I just got finished homebrewing a fairly nice fish cleaning station for the boat. My question is, can I legally clean my fish on the lake? I think this was a discussion on this board in the past. My concern is when I get back to the ramp, if the Game Warden is there checking, my fish would already be processed. Could this be a problem? I was thinking if I left the head on, then they could still be measured. Thanks for your responses.

mike

In the state of Texas fish cannot be cleaned on the lake. Wait until you get back to the boat ramp.

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David

Thanks for the info, just trying to figure out ways to get home faster. When I come off the water, I'm usually tired and ready to leave. Again thanks for the insight.

mike

CAN YOU CLEAN YOUR FISH AT THE BOAT DOCK BEFORE YOU LOAD UP YOUR BOAT ??
THERE IS SOMEONE SELLING PORTABLE BOAT CLEANING TABLES ON THE GEEZERS SIGHT - I ASSUMED YOU COULD USE THEM AT THE BOAT RAMPS ?? IS THAT LEAGAL ??
IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE CONVENIENT TO CLEAN THEM AT THE LAKE BUT MANY OF THE LAKES DO NOT HAVE CLEANING STATIONS.

I called the TP&w about this and there response was yes you can clean them at the lake and toss the remains right back in the lake, they were not specific (nor did I ask) about if you had to be at the dock or not I would suspect that the last chance is at the dock for a gw to check but also I read elswhere on this board that the GW does not have the right to inspect unless he has prabable cause that you have an under size fish.. therfore you do not have to submit to haveing your catch checked..

Regarding the comment about Game Wardens not being able to check your coolers or whatever without probable cause, that is about to change. The law was recently passed and will go into effect on September 1, 2003 that Game Wardens no longer need probable cause to check coolers, livewells, etc. I just read that in this months issue of Texas Fish and Game.

Thanks for letting us know scott, although I don't plan on refusing anytime if they ask.

I am 90% sure a Game Warden does not need probable cause to check your icechest, livewell, ect. When they pull you over they will check for everything, lifejackets, fireext. and so on and so on. They do not need cause for that. I have seen them many times at the boat ramps checking everybody's catch for the day, it is hard to believe they had cause on everyone.

Just my .02

FL

Thanks Scott for information. I, like oldtimer, have no problem with the GW checking me at anytime. I just want to make sure I'm in compliance when and if he does. I went to TPW's website and couldn't find any information on cleaning. Again thanks for all the responses.

Yea Expressman I could not either, thats why I called them they have an 800 number so I figured why not.. the lady i spoke to ask me to hold while she aske the GW.. nice folks over there

I do also beleive that the limit is also fraised with the in aggregate on certain species this means pieces I.E. fillets etc... I usually wait to clean my fish when I get home tho. throw the left over refuse in a couple strong bags throw them in my garage freezer until trash pick up day.

Hawke, My brother suggested that just the other day and I would not go for it.. Now that you have mentioned it I guess thats not a bad idea after all... always learning something here!!

I've been freezing the remains of my fish until trash day for years. It just seems to me that I do not want to expose myself to a concern from the game warden about the size of the fish the fillets came from. Besides, if I clean them at the lake I can't do anything about being thirsty. If I do it at home, I can have cold beer while I work.

I know in many states as long as you leave an "identifiable" part of the fish attached, you can clean fish on the lake. Rather than skin them after you fillet them, leave the skin/scales on the fillet and I would think you'd be okay.

A game warden told me once; I could clean my crappie on the water as long as the filets were 10". I never gave him or any other the opportunity to measure a fish with head and tail removed. I just tossed out a bag of frozen fish heads today.