AverysAdventure
Active member
- Joined
- May 7, 2010
- Messages
- 35
There have been some individuals out there on social media spreading false information about what’s legal and not legal in regards preserving your fish in the field. The regulations simply state:
“While in transit it is illegal to remove heads and tails from any trout, kokanee, bass, tiger muskie, steelhead or salmon unless the following conditions are met: 1) the angler is ashore and done fishing for the day; 2) the fish is processed or packaged with the skin naturally attached to the flesh; 3) the fish must be processed or packaged in a manner that the number of fish harvested can be readily determined. Processed fish species listed above cannot be transported by boat.”
Some have interpreted that to mean that canning kokanee in the field is illegal. This is simply not true and and there are no laws stating that. I verified this today with the nice folks at F&G headquarters in Boise, spoke with both a biologist and a enforcement officer who both stated there is no law preventing a person from canning kokanee in the field. Now that being said, if you can your fish in a method that prevents a F&G C.O. from being able to readily determine the number of fish in your possession then you will be ticketed for exceeding your limit. I would also guess this would apply to fish that are frozen in such a way that it prevents the officer from being able to readily determine the number of fish in your possession. So if you like to preserve your fish like I do when visiting places like Deadwood just make sure the fish are easily countable and you don’t exceed your bag limit or possession limit. For me I like to take the 8-9” fish, head and gut them and then give them a good smoke, then drop 4-5 fish in a quart jar and can them dry. Canned smoked fish last longer than freezing and taste much better in my opinion. The larger fish I prefer to freeze and then bbq or steam at home. I hope that clears up some of the false information circulating out there and I would recommend verifying it for yourself.
Tight lines,
Rod
“While in transit it is illegal to remove heads and tails from any trout, kokanee, bass, tiger muskie, steelhead or salmon unless the following conditions are met: 1) the angler is ashore and done fishing for the day; 2) the fish is processed or packaged with the skin naturally attached to the flesh; 3) the fish must be processed or packaged in a manner that the number of fish harvested can be readily determined. Processed fish species listed above cannot be transported by boat.”
Some have interpreted that to mean that canning kokanee in the field is illegal. This is simply not true and and there are no laws stating that. I verified this today with the nice folks at F&G headquarters in Boise, spoke with both a biologist and a enforcement officer who both stated there is no law preventing a person from canning kokanee in the field. Now that being said, if you can your fish in a method that prevents a F&G C.O. from being able to readily determine the number of fish in your possession then you will be ticketed for exceeding your limit. I would also guess this would apply to fish that are frozen in such a way that it prevents the officer from being able to readily determine the number of fish in your possession. So if you like to preserve your fish like I do when visiting places like Deadwood just make sure the fish are easily countable and you don’t exceed your bag limit or possession limit. For me I like to take the 8-9” fish, head and gut them and then give them a good smoke, then drop 4-5 fish in a quart jar and can them dry. Canned smoked fish last longer than freezing and taste much better in my opinion. The larger fish I prefer to freeze and then bbq or steam at home. I hope that clears up some of the false information circulating out there and I would recommend verifying it for yourself.
Tight lines,
Rod
