Striper legal question.

[Jon G]

Hey all you lawyers out there heres one for you. So you caught some keeper size bass and you want to throw the heads on some lobster traps. In the fishing regs it says to keep the head and body intact(for measuring purposes). I'd hate to be checked with improper striper parts on board. I never thought about this before and was wondering if the fish carcass still needs to be intact for use as lobster bait. Dumb question but with my luck I always get checked by the rookie enforcment officer and don't want any extra problems.

[Scotch Bonnet]

I think they mean don't fillet out on the water. The lobster guy at my old marina used everybodies striper and fluke carcasses for his traps.

[nor-easter]

You need to go to a PORT and clean your fish. That way you filletted the fish on shore. Then you can depart and go lobstering and use the heads or any other parts for bait. For some strange reason they changed the law for charter boats, they can clean the fish at sea. Do not understand it!

Just a suggestion. Get a five gallon bucket or two or three and some heavy salt. Gut the carcass and chop it up in bait sized chunks. Chop the heads as well. Salt the pieces into the buckets. Layer of salt layer of bass layer of salt etc. Bucket full, seal the top on the bucket.
Now you have bait for several days. Lobsters love to eat bass.

If you get too many Lobsters call me up...I will take them off your hands...TIA.

[MakoMike]

John,
Why don't you just take the whole thing back out with you and don't cut it up until just before it goes into the trap?

[Jon G]

Thanks guys I supose it won't be an issue if it is used for bait later. I've got a freezer that the bait goes in until I fill the trap I probably shouldn't worry about it if its going in the traps. The laws just get more confusing and complicated every year. The lobstering is starting to get good where I'm fishing can't wait to try some blues in there this week.