***2016 ORC DRAFT RULES ***

Gutting bottom fish does sound ridiculous.  Let's just use length for the various species category wins.  Then if you think you have a winner for single heaviest, then just those few fish can be gutted so at least all the rockfish don't have to be gutted.

Who guts bottom fish?

Right?? I just fillet mine, if we're worried about someone gut stuffing there fish lead weight, then weigh the damn thing and have an "official" escort them to the cleaning station and observe fthe filleting and they can inspect the end trails. Just my $0.02

I thought mojo signed up to check end trails

I'm a little late finding this thread...

What's the reasoning behind gutting the fish?

Who guts bottomfish?

Does anyone remember the heavy current and winds last year? Gutting fish on the water would be counter productive and an unnecessary pain in the ass. You'd be a mile off your drift if you stopped to clean your catch.
 I understand that there are other options for when and where to clean your catch, but gutting fish prior to weigh in seems like a waste of time.

Is cheating really that big of concern?

 

I'm a little late finding this thread...

What's the reasoning behind gutting the fish?

Who guts bottomfish?

Does anyone remember the heavy current and winds last year? Gutting fish on the water would be counter productive and an unnecessary pain in the ass. You'd be a mile off your drift if you stopped to clean your catch.
 I understand that there are other options for when and where to clean your catch, but gutting fish prior to weigh in seems like a waste of time.

Is cheating really that big of concern?

 

Who guts a bottom fish? Everyone I know prior to eating it. If I am going to fillet 50 fish so people can have a fish fry I do not think receiving pre-gutted fish is that unreasonable. It will keep the fillet table cleaner at the campground.

It is really not hard to gut a fish. You don't need to do it on the water if you don't want to. Just have it done by the time it gets weighed. I will probably do mine on the water just prior to coming in, if I get a chance to fish.

Cheating is not that big of a concern, but it is a concern. Besides, wouldn't you rather win the tournament with a 32 inch cabby that may have had an empty stomach, or puked all over you, than get beat by someone with a smaller fish that happened to have a belly full of bait fish and crab?

Personally, I bleed all my fish on the water. It makes for a much better meal.

Bleeding fish is one thing, but gutting them prior to weigh in seems ridiculous. I've filleted my fish out before donating to the taco feed every year.
If the issue is a dirty fillet table or ease of cleaning for the guys that prep the fish for tacos, why not gut after the weigh-in if cheating isn't the issue?
 It's not hard to gut a fish, but when you have 100+ guys scrambling to gut their fish before a weigh in, you're going to delay things a bit. I just don't see how it makes it more efficient.

If this event ends up being a best of 4 fish slam, that's a lot of fish to clean before weigh in.

Bleeding fish is one thing, but gutting them prior to weigh in seems ridiculous. I've filleted my fish out before donating to the taco feed every year.
If the issue is a dirty fillet table or ease of cleaning for the guys that prep the fish for tacos, why not gut after the weigh-in if cheating isn't the issue?
 It's not hard to gut a fish, but when you have 100+ guys scrambling to gut their fish before a weigh in, you're going to delay things a bit. I just don't see how it makes it more efficient.

If this event ends up being a best of 4 fish slam, that's a lot of fish to clean before weigh in.

What do you have to worry about, Noah has this under control. 

I can see his technique now....

You're next in line and hold up your stringer to Noah. 
He looks you straight in the eye, then down at your catch.
Then starts at the bung hole and unzips the chest up to the chin with a big game gut knife.
Zip, Zip, Zip....all done. 

A finger or two swiped from chin to hole with the innards dropping into a tub below.
He then points at the hose behind you to go rinse them out if you want to weigh them in. 

 

Bleeding fish is one thing, but gutting them prior to weigh in seems ridiculous. I've filleted my fish out before donating to the taco feed every year.
If the issue is a dirty fillet table or ease of cleaning for the guys that prep the fish for tacos, why not gut after the weigh-in if cheating isn't the issue?
 It's not hard to gut a fish, but when you have 100+ guys scrambling to gut their fish before a weigh in, you're going to delay things a bit. I just don't see how it makes it more efficient.

If this event ends up being a best of 4 fish slam, that's a lot of fish to clean before weigh in.

What do you have to worry about, Noah has this under control. 

I can see his technique now....

You're next in line and hold up your stringer to Noah. 
He looks you straight in the eye, then down at your catch.
Then starts at the bung hole and unzips the chest up to the chin with a big game gut knife.
Zip, Zip, Zip....all done. 

A finger or two swiped from chin to hole with the innards dropping into a tub below.
He then points at the hose behind you to go rinse them out if you want to weigh them in. 

 

This Noah guy is awesome!

Again, how hard is it to gut a fish? It only takes a minute, so If we do the slam, that is 4 minutes of your time. Of course there is the thirty minute argument/yelling match with the asshole husband that comes over and accuses you and your buds of scaring off his wife and daughter because you gutted your salmon in the water on a beach full of broken bottles and needles that the kid was wading in 40 yards away. But I digress.

Bleeding fish is one thing, but gutting them prior to weigh in seems ridiculous. I've filleted my fish out before donating to the taco feed every year.
If the issue is a dirty fillet table or ease of cleaning for the guys that prep the fish for tacos, why not gut after the weigh-in if cheating isn't the issue?
 It's not hard to gut a fish, but when you have 100+ guys scrambling to gut their fish before a weigh in, you're going to delay things a bit. I just don't see how it makes it more efficient.

If this event ends up being a best of 4 fish slam, that's a lot of fish to clean before weigh in.

What do you have to worry about, Noah has this under control. 





I can see his technique now....

You're next in line and hold up your stringer to Noah. 
He looks you straight in the eye, then down at your catch.
Then starts at the bung hole and unzips the chest up to the chin with a big game gut knife.
Zip, Zip, Zip....all done. 

A finger or two swiped from chin to hole with the innards dropping into a tub below.
He then points at the hose behind you to go rinse them out if you want to weigh them in. 

 

This Noah guy is awesome!

Again, how hard is it to gut a fish? It only takes a minute, so If we do the slam, that is 4 minutes of your time. Of course there is the thirty minute argument/yelling match with the asshole husband that comes over and accuses you and your buds of scaring off his wife and daughter because you gutted your salmon in the water on a beach full of broken bottles and needles that the kid was wading in 40 yards away. But I digress.

Don't forget about the random stranger that shows up and rambles on how you are not cleaning your fish correctly and their way is the best way in the world 

If you are charming like Eric (Sinker) the fish checker girl will fillet both your salmon for you. She knew what she was doing.

Are there any laws aganst cleaning your fish on The water? It'll throw off the fish checker on the shore...

Are there any laws aganst cleaning your fish on The water? It'll throw off the fish checker on the shore...

Nope. The fish checker is there to collect data. They do report if you have something you're no supposed to, but if your fish are already cut they likely just won't ask to record measurement data for them.

Are there any laws aganst cleaning your fish on The water? It'll throw off the fish checker on the shore...

I am by no means an expert at reading the regs but here's what it says - I guess "mutilation" is sort of up to interpretation.
 
http://www.eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/marine-zone/
Mutilation: It is unlawful for anglers fishing from a boat to mutilate fish so that size or species cannot be determined prior to landing or to transport mutilated fish across state waters, except albacore may be partially cleaned at sea. Partial cleaning means only the head and entrails may be removed; both the clavicle (collar) and the tail must stay intact. It is also unlawful for anglers fishing from shore to mutilate catch so that size or species cannot be determined prior to reaching their automobile or principle means of land transportation, and having completed their daily angling. These restrictions do not apply to herring, anchovy, smelt and sardine.

Also...
http://www.eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/restrictions/
Disposing of a fish carcass into waters other than where the fish was caught. Anglers must retain enough of the carcass to identify the size, species and any fin clip.

Cleaning at sea should be okay unless I've misread the regs.

Gutting your fish at sea should be fine.  Gut contents aren't required for identification and don't affect length.   Just be sure to keep the head on.

Where do I find the waiver?

We will have them at the Captains meeting.