Walleye Fillets

George · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2003 8:20 am

A friend just advised me not to fillet walleyes before heading for home to the States. Something about the slot size and officials possibly wanting to do some measuring. Anybody hear about this? In the past all that was required was to leave a patch of skin on the fillet.

Superdad · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2003 8:35 am

The fishing regs state:

"Fish caught and retained may be gilled and gutted but fish length must be readily measureable at all times for fish taken from waterbodies where size limits are in effect, unless the fish:

are being transported overland.

The regs still say:

leave a large patch of the skin on all fillets for identication

pack or freeze fish separatley and flat so they can be counted, id'd and measured.

Not sure how to interpret that measured part of the frozen fish tranport.

I would talk to MNR just to make sure.

George · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2003 8:45 am

Thanks Superdad, that is a bit confusing. I guess talking with the MNR is probably the best and safest bet.

YO · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2003 9:13 am

If I keep fish in an area with a slot or length restrictions, they end up gutted and gilled. C.O.'s can't accurately figure out the length of a fish by the length of a fillet. A place I used to go in Quebec had a 14" minimum OAL, or 9" minimum fillet length. I remember guys at the lodge that would brag about getting 9" fillets out of 12" fish. Don't chance it, follow the rules regarding slot size and keep the fish intact (minus guts) and you'll have no problems with the MNR.

_Graembo · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:44 pm

ya I'd love to know how the guys @ the border in Gananoque could tell that the walleye you're bringing over are from the Bay?????????????? Like if you went to Scugog and brought 6 home and got pulled over and questioned in Belleville.......not too much proof huh?

G

Susquinola · **Posted:** Thu Jun 05, 2003 4:53 am

It's not the CA/US border that is of concern in this equation... It's that small stretch of road from your campsite to any highway that is the problem where an MNR may be posted.

I have heard of plain clothes MNR going into some camps on opening weekend. I am not sure how widespread this was. One gentleman was asked to show his catch and did. Two filets were in the freezer and partially frozen. He was warned not to transport those filets AND not to put them back in the freezer... because there was no skin flap.

Why, you ask? Because the rules state that no skin patch need be visable for "Filets intended for immediate consumption". Filets intended for the freezer should have skin visable... I guess. Filets intended for transport should be gilled and gutted, but left whole.

It is a pain "cleaning a fish twice" for us travelers. I have never done this in the past, but have done this now twice this year. No matter the pain of cleaning... it is a hell of alot better than risking a $300 per fish fine from the MNR.

We'll be back up in a week or so... ready to "Double clean" more.

Later,

Superdad · **Posted:** Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:02 am

That's a really good point raised about freezing fish "not immediate consumption" and leaving a piece of skin on.

Will remember that for the future.

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Walleye Fillets

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