Consuming fish caught while on the ice?

Hi guys,
I’ve been pondering a question for a while and thought I’d toss it out to the group.
I plan on ice fishing in northern Wisconsin this winter in a bunk shack. I’d like to clean, cook and consume my catch during the stay. (nothing like fresh fish) . I haven’t found anything in the rule book stating to the contrary. I’ve tried to get an answer from the WDNR but they’re not real clear on it.
If I remove all of the “remains” does anyone see a problem?
Any comments?

Don

The remains would be the main issue…just don’t throw them down the hole

thanks for the input ec, that’s pretty much what I thought.

Just another thought that might want to be checked into…

I’m not sure how WI defines possession limits…but if you have 6 eyes and the bones of two more on your first day…you might be over limit.
Maybe someone can chime in here to clarify that knows the WI regs.

Why not put the remaines down the hole?

because 1 it’s not very ethical, 2 if the DNR drops a camera down and sees 40+ walleye for example that would be a over the limit possession deal I think….

It would be best to clean them, eat them and have the remains in a bag that is easy to see. then take it home with you at the end of the day and dispose of them properly.

good luck to ya this winter!

There are several things you need to check into:

Can you clean fish on the ice in Wisconsin?

Do fish eaten count towards possession?

The remains will have to be taken off the ice and disposed of.

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Do fish eaten count towards possession

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This answer is YES!!

As long as we are talking fish down the hole…I’ve always wondered why it’s against the law to put the fish guts back in the water. Not on shore, but out in the lake…river a ways.

The only answer I can come up with is that if everyone did this we would have a mess.

Any other reasons you can think of?

I would think this would be good food for the smaller Bass, minnows…well, everything?

Thoughts?

I am thinking it is your first thought…Things would get kinda messy, and yes the critters like crawdads and turtles would take care of some of it, but people don’t want fish remains washing up on shore where they may live/camp/swim…whatever…People still do it though Heck, a couple years a go, some redneck jack through a deer carcas in the river at a place where i fish. It was really nasty once it started to decompose and it smelled like $***! I watched a family that was gill fishing snag it once too
Some people just need to re-think their actions!

I also think it’s against the law to clean fish on the ice or in a boat. Too easy to disgard the remains and messy besides.
Say you were up on Red and hammering the crappies…you get a limit, clean them and put the guts down a hole a mile away from where you were fishing; go back and get another limit etc. The DNR can’t keep track very easily of that kind of activity. WI might be different, but on Mille Lacs and the rest of MN, I don’t think you can rent a sleeper house and cook fish all weekend. Not 100% sure, anyone have the laws?

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I also think it’s against the law to clean fish on the ice or in a boat.

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I think your right, and I know in Minnesota Lakes with slot limits like Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods you definatly can’t clean fish on, legaly.

My thought here is to just clean and eat a few to show the relatives from far away what it’s like. I wasn’t planning on doing it all weekend or very often.
I called the DNR several years ago on some guys fishing in pool 4 right below the dam. 2 guys were jigging-up sauger and the 3rd was cleaning them and tossing the guts overboard. I believe there is a law against “wanton waste”, which this did put them in.
I also think it’s unethical to toss it down the hole, even though Mother Nature will eventually take care of it.
The focus of my question was if the “consumption” was legal.
Guess it wouldn’t be any different than having a “shore lunch” would it?

I’m a bit slow…
So is this legal to consume the fish in both MN and WI? As long as you dispose of the waste properly?

Don’t call tip on me, but I would think you would be fine for your little fish fry, yes you can consume fish on the ice, if your real worried about it go to shore and clean them and bring the fillets back out.

I going to start a thread elswhere on this.

It is legal! I was checked by the DNR on L.O.W. I was cooking some walleyes and they had no prblem with it. If you consume the whole fish ( Both fillets ) the fish is gone. You just have to run to shore and toss your cleanings ( do not throw them down the hole, they will tag you! )

You just can not have more than your possesion limits in your house. Be careful on the restricted lakes. I found out that even a piece of cooked fish counts as a whole. The warden was nice about it and did not tag me.