[fishbait]

Can anyone tell me why we leave the heads on our tuna?

It would seem to me that after you gill & gut your fish that a quick cut to remove the head could save lots of room in the cooler.

There must be a reason we do not do this?

Last weekend I saw a unnamed highliner at the Hammond cleaning station and his tuna had been gilled & gutted and had the bellies removed. Most likely for Halibut bait, but........

Could we not gill/gut, decapitate and remove the belly and then just ice down this nice bare carkus?

Somebody must be smarter and know more than me about this..........

 

[fyshndad]

Steve 2 reasons
#1 it is illegal to do so (Dumbest law on the books)
#2 water gets into the meat giving you a lessor quality fish

 

[steelfreak]

someone correct me if I'm wrong but, I don't think it's legal to multilate a pelagic species beyond recognition. I know, how can you not know it's an Albie even with it's head off. But I think this has been discussed before.:twocents::shrug:

 

[Boatdog]

Steve, here's the reg copied right out of the Oregon Reg phamplet.

Food Fish and Shellfish - Marine:

Lingcod, Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling, Flounder, Sole, Perch, other nongame Marine Fish and Offshore Pelagic species​

Unlawful to mutilate any marine fish so that size or species cannot be determined prior to landing, or to transport mutilated fish across state water.​

It appears that removing the head will violate the size requirement. I completely agree that this regulation needs some "refinement" for species where size has nothing to do with the bag limit.​

 

[StickFish]

Having a garbage can space issue are we? I'm hoping to have that some pain this coming weekend

 

[fishbait]

Ok, how about WA.

Legal to cark at sea and no number limit.

And as long as the ice was drained well, and the head was cut with a "buffer" on the top loin.

Next time I fish out of WA I just may try it.

 

[CATCH AND EAT]

Could have done it yesterday brother and not had a complaint out of me. What was stop'n ya?

 

[flapbreaker]

You can do it out of washington but I agree that there is some effect to the top loins by the water. Your tollerance for it might be high though.

 

[Chrome Bumper]

In WA cark at sea and put the loins in plastic bags on ice

 

[Whosit]

One of the best reasons not to remove the head is that after you gill the fish you want the heart to pump as long as it can, pumping out the blood making for MUCH nicer and lighter colored fillet, Removing the head kills it immediately, I know it works for me.

 

[bait boy]

I tried that on one of the trips I baitboy'd for and found that when I went to cark the Tuna I was missing all of my normal handles. It is possible that we tailed them too but I don think so.. the tail makes a great handle to carry fish..

 

[jigmaster]

Steve, here's the reg copied right out of the Oregon Reg phamplet.

Food Fish and Shellfish - Marine:

Lingcod, Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling, Flounder, Sole, Perch, other nongame Marine Fish and Offshore Pelagic species​

Unlawful to mutilate any marine fish so that size or species cannot be determined prior to landing, or to transport mutilated fish across state water.​

It appears that removing the head will violate the size requirement. I completely agree that this regulation needs some "refinement" for species where size has nothing to do with the bag limit.​

Any idiot can recognize a tuna without a head..except the impaired state of Oregon...Kindof like the Oregon law of not returning fish carcasses to the sea...Put them in a dumpster? Recycle cans and bottles but not fish:lurk:....LOL

 

[Paddler]

I tried carking out on the water. What a PITA. The deck got really slick, and it interferes with fishing. I've decided to just slush them as usual, and cark them back at the dock. I figure between two coolers and my fishbox, I can take care of ~16 fish, which is plenty for one day.

Carking and putting them into plastic bags, then into the slush is a good idea, but only if the water is calm and you can keep the deck clean. Overall, I think it's more efficient just to fish, then cark later. Of course, if you're fast at carking, it's less of an issue, but I'm not.

 

[Chrome Bumper]

I suppose you could whack the tail and most of the head off and stow in a non chilled area to save ice.

 

[thehunt]

I tried carking out on the water. What a PITA. The deck got really slick, and it interferes with fishing. I've decided to just slush them as usual, and cark them back at the dock. I figure between two coolers and my fishbox, I can take care of ~16 fish, which is plenty for one day.

Carking and putting them into plastic bags, then into the slush is a good idea, but only if the water is calm and you can keep the deck clean. Overall, I think it's more efficient just to fish, then cark later. Of course, if you're fast at carking, it's less of an issue, but I'm not.

Do it while your running in, not fishing. Saves alot of work once you get back. Even if you only have to run an hour, that's ten fish you don't have to do when you get back.

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

What if you did cark the fish on the way in and put the meat into plastic bags. Does anyone know what the penalty or fine is?

 

[Something Good]

What if you did cark the fish on the way in and put the meat into plastic bags. Does anyone know what the penalty or fine is?

$300.00 per fish + they will confiscate the fish.

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

Ouch,:bigshock: I guess that really isn't an option. So what can be done to change the Law?

 

[fyshndad]

Ouch,:bigshock: I guess that really isn't an option. So what can be done to change the Law?

Run for a seat in the Legislature where the laws are made and change the law

 

[Dan9113]

Beings that they normally check length only when they check, if you were to cark and save the carcass' would that violate the law? I bet I could get alot of carcass' in a cooler or a fish bag. Surely one could still tell its an albacore.

Dan