When is it ok to clean fish and throw the guts,etc. in the water?

Question

I fished on Sacramento river for Salmon. After I caught one there was a prep/cleaning station right on the water. All fish guts, etc went right in the water (food for other fish, makes sense). I was fishing for trout this weekend in Taboose creek CA past weekend, and wanted to do the same cleaning routine. An old man said that I am not allowed to "dump garbage in the water". When is it not ok to do this?

Answer 1

We have programs here in California where they actually take the dead Salmon and Steelhead carcasses, after Fish and Game take their eggs and milt, and return them to the rivers for the smolts to consume. Contrary to the belief that the guts contaminate, the guts are an important part of many fishes diets. This is why they invented the "Flesh fly" because steelhead and Salmon feed on the spent fish that go upstream to die. I can not say for other species though.

Answer 2

Hi,

Fish guts are often used as bait to catch other fish (who love to eat them)

When I lived in Belize, on the Placentia Peninsular, I used to catch a conch (to bait for my first fish), then when I caught it I would bait the hook with the guts of that fish and catch another, and so on (Usually they stopped biting after four...they didn't seem to like their friends vanishing! and we only needed four each night anyway, for dinner) However any left over guts were always thrown into the water and were devoured very quickly.

As you found on the Scaremento River, this is considered quite normal and doesn't affect the quality of the water, nor does it harm the fish.

I don't know why the old guy (like me?) was upset about this practice in California...it COULD be a local law (you've got loads of them in the USA) but it is more likely he just had a 'sulk' on and decided to vent his spleen on you.

If there is any doubt, and assuming you fish with all the correct licences, etc., just ask when you get the licence...the game and fisheries people will be glad to tell you exactly what is acceptable and what is not.

tight lines,

BobSpain

Answer 3

The only time I see a problem with it really (other than the unavoidable birds becoming accustomed to free meals) is when cleanings are thrown back in areas with alligators and people swimming and stuff (I can think of at least 5 places within 10 miles of my house like this) It's one thing when birds come right up to you to get free handouts of bait and/or cleanings, when an animal with 2000 psi of bite pressure starts associating people with free food though..... Daytime nuisance raccoons that always remind me of rabies... what are they getting? Free fish dinners that they associate with people. The fish have to be cleaned, yes, but I have the advantage of owning carnivorous turtles, the parts I don't eat, they eat.

Answer 4

Years ago at Convict Lake (California, eastern Sierras) the old guy at the cleaning table told us to throw the trout guts in the bushes so the seagulls could get them. He said it was better than having the d*mn birds digging through the trash cans, or flying around tangling fishermen's lines if we threw the guts in the lake.

Question: Was the "old man" who told you this any sort of local official or employee with knowledge of local rules, or just some old man who may or may not have known anything?

Answer 5

I've fished the "Sacto", river + many, many more in rivers and creeks in Cal., for Trout, Salmon annnnnd Steelhead ~ain't never heard of it. Throwin' garbage (trash) is one thing but fish entrails are another. By the way they are degradable as in fish, birds, etc.!x@#!*%!
Might have been that the old man had seen your catch, related to the lousy day he had and just wanted ta' vent it on you ;)...

Answer 6

Do not throw it in the water! Contrary to popular believe, fish will probably not eat it and it contaiminated the water with bacteria that can even be harmful to humans. Leave it on an island or the shore for the birds. Especially if there are eagles!

There's a reason it's illegal ya know!

Answer 7

Yes you need to check local rules for dumping of innards into lake or river area's you fish.Many places have good cleaning stations for this!
The problems that have come up with fish entrails left is odor,bacterium's and rodents!
Yes I see no problem while on the water to do this but state guide lines rule over me and my thoughts on this!

Answer 8

well most states do not allow u to toss entrails in to any body of water.d.n.r. in wisconsin will give you a $250.00 fine if caught doing this.i dont know how other states would deal with throwing entrails in to the water ....but personally i think that it would b very nasty around the area that some one did that. good fishing

Answer 9

what? that guy was an idiot. the water is the most reccomended spot for throwing out guts