any fish caught must be taken by legal means and methods. Fish caught and immediately released are not considered to be in your possession. Any fish not immediately released that are retained by using any type of holding device such as stringer, cooler, livewell, or bucket are considered in your possession and must adhere to established protected length and bag limits. While fishing, it is illegal to be in possession of more fish than the daily bag limit or fish that are within a protected lenth limit.

It is unlawful to possess a finfish of any species taken from public water, except broadbill swordfish, shark, or king mackerel that has the head or tail removed until such person 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 - the fish may not be filleted.

Any fish taken from public water and landed by boat or person in Texas must adhere to the protected length limits and daily bag and possession limits established for those fish in Texas regardless of the state or country in which they were caught.
The bag limit for a guided fishing party is equal to the total number of persons in the boat licensed to fish or otherwise exempt from holding a license minus each fishing guide and fishing guide deckhand multiplied by the bag limit for each species harvested.

Permanent Residence: One's principal or ordinary home or dwelling place. This does not include one's temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting/fishing club, or any club house, cabin, tent, car, truck, or trailer house used as a hunting/fishing club, or any hotel, motel, or rooming house used during a hunting, fishing, pleasure, or business trip.

Possession limit is twice the statewide daily bag. The only exception to the statewide possession limits in fresh water is for striped bass from Lake Texoma. Please note that on Lake Livingston and Toledo Bend Reservoir where some daily bag limits are larger than the statewide daily bag, the possession limits remain twice the statewide daily bag limits listed below. Fish stored by a person at their permanent residence do not apply to their possession limit.

Only Broadbill swordfish, shark and king mackerel can't be filleted. Any other fish can be filleted once you reach land provided you won't be transporting it by boat again.

If you're going to your permanent physical address, not if you are staying more than 1 day to show species identification and bag/possession limit.

Am I missing something? The quoted article says until you get it to mainland and doesn't mention a permanent residence.

I must be missing it too.

Breambuster - can you highlight for me where it says that you can't fillet any fish until you reach your permanent residence?

I've done this for years and had my cooler checked numerous times. As long as you're not on the water you can fillet any fish except the three listed specifically in your post.

From the FAQ's:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/faq/fishboat/fish/#R8

Question has been sent to TPWD Law Enforcement for clarification due to you may not exceed the possession limit at any time of a species having a bag limit. If you are camping, not going directly to your permanent physical address, you may not exceed possession limit if you fish more than 2 days. How would a game warden be able to distinguish species of fish when the fish length and ID has been altered?

I have seen that regulation, just unable to locate it.

Not to be a Grumpy Gus, but why is it every time that some asks something like this, there are always some good ideas and information, but there is ALWAYS that one post that pops up with that "you can do that because of this regulation, or you have to do that, or you're breaking the law if...." when that clearly was not the question asked? I'm not trying to be rude, but there is always that one post when someone asks a question. I didn't see anywhere where Bittercreek asked for a debate whether or not what he was wanting to do was legal or not. I'm pretty sure that he was asking how to keep fish fresh for long travel.

Well here is my answer. I fillet them, bag them, and put lots of ice on them. I personally don't fill the bag with water, just put the fillets in the bag and try to get all the air you can out of the bag. Whenever I stop for a pee break, I drain the water out of the cooler too, and add more ice.

+ 10000
What fishingnorthtexas said !!!

Got to admit, when I am wrong, I will admit it.

That is the regulation as it stands now, once you reach land, you can fillet your catch and not have to keep your fish identity.

Got this directly from TPWD HQ Fishing Law Enforcement.

Just seems odd though, it gives those even camping or staying at another location other than your permanent physical address or going to it directly, more than 2 days, being able to fillet all your catch. Oh well, now I won't have to keep my fish gut & gilled only while fishing/camping at the lake for a week and can fillet all of them out.

My apologies to all.