# is this normal practice?



## Flguy32514 (Sep 16, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

just came back in from 3mb, when I got to the 17th Ave launch, there were probably 20-30 sheephead cleaned and thrown in the waters edge, I've seen this a few times at shoreline as well. Do a lot of people do this and throw their trash in deeper water? 

also managed a mess of white trout, 2 35 inch reds, and 2 menhaden


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Yeah, I've seen this mess myself at a few ramps...MY opinion is that these fishermen don't know how bad that looks to non-fishing people...and don't care.

Throwing fish remains at waters edge is just lazy...takes just a WEE bit more thought and effort to toss it out further...

Sorry you had to witness that.


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## OTTE*DA*WORM (Feb 12, 2011)

I can't think of a rime that I haven't seen this at 17th. It would seem to me it is common practice. I don't fish due to the fact it always smells of dead rotting fish. Hence the reason for the huge cat population over there. But like I said, I have never gone to 17th and there not be dead fish, whether filleted or just dead left over bait. Only thing 17th is good for is launching. JMO. -O*D*W


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## polar21 (Nov 5, 2007)

We have started cleaning fish at the ramp when we get back because it is easier to dispose of the fish. We do make sure that the fish remains dumped in the water sink and are not seen. I dont think it looks bad at all, as long as it doesnt stink up the place.


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## startzc (Feb 4, 2013)

That's just dumb, how do you make sure they sink, give em concrete shoes? In most states I have lived in it is illegal to dispose of remains in the water like that. Unless you are chumming dont be a lazy [email protected]#$. I always keep heavy trash bags in my truck just in case there is no place to throw it out. It takes very little effort to keep our waters clean.


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## FlatOut (Feb 20, 2013)

Wait your joking right???? You put cleaned fish in a bag and throw it in the garbage to sit in the landfill for 120 years before it completely deteriorates? Throwing cleaned fish back is like putting a plastic bottle in the recycle bin. Haha concrete shoes, you sir are funny.


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## BILL MONEY (Jan 28, 2009)

FlatOut said:


> Wait your joking right???? You put cleaned fish in a bag and throw it in the garbage to sit in the landfill for 120 years before it completely deteriorates? Throwing cleaned fish back is like putting a plastic bottle in the recycle bin. Haha concrete shoes, you sir are funny.


2nd this... but deeper water is the way to go to be respectful of the shoreline folks... nothing worse than stepping on a fish bone...


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## Austin (Sep 30, 2007)

Returning fish remains to the water is perfectly fine, and better than putting them in a trash bag and sending them to a land fill. Just make sure to throw them in deeper water, night right along the shoreline. You may even take the boat back out to dump them. I know a lot of folks that will actually bury them in their yard/garden.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

*Them Bones*

I've seen this kind of thing all my life. What to do about it? You can't put up a sign that says throw your fish carcasses to deeper water because I don't think this type of disposal is supported by FWC. I actually think that returning these backbones and heads to deeper water is good for the ecology because they are going to be consumed by marine life which is better than landfill. There are a lot of cities that have outlawed this around marinas because there are divers who clean boat hulls and they complain that this practice is attracting too many sharks. This is not the case at 17th Street but I have seen it at all ramps. I guess we should just remind people who we see cleaning fish to throw the carcasses deeper.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

startzc said:


> That's just dumb, how do you make sure they sink, give em concrete shoes? .


Really?


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

im definitely an advocate of appropriate placement of carcasses, especially around my docks where i keep my boat, the more active traps and properly placed carcasses we have around the more bait we have in the water feeding on it, more bait means i catch more fish without going anywhere.


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## Sammy (Oct 10, 2012)

startzc said:


> That's just dumb, how do you make sure they sink, give em concrete shoes? In most states I have lived in it is illegal to dispose of remains in the water like that. Unless you are chumming dont be a lazy [email protected]#$. I always keep heavy trash bags in my truck just in case there is no place to throw it out. It takes very little effort to keep our waters clean.


Uh, stab their eye balls and the float bladder and let it sink? Feed the crabs!!


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

IMO, the point of the original statement is that tossing them so close to shore that everyone can see it is bad for business.

Toss them out a bit deeper where the natural process will take over or remove them if you so desire...just don't make it smell like a cat food factory, next to the ramp...lol.


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## knot @ Work (Apr 18, 2012)

Makes for quite the honey hole for bait fish and crabs...:yes:

Please dont put fish guts in the trash cans as that really smells......:no:


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## startzc (Feb 4, 2013)

To clarify, up north I take them to local farmer friends and they disc any remains and any carp shot into their fields for fertilizer. If I cant then the only legal way is to trash them, I agree it is dumb too. Just because you stab the air bladder and eyes the filleted carcasses don't have enough weight by themselves to not get pushed around by current, that means they can eventually hit shore right? I apologize for not realizing the difference with the crabs and such but in freshwater carcasses don't usually get eaten in the water. On private land we leave them on the ground because birds and rodents will make short work of them, and like I said it is illegal on public waters/lands.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

*Arrest the Fish*

Do you have any idea how many fish get chopped in two by predators and half falls to the bottom. It is the natural process of things.


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## startzc (Feb 4, 2013)

But fish dont eat the meat out and leave the rest.


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## smooth move (Sep 25, 2012)

*crab traps*



knot @ Work said:


> Makes for quite the honey hole for bait fish and crabs...:yes:
> 
> Please dont put fish guts in the trash cans as that really smells......:no:


i don't know the crab trap laws in fl., but we cut a wide door in each end of a crab trap so's the fish don't get trapped in it and put our carcasses in it. it sinks where we want it and draws bait fish and crabs. when we want bait or crabs, we drop a normal trap next to it. win-win situation all the way around and only takes a few seconds.


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## ragsfisher (Oct 7, 2012)

myself i clean at home and it all goes to my garden, my tomatoes love it


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