Cleaning Fish on the ramp (is this legal?)

[blueducklane]

I've cleaned a few fish at the ramp (have a fillet knife that hooks to my 12 Volt) and thrown the guts in the water but I always wondered if I was violating a law. Can somebody shed some light on this for my dad and I? Thanks.

[DRPEPPER]

I don't think there are any legal issues here. Just make sure the guts sink and are not visable. I for one don't like to launch my boat at a stinky ramp. Seems like the one at Maumelle is notorious for inconsiderate fishermen. I guess they want to prove to people there really are some fish in the lake.
If I am cleaning fish in a secluded cove or stretch of lake, I like to leave mine shallow enough for the coons to find. Otherwise, I just drop the scraps in the lake so the catfish and turtles can eat.
I never like to do it at the ramp.
DP

[MaggiesMaster]

It's prob. legal, but not nice. You don't want to leave the ramp messy. It would be better to clean the fish in the lake with your 12 volt knife then throw the guts out there.

[WE16]

Page 29 of the 2012 book
Fish Cleaning – While fishing in waters designated
as having a length or slot limit on sport fish or as
catch and release areas, you may not possess a fish
that has been filleted or had its head or tail removed
while fishing from shore, boat or while being
transported by boat. Check your destination on pages
56-76 to see whether length or slot limits apply.

So I can not fillet the fish on the big lakes (Beaver because of lenth limit) in the boat but I am not sure if I can at the dock after I am done for the day.
A lot of states do not allow you to dump fish parts back into the water but I do not think Arkansas has a rule on that.
I never clean mine at the ramp or dock unless a fish cleaning station is set up

[CrappiePro]

It is unlawful to be in possession of cleaned fish, if said water/waters have a slot, length limit on sport fish, or catch and release area. Page 29 of fishing guide book. If you are cleaning fish on an authorized waters dispose away from the boat ramp, your fellow fisherman dont want to smell, look, and drive over your dead fish carcuses. Just the right thing to do.

[jackie53]

The boat docks have cleaning stations.Whats the difference in cleaning them at the boat docks and at the ramps?

[fishbaskett]

I was trotlining last year, late one afternoon I had a buckett of heads and guts in my boat that I had brought from the house, prior to launching I carried the bucket down to the lake but a little ways from the ramp and dumped it as far out into the water as I could. There were some people that were camped on up the hill that saw me and severely chastized me for what I had done. I felt really bad, realizing how inconsiderate of others I had been. Since then I always either dump them in the woods, where they are quickly eaten by buzzards, coyote's, fox, coon or bobcat's or I just wait till I get well out on the lake in some secluded spot. It's just the right thing to do. Keep a five gallon bucket for that purpose.

[mdperson]

2x

It is unlawful to be in possession of cleaned fish, if said water/waters have a slot, length limit on sport fish, or catch and release area. Page 29 of fishing guide book. If you are cleaning fish on an authorized waters dispose away from the boat ramp, your fellow fisherman dont want to smell, look, and drive over your dead fish carcuses. Just the right thing to do.