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pkrien
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05/07/2018 03:07PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
How do people keep their filets cool enough to last until dinner time , if you catch and clean them in the morning? We were thinking of putting them in a sealed container , filled with cool water , and letting them sit on the bottom of the lake. Good idea? Bad idea?
 
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old_salt
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05/07/2018 03:46PM  
You don’t want to leave them to soak all day. We clean them and put them in a zip bag. The zip bag, along with a rock, is put in a mesh bag on a long cord. We paddle to at least 40’ of water and drop it in. If it’s near shore, just tie to a tree. If not, I use a marker buoy. That can be a nalgene or whatever is available. I use my fish finder to locate the deep water.
 
Guest Paddler
  
05/07/2018 03:56PM  
So you don't put water in the bag with the filets? And , have you ever had problems with turtles , or anything else getting to them in the Ziplocs? That was our first choice , but I was concerned about something getting into the bags.
 
mastertangler
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05/07/2018 04:23PM  
Morning until evening is a long time and Old Salts method would be good. But why not catch a fish later in the day and not have to hassle?

What I do is catch a fish or two and immediately clean it and put it into a gallon Zip Lock and then place it into a wet canvas bag out of the sun. The evaporative effect keeps my filet cold for 3 or 4 hours with no problem. Certainly way better than dragging them around on a stringer. Plus I am not cleaning fish in camp.

Just have to make sure the bag stays wet.
 
IowaGuy
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05/07/2018 05:28PM  
Usually I just catch one at dinner time to eat, and catch and release any caught during the breakfast hour...
 
old_salt
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05/07/2018 06:52PM  
: "So you don't put water in the bag with the filets? And , have you ever had problems with turtles , or anything else getting to them in the Ziplocs? That was our first choice , but I was concerned about something getting into the bags."


Never had a problem with turtles or anything else. I put them deep, 40’+. The nylon bag may also help. Certainly, you can put them in whatever you are comfortable with. The depth provides cold and protection from critters. If you don’t get them deep enough, you may have problems.
 
Mickeal
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05/07/2018 07:21PM  
We keep them on a stringer until dinner, then filet.
 
05/08/2018 06:50AM  
Filets in a zip lock and then zip lock in a wet Crown bag. Hang on a tree in the shade and redip bag every couple hours. Works great.
 
05/08/2018 07:44AM  
I don't clean them until dinner. I use a long stringer and secure it from my campsite ( or somewhere close). Make sure the water is deep enough and free from any snags. You want the fish to be able to swim but not rest on the bottom as they can get wrapped around rocks or submerged trees.
 
MarshallPrime
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05/08/2018 07:51AM  
90% of the time I just throw them back all day long and keep a couple b4 dinner if it is a fish fry night...

If Im not having much luck that trip I just put them on a stringer, on a long rope and let them swim for the rest of the day till it is time to fillet them.
 
CityFisher74
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05/08/2018 08:21AM  
Mickeal: "We keep them on a stringer until dinner, then filet."


Ditto
 
Tyler W
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05/08/2018 01:41PM  
CityFisher74: "
Mickeal: "We keep them on a stringer until dinner, then filet."



Ditto"


+1

The best place to keep fish fillets is on the fish. Start heating the pan, then (and only then) bump them on the head and fillet them. Once you have them clean the pan will be hot and you'll have the freshest fish of your life.
 
mastertangler
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05/08/2018 04:27PM  
Fish on a stringer........hassle. Then take them to camp and clean them and you are asking for uninvited company to show up plus having to dispose of your cleaned fish.

Dragging them around for hours, slowing you down etc. Fish on a stringer in camp needs to be stashed in some brush lest snappers or eagles get your fish (both of which has happened to me). Find a little opening in some submerged brush and they will rest comfortably and feel secure.

Much easier to clean the amount of fish you want on a flat rock far from camp (any camp) and stash in a gallon zip lock. Then place in a canvas, burlap or cloth type bag and keep it wet and out of the sun. It will remain surprisingly cool for at least 3 or 4 hours.

Then, when you do finally get to camp how very nice it is to just pull up and your fish is already cleaned. Ahhhhh, life is good!
 
05/08/2018 08:00PM  
egknuti: "I don't clean them until dinner. I use a long stringer and secure it from my campsite ( or somewhere close). Make sure the water is deep enough and free from any snags. You want the fish to be able to swim but not rest on the bottom as they can get wrapped around rocks or submerged trees."


This is what we do too. The fresher the better.
 
mutz
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05/08/2018 08:05PM  
Have been cleaning fish at camp for over 30 years and we eat fish almost every night, remains transported to secluded rock or island away from camp after dinner, before the evening fishing. We have never had a bear in our camp. The smell from cleaning four or five walleye is nothing compared to the smell of frying them, so if you have bears it’s probably not from cleaning fish in camp. We catch and release in the morning, rarely keeping anything before lunch unless it’s for lunch. We keep our fish on the stringer in the afternoon and clean them when it’s time to cook them.
 
05/09/2018 12:50AM  
i put mine on ice . yes i bring a Lil oscar cooler (fits under a seat nice) 1 solid frozen block of filtered water last a while unless your having some knife lake cocktails ;)
 
05/09/2018 05:46AM  
mutz: "Have been cleaning fish at camp for over 30 years and..
. We have never had a bear in our camp...."

Success don't make it right... I would say you are lucky so far. At least you should clean your fish at someone else's site!
 
mastertangler
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05/09/2018 05:53AM  
bobbernumber3: "
mutz: "Have been cleaning fish at camp for over 30 years and..
. We have never had a bear in our camp...."

Success don't make it right... I would say you are lucky so far. At least you should clean your fish at someone else's site!"


Yup, bad idea. I never clean fish in camp. And its not just bears, anywhere you clean fish is going to leave a nice slimy mess which sooner or later starts stinking and attracts flies and you end up smelling fish and fighting flies. Plus you have to dispose of the remains..........if you paddle away from camp do you put your mess in the bottom of the canoe? Another miscue.......if not, you can be like a bunch of other nitwits who just toss them in the water or 20ft down the bank.

If you are frying fish you will have a temporary odor problem but as soon as the oil is burnt up in a nice hot fire problem gone (you do burn your grease, don't you?) As opposed to a natural odor slick which is just wafting through the woods for a day or two.

Dont knock the "clean your fish 2 to 4 hours beforehand and store inside a ziplock inside a wet sack" until you try it. No muss, no fuss...........not much worse than to pull into camp after fishing hard all day only to then have to fool around with a bunch of fish. Its really nice just to grab a sack of nice cool filets and start cooking.

Am I saying that other peoples methods are wrong? Well, sorta (LOL). I might not convince everybody but a few folk might try it like I did after seeing another very experienced tripper do it and come to the same conclusion I did. Its just better!

Just remember.........in order for the evaporative effect to do the cooling your bag needs to stay wet and preferably out of the sun. I usually just stash mine under my seat. Every hour or so just give the bag a dunking. You will be surprised at just how effectively this works........fillets are usually cool to the touch.
 
mutz
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05/09/2018 07:16AM  
bobbernumber3: "
mutz: "Have been cleaning fish at camp for over 30 years and..
. We have never had a bear in our camp...."

Success don't make it right... I would say you are lucky so far. At least you should clean your fish at someone else's site!"




Tried that once, they said it wasn’t appropriate for me to clean fish while they were having an early dinner. Very rude people so I just left.
 
mutz
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05/09/2018 07:21AM  
mastertangler: "
bobbernumber3: "
mutz: "Have been cleaning fish at camp for over 30 years and..
. We have never had a bear in our camp...."

Success don't make it right... I would say you are lucky so far. At least you should clean your fish at someone else's site!"



Yup, bad idea. I never clean fish in camp. And its not just bears, anywhere you clean fish is going to leave a nice slimy mess which sooner or later starts stinking and attracts flies and you end up smelling fish and fighting flies. Plus you have to dispose of the remains..........if you paddle away from camp do you put your mess in the bottom of the canoe? Another miscue.......if not, you can be like a bunch of other nitwits who just toss them in the water or 20ft down the bank.


If you are frying fish you will have a temporary odor problem but as soon as the oil is burnt up in a nice hot fire problem gone (you do burn your grease, don't you?) As opposed to a natural odor slick which is just wafting through the woods for a day or two.


Dont knock the "clean your fish 2 to 4 hours beforehand and store inside a ziplock inside a wet sack" until you try it. No muss, no fuss...........not much worse than to pull into camp after fishing hard all day only to then have to fool around with a bunch of fish. Its really nice just to grab a sack of nice cool filets and start cooking.


Am I saying that other peoples methods are wrong? Well, sorta (LOL). I might not convince everybody but a few folk might try it like I did after seeing another very experienced tripper do it and come to the same conclusion I did. Its just better!

Just remember.........in order for the evaporative effect to do the cooling your bag needs to stay wet and preferably out of the sun. I usually just stash mine under my seat. Every hour or so just give the bag a dunking. You will be surprised at just how effectively this works........fillets are usually cool to the touch. "




Never really expected you to be the “do it my way or you are wrong type”. I would defy anyone to come into our camp at the end of the week and show me where I cleaned fish all week. If you want to clean your fish and leave them in the bottom of your canoe all day that is great, we choose not to.
If you truly believe that the smell of frying fish doesn’t permeate the woods faster and farther, and remain longer than cleaning fish in camp, You should probably rethink that.
 
05/09/2018 07:34AM  
Stu has some system for cold-packing his fillets during his guided trips. Does anybody know what that method entails? I'd guess that there must be dry ice involved somewhere with heavy closed-cell foam packing but it's just speculation on my part.
 
mastertangler
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05/09/2018 11:56AM  
Chill Mutz, no need to get defensive.

Do what you want is my motto. If it works for you then great, terrific. I have strong opinions and strong convictions about a great many things (doesn't always make me right ;-)

I made my case for why I think the way I do. Was I a bit harsh in critiquing the cons of cleaning fish in camp. Yes I suppose I was but that is exactly what I think. I typically choose clarity over agreement and prefer that folk just say what they think rather than worrying about offending someone at every turn. Thats how I operate........people love me and some hate me for it. At least you never have to wonder where I stand, I will always say exactly what I believe.

On the other hand I am all for tolerance. I have stated my position emphatically and if folk prefer to do it their way thats fine and dandy.

I choose not to drag fish around on a stringer for hours, I choose not to clean fish in camp, I choose not to have to paddle around after cleaning fish to dispose of the remains and getting my boat nasty, I choose not to try and toss fish remains into deep water from shore, I choose not to scramble down the bank to leave the fish on a rock etc. There is a lot of logistical negatives involved with cleaning fish in camp IMO. Been there, done that. Plus there is lots of cross contamination that can occur as fish smell has a way of getting from one thing to another (just ask my wife when I come home from fishing all day > "Pew, you stink" ;-)

Instead, I choose to get out of my boat after getting to camp, grab my bag of filets and fry up a mess of walleye (yea baby!!) No muss, no fuss. The difference between us is I have tried your method for many years and can compare and contrast both with intellectual honesty. Have you have tried what I am advocating? Just try what I am suggesting before you reject it. It works surprisingly well and for much longer than you might believe possible. Then you can choose with wisdom what works best.

Any negatives for my method? Yep, there is not always a nice perfect place to clean fish. Sometimes it means getting out in less than perfect landings and not always having a nice waist high flat rock to do your business. The more fish you need to clean the less attractive my method becomes and the more demanding the right spot becomes. But I am a whiz with a filet knife and make quick work of most fish in occasionally awkward positions.
 
05/09/2018 12:54PM  
we, my group clean fish at camp all the time too , bring remains to a rock for the gulls , and there's a thing called lake water to rinse everything down with ,
never a problem in my 30 years also ,
 
mastertangler
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05/09/2018 01:01PM  
shock: "we, my group clean fish at camp all the time too , bring remains to a rock for the gulls , and there's a thing called lake water to rinse everything down with ,
never a problem in my 30 years also , "


Them some mighty big gulls ;-)
 
Tyler W
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05/09/2018 01:38PM  
We used to feed the gulls until we learned that gulls can prey on loon chicks. Lots of people feeding gulls, leads to more gulls, and fewer loons. I dispose of my fish carcasses way back in the woods (far enough away I wouldn't mind a bear eating them).

As far as the right and wrong way to store fish fillets there is a simple objective way to tell if you are doing it right or wrong. If the fillets curl when they hit the pan, you are doing it right. If the fillets don't curl, then you are doing it wrong.
 
Mad_Angler
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05/09/2018 01:44PM  
I have always cleaned at camp on a canoe paddle. I rinse the paddle off and throw the remains out to deep water. I make sure the water is deep enough for the remains to never be seen again.

I don't go very fast when fishing so dragging a stringer is not a problem. If I'm make the last paddle on the way back to camp, I'll usually pull the stringer and just paddle home...

I don't know if it makes a difference but I want my fish as fresh as possible. That's the whole point of having a shore lunch (or dinner). isn't it?
 
05/09/2018 03:39PM  
Tyler W: "...As far as the right and wrong way to store fish fillets there is a simple objective way to tell if you are doing it right or wrong. If the fillets curl when they hit the pan, you are doing it right. If the fillets don't curl, then you are doing it wrong. "


This needs some explaining for me. How does storage affect curl?

The only curl I used to get was on bluegill and perch fillets with skin on. If I fry skin side down first, no curl. I wonder if you are seeing a similar affect?
 
MrBadExample
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05/09/2018 04:33PM  
Clean em and freeze em.

Our group packs in an empty cooler with dry ice. Also nice to keep the flask in there during the day and enjoy a nice ice cold sip around the fire.
 
mastertangler
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05/09/2018 06:54PM  
Tyler W: I dispose of my fish carcasses way back in the woods (far enough away I wouldn't mind a bear eating them). "


Yo dude what are you thinking? (I am not going to make many friends on this thread am I?) Taking your fish back in the woods? Rumor has it that the geniuses at park service heartily applaud this. I think its not such a smart idea. First off you really cant take it "far enough" and if your not careful a guy or gal could get turned around.

I dunno, usually the eagles take care of everything and if they don't then a snapper will or an otter or a wolf etc. will. The last thing I want is fish 50 yards in the woods from camp with a nice odor trail back to my site. But, in full disclosure, I have bear-o-phobic problems after reading what has happened to others (Bear attacks, causes and avoidance) and having 4 close encounters of the up close and personal kind.
 
drrick
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05/09/2018 08:51PM  
Fish that die of natural causes decompose or are eaten by Natures scavengers. The point is that dead carcasses end up in the lake where they were born. It just seems to make sense that we would dump fish remains somewheres out in the middle of the lake and forget about it.
 
05/09/2018 10:57PM  
mastertangler: "
shock: "we, my group clean fish at camp all the time too , bring remains to a rock for the gulls , and there's a thing called lake water to rinse everything down with ,
never a problem in my 30 years also , "



Them some mighty big gulls ;-) "
come on MT you know they go big up here ;) yes the gulls pick at the carcasses and eventually end up in the lake , every once in awhile an eagle will come by and take a lake trout carcass up to a tree, , one time on a brook trout lake , this big bully gull deep throated 3 15" brookies in a row as the others could only watch !
but i'm with you, on bury them in the woods , never around my camp and in the BW hard to bury fish remains when everything is basically rock with a dusting of dirt.
 
mastertangler
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05/10/2018 06:19AM  
I hear ya Shock.........I have done all the methods including just pitching the fish out in water from camp (yes, I was one of those idiots). And then I started putting them on rocks a little ways down the bank.

It usually doesn't take real long for something to find it and eat it wether a gull, an eagle or a snapping turtle. So, its usually not that big of a deal..........but it doesn't always happen as quick as you might like.

And I absolutely cant imagine a pile of dead fish in the bottom of my canoe while I paddle to deep water. That scent eventually gets transferred to the packs etc. etc. even though you might splash some water around (more hassle).

I have just found it is so much easier to leave the mess somewhere else where it impacts no one. Besides, the last thing I want to do after fishing for several hours is clean fish. Just grabbing the filets makes the whole fish cooking process much easier and more enjoyable. A little 10 or 15 minute break from fishing, stretch the legs, stretch the back, move around a bit while I clean fish and then back in the boat...........a good little break actually.
 
05/10/2018 07:26AM  
I can't stand trying to clean fish on shore. Too much of a hassle to bring up a canoe and a paddle doesn't do it for me as a fillet board. This is my solution and I just deep 6 them way out in the lake. I like gilling them a few minutes before filleting them. A little less mess and no movement.
 
zski
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05/10/2018 10:29AM  
Jim: OK, looks good. i use a cutting board but it's not that large. Where did you get that board and how do you store it when not in use?
 
05/10/2018 10:45AM  
zski: "Jim: OK, looks good. i use a cutting board but it's not that large. Where did you get that board and how do you store it when not in use?"

It's just a piece of paneling cut to size. I painted it and put several coats of urethane on to stiffen it up and waterproof it a bit. I was thinking I would need to bungee it in for portaging but it seems to wedge in nicely between the side of the canoe and the bolt ends under my thwarts.
 
Tyler W
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05/10/2018 12:42PM  
mastertangler: "
Tyler W: I dispose of my fish carcasses way back in the woods (far enough away I wouldn't mind a bear eating them). "



Yo dude what are you thinking? (I am not going to make many friends on this thread am I?) Taking your fish back in the woods? Rumor has it that the geniuses at park service heartily applaud this. I think its not such a smart idea. First off you really cant take it "far enough" and if your not careful a guy or gal could get turned around.


I dunno, usually the eagles take care of everything and if they don't then a snapper will or an otter or a wolf etc. will. The last thing I want is fish 50 yards in the woods from camp with a nice odor trail back to my site. But, in full disclosure, I have bear-o-phobic problems after reading what has happened to others (Bear attacks, causes and avoidance) and having 4 close encounters of the up close and personal kind. "


Apparently I can take it far enough away. Never had a problem. Never gotten lost. I don't like feeding the gulls, so I feed what ever is in the woods. I walk back in the woods until I think, "I wouldn't mind a bear being this close". Then I pitch the fish parts into or over a tree snag where no one will walk. This is way past where people are collecting firewood.

If a bear is coming into your camp it is to find your food pack. Not because you left some fish scraps hundreds of yards away.
 
Tyler W
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05/10/2018 12:49PM  
bobbernumber3: "
Tyler W: "...As far as the right and wrong way to store fish fillets there is a simple objective way to tell if you are doing it right or wrong. If the fillets curl when they hit the pan, you are doing it right. If the fillets don't curl, then you are doing it wrong. "



This needs some explaining for me. How does storage affect curl?


The only curl I used to get was on bluegill and perch fillets with skin on. If I fry skin side down first, no curl. I wonder if you are seeing a similar affect?"


As the fillet is stored and breaks down it seems to loose the connections needed to curl. Fish from the grocery store won't curl, but fresh fish (skin on or off) will. I think if you put the skin side down it curls towards the pan, so the effect is less obvious.
 
buzz17
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05/10/2018 01:02PM  
This thread encompasses what is great about this site. People sharing differing opinions about how to accomplish the same task.

For fillets, I usually keep fish on stringer or in a large basket and filet in camp right before cooking. We create a group assembly line with some cleaning fish, some washing fillets, and one or two guys cooking. I have kept fillets on ice in a cooler before, but this works for us.

When cleaning fish, I prefer to flip the canoe and place on rocks, logs....whatever allows for a table height so my back doesn't hurt from bending over. I have used rocks, paddles, cleaning boards, but I like the bottom of a canoe. It is large, flat, and cleans off when put back in the water.

We place remains in a fish net, and they either get deep sixed, brought WAY back in the woods and dumped, paddled to another location and dumped WAY back in the woods, or placed on an island or rock away from camp. Method depends on location, time of day, or amount of remains.

I have not tried cleaning fish while out fishing and storing them and I probably won't. I may try cleaning right before heading back to camp. The thought of having it done and not dragging the fish behind the canoe is appealing.

As mentioned, we bring a large basket to keep fish in. It is nice to catch a meal in the morning and have our evening meal accounted for because we all know sometimes the fish shut down and then there is no fish meal. I have not had fish compromised in a basket. Stringers do work sometimes, but I have lost fish to turtles, otters, fishers, and other fish on stringers. I will do it on occasion, but I know the risks.

Whatever way you choose, enjoy your trip and embrace the ideas of others!
 
mutz
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05/10/2018 01:24PM  
AmarilloJim: "
zski: "Jim: OK, looks good. i use a cutting board but it's not that large. Where did you get that board and how do you store it when not in use?"

It's just a piece of paneling cut to size. I painted it and put several coats of urethane on to stiffen it up and waterproof it a bit. I was thinking I would need to bungee it in for portaging but it seems to wedge in nicely between the side of the canoe and the bolt ends under my thwarts."




I use a piece of 1/4inch plywood, cut to 14 X18 inches, it fits in my backpack and adds almost no weight. Gives me a nice solid flat surface to clean fish, easy to wash off after cleaning and goes into the fire pit the last night in camp.
 
BnD
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05/10/2018 02:59PM  
AmarilloJim: "I can't stand trying to clean fish on shore. Too much of a hassle to bring up a canoe and a paddle doesn't do it for me as a fillet board. This is my solution and I just deep 6 them way out in the lake. I like gilling them a few minutes before filleting them. A little less mess and no movement.
"


Like. Agree with going to shore to clean fish all the while either being eaten alive by skeets, trying to fillet fish on my boot tops, or some other malady. That board must be 36" long and unsupported except for the gunnels. How in the world do you pack it in? How thick is it to be rigged enough to span 30"+ and fillet fish on? Thanks.
 
mastertangler
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05/10/2018 03:01PM  
Tyler W: "
mastertangler: "
Tyler W: I dispose of my fish carcasses way back in the woods (far enough away I wouldn't mind a bear eating them). "




Yo dude what are you thinking? (I am not going to make many friends on this thread am I?) Taking your fish back in the woods? Rumor has it that the geniuses at park service heartily applaud this. I think its not such a smart idea. First off you really cant take it "far enough" and if your not careful a guy or gal could get turned around.



I dunno, usually the eagles take care of everything and if they don't then a snapper will or an otter or a wolf etc. will. The last thing I want is fish 50 yards in the woods from camp with a nice odor trail back to my site. But, in full disclosure, I have bear-o-phobic problems after reading what has happened to others (Bear attacks, causes and avoidance) and having 4 close encounters of the up close and personal kind. "



Apparently I can take it far enough away. Never had a problem. Never gotten lost. I don't like feeding the gulls, so I feed what ever is in the woods. I walk back in the woods until I think, "I wouldn't mind a bear being this close". Then I pitch the fish parts into or over a tree snag where no one will walk. This is way past where people are collecting firewood.


If a bear is coming into your camp it is to find your food pack. Not because you left some fish scraps hundreds of yards away. "


I suppose.........but why even get a bear interested in your location to begin with? Your applying human reasoning to an animal.

Probably doesn't hurt anything as something is going to eat the fish before very long. I'm just very "bear aware" knowing what other people have gone through as well as having several interactions myself.

I like your observations on the fish curling when they hit the oil. I remember ice fishing and how those fresh gills and crappie and perch would instantly curl when they hit the pan. Interesting.
 
mastertangler
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05/10/2018 03:09PM  
mutz: "
AmarilloJim: "
zski: "Jim: OK, looks good. i use a cutting board but it's not that large. Where did you get that board and how do you store it when not in use?"

It's just a piece of paneling cut to size. I painted it and put several coats of urethane on to stiffen it up and waterproof it a bit. I was thinking I would need to bungee it in for portaging but it seems to wedge in nicely between the side of the canoe and the bolt ends under my thwarts."




I use a piece of 1/4inch plywood, cut to 14 X18 inches, it fits in my backpack and adds almost no weight. Gives me a nice solid flat surface to clean fish, easy to wash off after cleaning and goes into the fire pit the last night in camp."


Not a bad idea........If I had a bigger crew I might consider bringing in a board. Certainly makes things easy enough to take down to the water and rinse off. And like you say, just burn it before you leave. This seems better suited to a base style trip instead of a travel trip however.

I just use a flat rock.........and no the skeets don't get you during the day and I don't use the tops of my boots (Duh).

Usually I am by myself as of late so a few walleye or a pike gets disposed of rather quickly. Then its in the ziplock and into a wet canvas bag. 3 or 4 hours later the filets are still cool to the touch. I wouldn't have believed it until I seen another guy do it.........works like a charm.
 
05/10/2018 03:22PM  
BnD: "
AmarilloJim: "I can't stand trying to clean fish on shore. Too much of a hassle to bring up a canoe and a paddle doesn't do it for me as a fillet board. This is my solution and I just deep 6 them way out in the lake. I like gilling them a few minutes before filleting them. A little less mess and no movement.
"



Like. Agree with going to shore to clean fish all the while either being eaten alive by skeets, trying to fillet fish on my boot tops, or some other malady. That board must be 36" long and unsupported except for the gunnels. How in the world do you pack it in? How thick is it to be rigged enough to span 30"+ and fillet fish on? Thanks."


It's just some regular old paneling with several coats of urethane. It does flex a little but not much. If one was to clean a large fish your legs are underneath the board anyways if extra support was needed. No more difficult to secure to the canoe than a paddle. When I take groups I am usually supplying all of the fish for dinner so it is a little luxury that I deem way worth the trouble. If there are 2 in a canoe you could make it smaller for the bow person.
 
05/10/2018 03:41PM  
AmarilloJim: "I can't stand trying to clean fish on shore. Too much of a hassle to bring up a canoe and a paddle doesn't do it for me as a fillet board. This is my solution and I just deep 6 them way out in the lake. I like gilling them a few minutes before filleting them. A little less mess and no movement.
"


Nice eater size walleyes there! We struggle finding smaller fish which have better flavor. I think I like your canoe cutting board. It would change our camp routine dilemma of who is going to fillet, where will they go, how will they get there, how to transport fish there and filets back, etc... all after a few cocktails and snacks.
 
mutz
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05/10/2018 04:39PM  
I think I must be one of the few who not only cleans all of the fish caught on our trips, but I enjoy it and find it to be one of the most relaxing parts of the trip. Picture it, a glass of scotch, 3 or 4 eater walleye, a million dollar view, what could be better.
 
mastertangler
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05/10/2018 06:31PM  
Mutz if you are a fish cleaning aficionado give the Bubba Blade a try. You will like it. Pretty sweet knife and quite surprising. I was dubious with a name like that and a big price to boot but I have to admit its my best knife and I have a pile of them.

I also like Russel serrated.........Not many freshwater guys use serrated blades but man oh man does it go through the skin like butter. Not for panfish but for walleye or bass its great.

If I have hours and hours of fish to clean I use the Russel serrated to go through any tough stuff and do the finish work with the Bubba.
 
mutz
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05/10/2018 07:07PM  
mastertangler: "Mutz if you are a fish cleaning aficionado give the Bubba Blade a try. You will like it. Pretty sweet knife and quite surprising. I was dubious with a name like that and a big price to boot but I have to admit its my best knife and I have a pile of them.


I also like Russel serrated.........Not many freshwater guys use serrated blades but man oh man does it go through the skin like butter. Not for panfish but for walleye or bass its great.


If I have hours and hours of fish to clean I use the Russel serrated to go through any tough stuff and do the finish work with the Bubba. "




Have a seven inch bubba blade, it’s a great knife, my go to though is a nine inch wusthof that my wife gave me for Christmas a few years ago.
 
BnD
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05/10/2018 07:51PM  
FWIW MT, the reference to being eaten alive by skeets is right at dark after crushing walleyes in the evening per usual and the reference to boot tops was filleting Walleye on a shield rock on the ground. What a PITA. Are you off your meds. You’ve been on the attack on several threads recently. The sun will come up tomorrow and it will be OK. Relax. Great idea Amarillo, disregard detractors.
 
mastertangler
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05/11/2018 06:09AM  
BnD: "FWIW MT, the reference to being eaten alive by skeets is right at dark after crushing walleyes in the evening per usual and the reference to boot tops was filleting Walleye on a shield rock on the ground. What a PITA. Are you off your meds. You’ve been on the attack on several threads recently. The sun will come up tomorrow and it will be OK. Relax. Great idea Amarillo, disregard detractors."


Just trying to be like Mike (or BnD) as they say with the "attitude" which shines through on almost every post you put up.

Skeets are going to chew no matter where you are at dark wether your in camp or not. I don't clean fish in a cloud of skeets (at dark).

I take your meaning a bit better about the boot tops, it didn't read that way earlier. Yes, I agree, if you have a big batch of fish to clean bent over on a rock is not so good. But for 1 or 2 guys and 3 or 4 walleye it can easily be done lickety split and I could probably do it upside down within 5 minutes.

No good deed will go unpunished these days. I'm merely trying to get across that you can clean your fish away from camp and they will store in your boat for several hours without any issue whatsoever if you follow the correct procedure. The advantages are obvious as are the disadvantages. Its called expanding the mind just a bit. But, as I have stated previously, I am all about tolerance.........do what ever floats your boat.
 
KarlBAndersen1
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05/11/2018 06:50AM  
I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade - but - for those paddling along and tossing your fish remains in the lake, think about the next person paddling along who dips their drinking water while traveling through the lakes.
Or - leaving on a rock - "somewhere".
Pretty nasty.
And - it's against the rules.
"Do not throw fish remains or litter in the lakes. Bury fish remains 150 feet or more from water's edge."
 
mastertangler
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05/11/2018 07:02AM  
Bury fish remains? I was wondering why they were giving me blasting caps at check in................ "fire in the hole"!

No worries Karl. Fish remains don't usually last very long no matter where you put them in canoe country. Fish don't live forever and when they die of natural causes they don't crawl out onto the land despite the evolutionary theory ;-)

Ever try and bury ANYTHING on the shield? Hard enough to get a turd 3" deep. Plus the fish will just start stinking until something comes and digs it up.

So that rule is a stellar example of why we shouldn't put our faith in "the powers that be" (government bureaucracy) because frankly, they arent usually all that bright to begin with (with all due respect etc. etc) The little group which thought that was a good idea is probably highly educated but they live in the land of theory and not in the real world (at least when it comes to burying fish remains) and have probably never attempted the task. And, as every trapper knows, burying pretty much anything is an invitation to have it dug up.
 
KarlBAndersen1
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05/11/2018 09:08AM  
mastertangler:
No worries Karl. Fish remains don't usually last very long no matter where you put them in canoe country. Fi"


That's hardly the point. It's against the friggin' rules. For a reason.
Are you that complacent or non-compliant with bringing in glass and metal cans?
Burning fires during fire bans?
Not entering on your entry date?
Etc.?
Why is it alright to disregard this rule?
 
buzz17
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05/11/2018 09:23AM  
KarlBAndersen1: "
mastertangler:
No worries Karl. Fish remains don't usually last very long no matter where you put them in canoe country. Fi"



That's hardly the point. It's against the friggin' rules. For a reason.
Are you that complacent or non-compliant with bringing in glass and metal cans?
Burning fires during fire bans?
Not entering on your entry date?
Etc.?
Why is it alright to disregard this rule?"


Actually, I see no rule anywhere that states fish remains must be buried.

"Dispose of fish remains by traveling well away from shorelines, campsites, trails and portages."

This statement leaves much room for interpretation but the middle of a lake seems to fit.

There are many other natural contaminants in the lakes and rivers that I would be worried about than dumped fish remains.
 
mastertangler
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05/11/2018 09:45AM  
KarlBAndersen1: "
mastertangler:
No worries Karl. Fish remains don't usually last very long no matter where you put them in canoe country. Fi"



That's hardly the point. It's against the friggin' rules. For a reason.
Are you that complacent or non-compliant with bringing in glass and metal cans?
Burning fires during fire bans?
Not entering on your entry date?
Etc.?
Why is it alright to disregard this rule?"


Karl I concede that I am an advocate for the rule of law. But there gets to be a point when the bureaucracy is to clever by 1/2 and this is certainly an example. Am I correct in assuming that you don't fish? If you did you would understand how impractical and ludicrous the "rule" is. If you don't believe me just try and dig a 2 ft hole in the shield. Good luck with that.

I apply a little common sense. If everyone tried to stash their fish, slightly buried or not, in the woods you would have bear problems up the wazoo as bears would become habituated to finding fish remains near campsites. Fortunately most folks deep six them or place them on a rock where the eagles can make short work of them.

On a different note, I'm curious, is it the can which is the problem in the backcountry or the leaving of the can? Just sayin.
 
zski
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05/11/2018 10:19AM  
we leave remains on a rock with the intent that whatever is still there after x time will be paddled out and dumped into the deep. i think once we had some scraps left. eagles and gulls are almost 100%.
oh and good ideas for keeping fillets cool too. perhaps some of the same would work on the forum - wet burlap or a dunk in the deep
 
05/11/2018 10:37AM  
mastertangler: "...
On a different note, I'm curious, is it the can which is the problem in the backcountry or the leaving of the can? Just sayin."


I am sorta with you on this one MT... just sayin.
IF I had a can, I bring it back every time.
 
Tyler W
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05/11/2018 10:40AM  
I flip over my canoe and fillet the fish on there. You can't find a bigger cutting board than the bottom of a kevlar canoe. After I tried the canoe I felt pretty silly for using a paddle blade so long.

And, all my fish remains go back in the woods because:
1. I would rather attract bears to my campsite than gulls, otters, eagles and turtles. Never had a bear steal my stringer....
2. That is what the rules state.
3. Feeding gulls increases gull numbers and hurts loon numbers. I don't go to the BWCA to hear gulls sing.

 
KarlBAndersen1
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05/11/2018 11:22AM  
mastertangler: "
KarlBAndersen1: "
mastertangler:
No worries Karl. Fish remains don't usually last very long no matter where you put them in canoe country. Fi"




That's hardly the point. It's against the friggin' rules. For a reason.
Are you that complacent or non-compliant with bringing in glass and metal cans?
Burning fires during fire bans?
Not entering on your entry date?
Etc.?
Why is it alright to disregard this rule?"



Karl I concede that I am an advocate for the rule of law. But there gets to be a point when the bureaucracy is to clever by 1/2 and this is certainly an example. Am I correct in assuming that you don't fish? If you did you would understand how impractical and ludicrous the "rule" is. If you don't believe me just try and dig a 2 ft hole in the shield. Good luck with that.


I apply a little common sense. If everyone tried to stash their fish, slightly buried or not, in the woods you would have bear problems up the wazoo as bears would become habituated to finding fish remains near campsites. Fortunately most folks deep six them or place them on a rock where the eagles can make short work of them.

On a different note, I'm curious, is it the can which is the problem in the backcountry or the leaving of the can? Just sayin."


Son - I'm 64 years old and live to fish and grew up in the great outdoors. I'm familiar with the process.
I also don't compare apples to oranges. You are 100% correct that fish die every day. And they die intact. They sink to the bottom and Mother Nature takes over SLOWLY decomposing the body to the microbes and denizens of the deep.
Their guts and viscera are not strewn across the surface water that we DRINK!!
Give me break and don't talk to me like a green horn.
Is a cigarette butt tossed on the sidewalk the end of the world? Or a beer can tossed out the window?
No.
Now do it a thousand times. Over and over. Then we have a problem.
Are some fish guts on a rock gonna reverse gravity? Unlikely.
If I need to tell you what the "rules" are for then maybe you should re-read them.
The BWCA is a resource. And it's not infinite.
These little rules you ignore are so they're not violated over and over and over to the point that the very thing we cherish so much ceases to be the same.
I've checked out many campsites only to leave them before I emptied my canoe due to the flagrant violation of these same rules. Nothing like going down to the water for a swim only to find a bunch of fish heads and skin that even the critter wouldn't eat covered with flies.
So - you go ahead. You do what you do and I'll do what I do.
Something precious and valuable only stays that way if you recognize it as such.
 
mastertangler
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05/11/2018 12:04PM  
I'm with you Karl 100% on tossing fish in the shallows, especially near campsites. But your just flat out wrong to suggest burying fish in the backcountry. Is that really the "rule"? Its asinine if it is. In my estimation it is moronic to take fish guts and try and "stash" or bury them in the woods. Creating "garbage dump bears" is what the end result would be if everyone did that.

Fish get cleaned countless times every day during the flat water season. And most of the time it gets sunk in deep water or lain on a rock. I can count on one hand the number of fish guts I have seen in all my years in canoe country. Now why is that? Its because it usually lasts about an hour if that.

And please do not conflate "protecting a resource" to justify your position and insinuate that I do not. If everyone did what the park service suggests (and I still find it hard to believe) then we would have a lot of habituated bears and a potential for an increase of negative interactions which would result in the eradication of nuisance bears. Not so hard to figure out.

But everyone can do what they want I guess. I will continue to clean my couple of walleye and leave the remains on a rock exposed to view from the air and away from any campsites. 1/2 the time an Eagle flys up and is waiting in a nearby tree before I even get finished.
 
mutz
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05/11/2018 01:39PM  
Hopefully this is not going to turn into a disposal thread/argument. That is a horse that has been beat to death here before. I think that like in the past it would end up 1/3 bury in the woods, 1/3 sink in deep water, and 1/3 leave them on a rock. Absolutely no one just tosses them in shallow water near camp sites (the ones I’ve seen like that apparently committed suicide by filleting themselves).
 
mastertangler
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05/11/2018 02:25PM  
mutz: "Hopefully this is not going to turn into a disposal thread/argument. That is a horse that has been beat to death here before. I think that like in the past it would end up 1/3 bury in the woods, 1/3 sink in deep water, and 1/3 leave them on a rock. Absolutely no one just tosses them in shallow water near camp sites (the ones I’ve seen like that apparently committed suicide by filleting themselves). "


Yes your right Mutz........My tone is poor, I apologize in advance.
 
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