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We are blessed to be able to fish rivers in our area.We carry coolers with ice to keep our fish in.My question in this hot weather can you clean your fish on the water as soon as you catch them? What are the rules? We fillet them do we need to leave skin attached,tail What is the legal way?
Good question. Since catfish is not a game fish, you may be able to do it. I prefer to leave my fish on ice over night and then clean them. Seem to skin easier. Was told that a man at Talquin used to skin a 2-5 lb cat in 15-20 seconds. Would have like to see that.
Double check your state game laws. It is not legal to clean any fish, game fish or otherwise, in Minnesota and then dump the guts and skin back into the water. States vary on this. In Minnesota to transport fish when cleaned only the top game fish need to have a one inch square patch of skin and scales left on fillets. That also varies from state to state and sometimes from place to place inside a state. Most state DNRs have a public information line. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 800-364-4263.
Yep, check your state's regs.
In Missouri we can clean any fish that does not have a length limit, crappie for an example can't be cleaned. That does bring to question the limits they have on blue, flat, and channel. If you clean them, how do you tell the difference? We can have five blue, five flat, and ten channel on Truman. I guess leaving the tail and dorsal fin would show enough to indicate the difference.
Thanks for the response as hot as the weather has been putting them on ice and then cleaning is what we have done in the past was wondering about cleaning or gutting them and putting them on ice. I am blessed again with a catfish specialest that is my neighbor he can clean a cat as fast as anyone we have seen but that is what he does "Catfish!!!!! Thanks will check with Game and fish read the regulation was not clear as what was legal thanks again!!!!
How about doing a Youtube video on his skills and share with us?
Make sure them heads sink. Make people mad not sinkin the heads cause then the heads will be floating around and thats what makes people upset.
Indiana you cannot do what your talking about doing. Better check your regs.