# Tickets?? For cleaned fish.



## paragod (Aug 25, 2006)

Tell me how u can get tickets for cleaned fish at your camp site if u are camping thier for a week. GW says this is not the fishes final destination u should have save the nose to tail. So how can u not get in trouble for cleaning your fish at the cleaning table at the boat ramp they are not at the thier final destination??? Smells like fish @@@@


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## reeltimer (Feb 5, 2010)

WTH...Did you ask him to whip out the lawyer wrote up addendum for this explanation!


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## Cork & Jig (Jan 5, 2010)

Wow. That bites. 

It seems that every law is open to interpretation by the GW. Everyone of 'em seems to tell you something different. 

Had a friend that went to court over a duck, once. The GW said he had too many redheads because he thought a hen scaup was a redhead. He tried to show him the difference but he wouldn't listen. And, the GW also tried to preach about how he shouldn't be hunting if he didn't know his ducks. 

I told my buddy that I partially agreed. I said if you can't decoy "real" ducks, you shouldn't be hunting. 


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## Kornbread (Nov 21, 2007)

I would go see the judge on that one. Same thing happen to me during duck season, year before last. I went to talk to the judge about it, after hearing the story the judge said " how about a 10 dollar court cost, and we'll forget the rest of it". 

Doesnt seem right, but I paid and was on my way, Just sucks on the interpretation of the law.


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## Yort69 (Jan 31, 2011)

So if i have this correct. If your camping or staying in a cabin on a lake or a river for the weekend and you are cleaning or in possession of your cleaned fish that you were planning on frying up that night or taking home in a couple days you are in violation of the law? No way !..............


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Thats BS!! What if you are a park host? You can never have a fillet at your camp?? So soon as you fillet a fish at the table your illegal until you get home. Like deer I guess we will have to clean fish at home. SMDH!!!!!!!!!


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

Final destination is very relative. I could take them home and put them in my freezer which could be a final destination. Unless I decide to take some later to my sister and that could be a final destination. Of course final destination could be my tummy. Or actually further than that, but we won't go there!!!


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## dan_wrider (Jun 21, 2011)

The fishes final destination is the toilet. Maybe he'd like to check the length at that point?


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

So you had more than twice the daily bag limit (i.e. possession limit)?

P.S. I think it says "permanent residence", not "final destination" in the laws.


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Without fully knowing exactly what transpired, it is difficult to fully understand why or if a ticket was actually written or a warning. 

I refer you to Page 29 of TP&WL Outdoor Annual Hunting and Fishing Regulations. Second paragraph under Possession of Fish Taken from Public Waters.

There is nothing about "Final Destination" there. This is the only thing I have come up with.


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## Momma's Worry (Aug 3, 2009)

FIGHT IT..........that's B.S.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

What's really crazy is they provide you with the cleaning tables. When I was younger I would spend the weekend on the beach with fishing poles baited the whole time. I would process a few sharks and bull reds for my parents, they took up too much room whole. Warden came by and wanted to see my catch and he saw fillets and steaks in my cooler. He gave me the spill about keeping fish whole and I told him I kept them whole a day and them cleaned them so they wouldn't spoil. I told him about the cleaning tables at the ramps and Galveston being a barrier island and he said keep them whole or be fined. The next day he saw me still there and just drove by. There are wardens with good judgement.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

dan_wrider said:


> The fishes final destination is the toilet. Maybe he'd like to check the length at that point?


 Man, ya'll are a rough crowd, today. Let's face it some Game Wardens, are just real hard asses, and have let the job go to their head. They make all Wardens look bad. I've never heard of a technicality llike this.


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## tufffish (May 11, 2006)

we need to hear the whole story from someone that is not biased. is it possible that someone turned you in for to many or too short of fish is why this escalated to a ticket. i do know they are very strict on how you clean your deer and store and transport them.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

From TPW site... If you can figger this out..yore a better man than I am...



"In order to verify length and species, a fish caught may not have the head or tail removed and may not be filleted until an angler finally lands the catch on the mainland, a peninsula, or barrier island not including jetties or piers and does not transport the catch by boat. Broadbill swordfish, shark, and king mackerel may have the head or tail removed, but the carcass must remain intact and may not be filleted"


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

Is there more to this story? I know a lot of places on Livingston that have fish cleaning stations that I have used and have had GW's come check me with no problem. It is ILLEGAL to clean fish at Livingston State park fish cleaning station by their store but the GW's let us with out any problems.

Matt


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Theres got to be more to the story. If a game warden checks you at a campsite someone seen something suspicious and reported it. I have a lake house and a permanant residence hope they don't check my freezer at the lake house!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

just where in your camp where they ?

if they were out in a cooler in a boat, not the same as in your camp


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Mattsfishin said:


> Is there more to this story? I know a lot of places on Livingston that have fish cleaning stations that I have used and have had GW's come check me with no problem. It is ILLEGAL to clean fish at Livingston State park fish cleaning station by their store but the GW's let us with out any problems.
> 
> Matt


I agree with you 100% on this. I have had Game Wardens on Like Livingston watch me clean fish at the fish cleaning stations as well as go on by without as much as a second glance..

That is why I posted the earlier post about page #29 of the laws.


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## Boomhauer75 (Jan 3, 2010)

Fight it Ty.


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Several years back I and few friends fished lake Texoma and we had a campfire going. We grilled a whole striper and a whole catfish (all legal size). GW came by and didn't complain about it except commenting they smelt good!


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Permanent Residence: One's principal or ordinary home or dwelling place. This does not include one's temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting/fishing club, or any club house, cabin, tent, car, truck, or trailer house used as a hunting/fishing club, or any hotel, motel, or rooming house used during a hunting, fishing, pleasure, or business trip.

Possession Limit: The maximum number of fish a person may possess before returning to their permanent residence. Possession limit is twice the daily bag on game and nongame fish, except as provided in this guide, and does not apply to fish in the possession of or stored by a person at their permanent residence.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

markbrumbaugh said:


> Permanent Residence: One's principal or ordinary home or dwelling place. This does not include one's temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting/fishing club, or any club house, cabin, tent, car, truck, or trailer house used as a hunting/fishing club, or any hotel, motel, or rooming house used during a hunting, fishing, pleasure, or business trip.
> 
> Possession Limit: The maximum number of fish a person may possess before returning to their permanent residence. Possession limit is twice the daily bag on game and nongame fish, except as provided in this guide, and does not apply to fish in the possession of or stored by a person at their permanent residence.


I suppose he could argue, that you couldn't prove you had no more than the possession limit of any given species, but that warden was just looking for trouble in my opinion.


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

Without hearing back from OP, I think possession limit is the issue. It has been confirmed too many times to count that it is LEGAL to clean your fish at the ramp. I think the problem here is the camping and possesion limits. I have always been careful when fishing/camping to not keep more than possession limit and even if bass fishing, we would ice the fish down until we were ready to leave for the weekend. It is too easy to catch multiple times through a weekend or even in a given day.


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## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

So much for todays courts are: YOU ARE GUILTY unless you hire an attorney (most judges are probably attorneys). Even the right to carry means little to many counties, cities, you still go to court and that ain't cheap. I've known many great wardens (pass 65+ yrs)but bout 20 yrs ago a new one in a skin tight uniform had just launched on Somerville(probably just released from school) and as we launched he with nose high, walked by (within 10') my wife and I and never said anything or even asked if we had everything we needed/required. Verrry few boats out and as he left the ramp he pulled the 1st boat over. I told my wife we weren't even gonna launch, so we went home.


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## Wett'n my Hooks (Mar 26, 2011)

Never had a problem with a Warden, got stopped about a month ago at Riverside, Had no throwable device or fire extingisher. Got a verbal warning. I've got them now.


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## capt. baldy (Apr 12, 2009)

What happens if u rent a motel or condo and fish for a week,can u only keep 2 days possesion limit.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

I made a post on my fishing trip to the Locks. We fish 4-5 days most of the time. If we're fortunate we can keep well over our possession/limit because of the amount of days we fish. Are we within our rights to keep the daily limit, yes. Are we illegal for the possession, yes again. Is the law messed up and needs revamping, yes. It's illegal to fish more than two days if you keep fish and not staying at your home period. Don't you think they thought about that when they made the law? So why don't change it? How many of us are law breakers because of the wording in the law.


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

How bout a snowbird that spends the winter here at an RV Park--can he have more than a possession limit?


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

I guess the bag limit makes sense from a conservation standpoint. It isn't one I usually am forced to deal with because I release most of what I catch. The possession limit is a little less straightforward, other than to say..."Well you are in a good spot and you've caught two limits....now go home and give it a rest." You can always stick em in your freezer and return to fish some more. Wastes gas, and time, but does give them a chance to change place or pattern.

To me, once they are processed and stuck in a freezer, or eaten, they shouldn't count against the possession limit, whether in an RV, or river oaks mansion. Tents may be more troublesome.

Good thing we don't have to deal with this in Alaska, or my salmon trips would really be expensive.


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## paragod (Aug 25, 2006)

Thanks I got the answer so everyone that gos fishing and stays at a lodge cant have cleaned fish? And u say u cant move cleaned fish by boat so if my cooler is in the boat on the trailer behind the truck it is still be carried or transported by the boat .So I know some of ya fish and camp Matagorda Island its not your resident and you have to move the fish by boat to get back home so thats a big nono>>>> now I know why I dont keep fish !!! catch and release !


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## garyjerome (May 17, 2011)

dan_wrider said:


> the fishes final destination is the toilet. Maybe he'd like to check the length at that point?


 omg that was the funnest responce i have ver read.thanks for the laugh


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Wett'n my Hooks said:


> Never had a problem with a Warden, got stopped about a month ago at Riverside, Had no throwable device or fire extingisher. Got a verbal warning. I've got them now.


A totally different county.....


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

In my opinion there is a big push for the GWs to make some $ for the counties/state/TPW, as I have seen more GWs in the last 2 to 3 weeks stopping boats, including mine, than I have in 50+ years of fishing.

In the last 3 weeks I have been stopped by the GWs about 6 times for boat safety/fish checks, after the first 3 we only greet each other, but I could count on one hand how many times I have been stopped and checked in the last 50 years before now.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

Wardens are like police they are the law and don't have quotas . I believe you and I are pretty well the same on being checked Loy, we spend a lot of money and time staying up with the law so check on. What I have problems with is who and how is the law going to be interpreted. 
How many people do you think know about the limits below the LLD and that bridge below it? They can be a pretty stiff fines for rules on such a small piece of water. Look at the laws and dates now for flounder, red snapper and even worse large mouth bass. The law is necessary but can be complicated and hard to understand sometimes.


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## humble one (Jan 31, 2011)

s.s. you are absolutely right, with the price of gas ,lic. sales are way down , I just read an article about this last week in a texas parks and wildlife magazine last week. and we also have some real good wardens and some that are lacking in this particular expertise , as a matter of fact some of them are educated beyond their mental capabilites! I was stopped at seadrift a couple of weeks ago,received a warning for no throwable device,and no horn (whistle had been misplaced ) when this game warden looked at me he figured that I was afflicted with old timers disease and let me go with a warning, needless to say if I get stopped again ,he willl have to say I am o.k. cause the problem has been taken care of.thanks tpwd, tight lines


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

Gw's have a real problem w cleaned fish in a cooler in a boat, we were cited for a similar case even tho boat was on the trailer.

Short answer, put the filets in a cooler in the truck and keep each days catch separate, make the extra effort .


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## fishin_envy (Aug 13, 2010)

Same thing almost happened to us a couple of months ago at Gibbons Creek. Game warden approached us in the parking lot and told us it was illegal to clean fish until you got them home. The well known catfish guide we were with quickly asked the GW , "then why do they have fish cleaning stations at the state parks?" She proceded to stammer a bunch and then claimed that she guessed it would be legal there. After she got a phone call, walked away and then came back in a few minutes and said we were o.k. We asked how long she had been a GW and she said something like 7 years.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

fishinganimal said:


> I have a lake house and a permanant residence hope they don't check my freezer at the lake house!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL


Space available at our "permanent residence lakehouse" in the event anyone needs to drop off fish while camping. Warning: fish may be tested for palatability and not readily available for pick up at a later date :cheers:


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## Wett'n my Hooks (Mar 26, 2011)

I did a 36 hr. Tuna trip out of Galveston last year. We caught a 2 day limit, and iced them down, and didn't clean any of them 'til we got back to the pier. We had Outdoor writers on the the boat, wrote about the trip, nothing was ever said. But what a trip.


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## KneeDeep&Sink'N (Jun 12, 2004)

paragod said:


> Thanks I got the answer so everyone that gos fishing and stays at a lodge cant have cleaned fish? And u say u cant move cleaned fish by boat so if my cooler is in the boat on the trailer behind the truck it is still be carried or transported by the boat .So I know some of ya fish and camp Matagorda Island its not your resident and you have to move the fish by boat to get back home so thats a big nono>>>> *now I know why I dont keep fish !!! catch and release !*


WHOA NOW!
Now your saying you know now why you don't keep fish, just catch and release. Does that mean the scenario you posted did not actually happen to you after all? I mean, how could it have happened to you if you only "catch and release"? There has to be more to the story than what you originally posted and since you stirred a bunch of folks up bashing the game wardens, you ought to let us know the rest of the story. I mean if your going to post **** bashing someone, then give us the whole story; even if it is one sided. Just wondering.....Craig


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

shadslinger said:


> In my opinion there is a big push for the GWs to make some $ for the counties/state/TPW, as I have seen more GWs in the last 2 to 3 weeks stopping boats, including mine, than I have in 50+ years of fishing.
> 
> In the last 3 weeks I have been stopped by the GWs about 6 times for boat safety/fish checks, after the first 3 we only greet each other, but I could count on one hand how many times I have been stopped and checked in the last 50 years before now.


 True, as you'll see all LEO's have tightened their belts, when it comes to warning tickets, and verbals. They make the noises like there are no quotas, and or minimums written for the month, but, through the years, one can see the changes. How long has it been since a DPS officer issued a warning, to you or anyone you're acquainted with? I can't think of one!


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## Eagle180 (Oct 24, 2009)

Pet Spoon said:


> Space available at our "permanent residence lakehouse" in the event anyone needs to drop off fish while camping. Warning: fish may be tested for palatability and not readily available for pick up at a later date :cheers:


What a deal!! LOL :rotfl:


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## tngbmt (May 30, 2004)

quotas, bonuses & citation competition ... not a PC subject. neither are judges on court fee collections.


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## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

Lone Eagle said:


> Without fully knowing exactly what transpired, it is difficult to fully understand why or if a ticket was actually written or a warning.
> 
> I refer you to Page 29 of TP&WL Outdoor Annual Hunting and Fishing Regulations. Second paragraph under Possession of Fish Taken from Public Waters.
> 
> There is nothing about "Final Destination" there. This is the only thing I have come up with.


 Good point but take a close look at 1st paragraph. Does that mean tournament (esp bass)limits mean you can't cull because any fish not immediately released and retained in a live well counts toward the possession limit??duh?


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## Shrimptail_Hunter (Dec 20, 2008)

You are legally allowed to cull but you can not but the 6th fish in the live well and then pull one out and release it when you are talking bass. I cull flounder during November and December when the limit is only 2 during November I would only be on the water for 15 min and gas is to expensive to go down the water to fish for 15 min. I have had game wardens called on me for this. Just make sure you only have your limit in your live well and never have 1 more over your limit in your live well at any point. 

That is why you see bass pros clip there catch in the live well so they know which one to release so they can place another fish in the live well.


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## big-john (Jan 6, 2011)

I was told years ago by a GW that there is a unspoken rule that if the fish are with-in 200yards or so of the water they are very likely to consider them that days catch, and the same applied to illegal equipment,if they caught you with it and you were within 200yards of water you were guilty of using it as far as as they were concerned(according to that GW).

Not saying that is right or legal,just what I was told.

We were hunting squirrels up by lake Conroe and my buddy had a oversized cast net in the back of his truck.We weren't fishing but we were close to the lake and the GW told us he was still cutting us a break by not ticketing my buddy for the oversized net.

By the way Walmart still sells cast nets in Texas that are illegal to use in Texas..be careful.


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## Bowhntr (Aug 7, 2006)

GW was incorrect in giving you ticket (maybe new GW), you have right to fillet fish for eating at campsite comsumption. The judge will likely toss it out, but you still have to take time off work to go to court and pay a court fee (IMO-you should not have to pay anything if charges are toss away-GW failed to do correct job and he should pay for his lack of KNOWING the law.....not you jmpov)


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

nikki said:


> Good point but take a close look at 1st paragraph. Does that mean tournament (esp bass)limits mean you can't cull because any fish not immediately released and retained in a live well counts toward the possession limit??duh?


 Another Good Point.....Seems like we all had best watch our P's and Q's.

I have been stopped on the water exactly three times in my entire life by Game Wardens..... more than 50 years of fishing from my own boat. Have "Never" had a problem nor received a citation. I run totally legal.

It seems as if perhaps there is something going on what with SS saying how many times he has been stopped this year alone.


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