# Is it legal to catch, filet, and cook fish on the ice?



## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Just curious what the laws are...I saw some posts on a different forum of guys in canada catching walleye and cooking them right on the ice, looked nice. If you kept the carcasses could you then count those toward your limit or is it not legal at all? Thx


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

It is illegal to do that in Ohio.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Any idea on PA or NY? I kinda figured it was a no-go but thought I'd ask. The guy posted pics of his catch, then the filets cooking out there on the ice, and then the resulting sandwich..it looked quite succulent. I guess when it takes a 2 hour snowmobile ride through the canadian backcountry to get to the lake you're fishing, you can do whatever you want!


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Lightman said:


> Any idea on PA or NY? I kinda figured it was a no-go but thought I'd ask. The guy posted pics of his catch, then the filets cooking out there on the ice, and then the resulting sandwich..it looked quite succulent. I guess when it takes a 2 hour snowmobile ride through the canadian backcountry to get to the lake you're fishing, you can do whatever you want!


New York State is a definate YES! But you cannot discard the Fish Guts on the Ice - and must include the portion of the Catch that you eat as part of your Daily Catch (Example: 50 Perch Limit minus "whatever you cook")... Save the remains to show the Game Warden...... I do not know about PA though - sorry.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Nice! Thanks Jim. Might have to pan fry a few perch on one of my next NY trips. Something about having hot food out there on the ice sounds great. I always end up bringing cold snacks..


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Lightman said:


> Nice! Thanks Jim. Might have to pan fry a few perch on one of my next NY trips. Something about having hot food out there on the ice sounds great. I always end up bringing cold snacks..


Just don't use your Cell Phone while you are driving in NY - it's a $100 Fine if you get caught. Good Luck fishing!


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Did not know that either. Thanks Jim.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Lightman said:


> Did not know that either. Thanks Jim.


Glad that I could help...


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## vizsla1 (Mar 15, 2010)

To go a little further with this quesiton, can you fry up your catch when you get back to the parking lot at your vehicle? is it strictly a no go on the water itself or not on the state owned land at all. Thanks.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

vizsla1 said:


> To go a little further with this quesiton, can you fry up your catch when you get back to the parking lot at your vehicle? is it strictly a no go on the water itself or not on the state owned land at all. Thanks.


What State are you referring to??? If its NY, Yes you can cook your fish on land and water. As far as in a Public Parking Lot, you would have to get away from everyone so they don't drive into you or your cooking equipment. You will need to be neat and orderly about it - and clean up your mess. Do NOT dump your Cooking Oil on the ground or on the Ice either. Pour it into a sealed container when you are finished cooking. Remember, you are a Guest in another State.


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## Tailchaser (Feb 5, 2009)

I don't think the DNR can stop people from cooking fish. I know it's a no no to clean them & pitch the entrils, guts, on the ice or put back in the water. That's a form of littering. One year up the Betsie river , fishing salmon I filleted some on the river. There already was dead salmon floating in the river, & I thought rather then lug these big stringers up a steep hill, clean them right on the river bank. The DNR came down to the river & saw the blood on a dead tree trunk & asked about that. My buddy had already taken the cleaned fish back to the car , so I acted dumb. He said it was illegal to do that. He didn't actually see me do it & he checked our license & left. I thought with hundreds of fish dying in the river , why not just pitch the carcasses. That was michigan, but, I'm sure it's the same in most states.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

I never quite understood that law with the littering/guts etc. I guess I got used to living in Fl when I was younger, and everyone throws the carcasses in water there (although they are gobbled up usually instantly by birds etc). Even in freshwater, you would think turtles, minnows, etc would peck at the carcasses?


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## overcheck (Dec 13, 2010)

What part of the law don't you understand? It clearly states no cleaning fish on ODNR waters


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Thank you overcheck for that super helpful post.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

There is your answer. Venison tenderloin marinaded and pan fried on Erie.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Swantucky, that looks awesome! Now I'm hungry. I will be in NY this weekend though, so the above info is great...I'll bring a filet knife along just in case pigs fall out of the sky and I luck into walter's den.. Seems like fileting up panfish on the ice would be a lot of work to get a meal and taking away from fishing time.

Here is one of the pics from the thread I was talking about - these are not my pics, they are from northern canada..


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Sometimes the food is as fun as the fishing. When we used to fish a tourney in Canada we would haul out a big enclosed trailer packed with coolers and a grill. We did everything but sleep on the ice for a long weekend.


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## mullskinner (Aug 20, 2007)

swantucky said:


> There is your answer. Venison tenderloin marinaded and pan fried on Erie.


what kind of stove is that Randy ?


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

mullskinner said:


> what kind of stove is that Randy ?


I'll check tonight...


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## Tailchaser (Feb 5, 2009)

I'm with ya on that Florida fishing Lightman. When I fish out of the Ft. Meyers area & the head boats & charters clean there catch right at dockside. The fish carvers as they like to be called, ( fish cleaners ) even had pet names for the pelicans. They move right in before the boats are docked. I too figured, that returning the fish guts back into the water, fed turtles, crabs, birds , etc. WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGG !!!


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

mullskinner said:


> what kind of stove is that Randy ?


Texsport. I can't tell you where I got it, its been in the shanty for a few years. The burner is nice and solid but the base is kinda chinzy, it holds your 1lb. tank. Does o.k. for 3-4 p[eople, more than that you want the grill or campstove. Amazing how the smell of venison cooking attracts a crowd on a slow fishing day.


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## Tailchaser (Feb 5, 2009)

That pic of food cooking outdoors reminded me of years past we fly over to PIB & they had little pot belly stoves with corn cobs for heat . I brought along some marinated NY strip beef tips. I cooked them on the stove , with a little wine to drink, WOWWWW. They had a girl on a snowmobile checking our minnows, etc. When she pulled up she could smell the food , & of course we offered her some. Never did run out of minnows. Does anybody know if any of the Pat Chrysler, or Bill Massey , family, friends took over there guide service ? Back then they were both the most popular.


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

Tailchaser said:


> I'm with ya on that Florida fishing Lightman. When I fish out of the Ft. Meyers area & the head boats & charters clean there catch right at dockside. The fish carvers as they like to be called, ( fish cleaners ) even had pet names for the pelicans. They move right in before the boats are docked. I too figured, that returning the fish guts back into the water, fed turtles, crabs, birds , etc. WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGG !!!


Where I go in Florida, theres tarpon, jacks, snook, that USUALLY get to it 1st...pretty sweet..


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## overcheck (Dec 13, 2010)

If you catch 14 inch eye cut the head off and eat it in your shanty is it ok?Just show the warden his head and tell him you didn't know and see how fast you get ticket. lol


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## Full_Choke (Apr 13, 2004)

Lightman- Hope you headed east last night so you didnt have deal with this weather!


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