Filleting fish while at sea??

[jcon12]

Hi all,

Considering my limited cooler space I was just curious whether you are allowed to filet a lingcod (considering they have size requirements) while on a multi day trip in order to fit the meat in the cooler.

The "tail on" (head off) limit is 53cm - do you just make sure to keep the tail attached to one of the fillets?

thanks for any info!

 

[Brando]

Hi all,

Considering my limited cooler space I was just curious whether you are allowed to filet a lingcod (considering they have size requirements) while on a multi day trip in order to fit the meat in the cooler.

The "tail on" (head off) limit is 53cm - do you just make sure to keep the tail attached to one of the fillets?

thanks for any info!

“Butterfly” fillet down both sides without removing the tail then cut the spine out hope that makes sense.. will leave you with 2 fillets attached to the tail.

we use this for multi day trips for salmon as well, keeps you legal and saves cooler space.

 

[doug78]

“Butterfly” fillet down both sides without removing the tail then cut the spine out hope that makes sense.. will leave you with 2 fillets attached to the tail.

we use this for multi day trips for salmon as well, keeps you legal and saves cooler space.

Multi day storing fish on the boat? Or back at camp??

 

[walleyes]

Hi all,

Considering my limited cooler space I was just curious whether you are allowed to filet a lingcod (considering they have size requirements) while on a multi day trip in order to fit the meat in the cooler.

The "tail on" (head off) limit is 53cm - do you just make sure to keep the tail attached to one of the fillets?

thanks for any info!

Packaging Rockfish and Cod​

For rockfish and lingcod, packaging and labelling is the same as that described for salmon. An individual may fillet the fish in two pieces (as with salmon). Skin must remain on each fillet for identification purposes. In those cases where a size limit applies, such as 65 cm. (26 in.) for lingcod, the fillets, including the tail, must meet the minimum "head off" size limit of 53 cm. (21 in.).

Finfish (other than salmon) fishing information - BC sport fishing guide

Finfish (other than salmon) fishing information - BC sport fishing guide.

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[Brando]

Multi day storing fish on the boat? Or back at camp??

Depends on the trip, if boat camping then stored on the boat. If camping on the beach I’ll have coolers of salt ice or access to a freezer of some sort. Just be mindful of your limits and record your catch properly and your good to go.

 

[casper5280]

We clean and filet all your fish on the boat all the time and like Brando salted ice in coolers. On bigger trips or groups we have even brought small freezers and a generator or power depending if we have it.

 

[jcon12]

thanks all - on our bigger boat I run a freezer but on my 17' there's hardly room for a cooler.

I tried the butterfly method yesterday and I have to say it was 100% more difficult than just filleting the ling cod.. maybe practice makes perfect but cutting that spine out was a nightmare!

 

[CRGreg]

Just remember that your fish need to be Readily identifiable, countable, and measurable...... As long as you meet those requirements you should be good. The harder it is to determine what you have, how big they were, and how many there were... the longer the inspection process will take and the likelihood of a ticket will increase exponentially. My advice to people is to always keep their fish as close to whole as possible, with regard to maintaining fish quality.

CRGreg

 

[acrowe]

I have to admit I haven't tried this on a lingcod, as I have been able to fillet mine at the dock since I have been back on the island, but to Jcon12 - Its not radically different - you just slab the fish almost as normal, and stop at each side at the wrist of the tail rather than cutting the fillet right free - then you sever the spine which is free from the meat right at the tail. Its not a lot more difficult, I have often done it for Walleye so I have the tail to pull on when I am skinning the fillet.

 

[RiverBoy]

One thing that really helps during the filleting process is KEEP THE DAMN HEAD ON. Chinook, cod, ling, whatever....you have this slippery fish, the head makes a really nice “handle” why oh why would you cut it off right off the bat?!

it’s one of the great pet peeves of mine when i see people do this.

put one hand under the gill plate and then make your first cut along the gill plate, making sure to maximize all the meat towards the top of the head( and length- you want this as measurable as possible) then make your fillet cut.

 

[acrowe]

Agreed on that, I am not the best fish filletter but I have done quite a few and normally if cutting a fillet off,I wouldn't bother removing the head.

 

[Tom Mac]

From personal experience! when you butterfly out a Coho make dam sure that healed scar from the fin is there. Got screamed at by a fisheries officer a few years back. I had just given the frame to some one for crab bait and I was filling out a head return card when he came down the dock. Could have given me a ticket or taken my boat or what ever they do to poachers, the only thing that saved me was I was filling out the head return card and he figured I would not go to that effort if it had a fin. I always try to go by the book a 100 percent and that's all it takes to be in the wrong.

 

[trophywife]

From personal experience! when you butterfly out a Coho make dam sure that healed scar from the fin is there. Got screamed at by a fisheries officer a few years back. I had just given the frame to some one for crab bait and I was filling out a head return card when he came down the dock. Could have given me a ticket or taken my boat or what ever they do to poachers, the only thing that saved me was I was filling out the head return card and he figured I would not go to that effort if it had a fin. I always try to go by the book a 100 percent and that's all it takes to be in the wrong.

why didnt you just tell him your name was Tom Mac?

 

[Tom Mac]

why didnt you just tell him your name was Tom Mac?

I'm sure there is a joke in there some where but I don't get it?

 

[trophywife]

I'm sure there is a joke in there some where but I don't get it?

i know 3 guys named tom mac and they have different rules for fishing.