Thread: Gutting trout while on lake Taupo?

Does anyone know if you are allowed to gut a trout while on lake Taupo. I can't find any rules regarding this? So assume as long as it's in a measurable state this should be ok? Be nice to be able to gut them while out on the lake as to not bring home all the offal.

Keep the lake pristine. You'll only encourage eels and catfish. Bury the guts in your garden. Great fertilizer and you have to catch a hell of a lot of trout for the amount to be a problem.

eels n catfish....other trout more likely,or the few remaining koura down deep.... the guts of trout will dissapear pretty darn quickly.my vote goes to gut while still out in boat and let nature get rid of/reuse the bits you dont want,dont forget to get black,bloodline out of top of gut cavity...if onshore dig hole in sand...decent amount deep,more than 6" like.... the only time we ever had issue doing this in much smaller lake was the eels coming in would end up on our worm lines..but by same token so did more than a few brownies,who are known to like a bit of cannibalism at any given opportunity .
but if you really want to be "tidy Kiwi" you can fit a lot of trout guts in a bread bag....and wash trout out well ,just dont drop it over the side..a 10ltr bucket to scoop up water to wash fish inside boat,then tip out again is better than fish over the side LOL

I'm pretty keen to get the guts out of any trout I catch ASAP. Free feed for the eels, but can see the problem in Taupo re: catfish. I'm sure F&G had something to say about this, but I can't find it. Not sure about DOC.

I have all ways believed this was not to be done, sure it was in the regulations somewhere but go down Wharewaka point night and morning and the kayak fisherman all do it, its our drinking water?

you drink water???? you do realise fish fuc....roo....bonk in water dont you???

...and shit!

In my local lakes, fish guts don't last long. The eels will come out the water to eat them.

i have an insinkerator on my gutting table, was it all down there, including the head.
another guy i know, takes his boat out after a day fishing in the salt, launches it and washes it out on TAUPO, trout are all round the boat with that berley

Originally Posted by MB

I'm pretty keen to get the guts out of any trout I catch ASAP. Free feed for the eels, but can see the problem in Taupo re: catfish. I'm sure F&G had something to say about this, but I can't find it. Not sure about DOC.

Koura would clean it up in half an hour…….best bait for them by far

I don't think there are eels in lake Taupo at all?
Something to do with a mineral deficiency, or a mineral toxicity. Can't remember which.

If you're worried about tainting the lake with the guts of a trout (not sure where the naturally dying trout end up ) then just take a plastic rubbish back or bucket with lid for the guts.
To be safe, maybe don't cut the joining bit from the belly flaps to the bottom of the gill frame, so that the trout can be measured as it would have been.

Found old regulations from the 1980s that said it was not to be put into any water ways in the district, "that's when I started fishing here" but can't find it in any current one's.

No issue if one person does it. Probably not an issue if a few doz do it. But if 100s do it, or 1000s...?

Anyway, for me its the principal of it. Fly fished seriously for 25 years. Getting back into it lately. Condition of waters everywhere has deteriorated. I never gutted trout into water anywhere. Moreso now. But that's me. I don't preach about it but OP did ask. I try and look after what we have as much as I can. Might be a bit late given some of the stupid and unthinking things I've done but there ya go...

Originally Posted by Jhon

No issue if one person does it. Probably not an issue if a few doz do it. But if 100s do it...?

It's a bloody big lake! But I don't know the answer.

Originally Posted by MB

...and shit!

In my local lakes, fish guts don't last long. The eels will come out the water to eat them.

Yeah..eels will respond very quick once they smell blood, and that `s why I was unable to bring back half of my ducks.

In my experience the Seagulls clean it up long before it has a chance to float out into the lake.