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Fishing license counts
I think there are two reasons that the number of fishing licenses has not increased and has decreased in some areas that may not be immediately considered. One is that at the shows I run into a ton of people who ONLY fish salt water. I believe you still don't need a license to fish the ocean. Secondly I have run into a surprising number of fishermen who do not buy a license. I'll meet someone on a stream and while we are waiting for a hatch or spinner fall we start talking and I'll say something like, "Boy, almost forgot to buy my license." to which I get several replies.
"This is private water (The owner of the motel we stay in leases a mile of posted water for his motel guests only), you don't need a license to fish here". OR, "I haven't seen a game warden in 30 years."
I've also run into out of towners or out of country fishermen who when asked will give the excuse that I'm only fishing one day, or, I'm only fishing this weekend. Because this irks me I often will bring the subject up in a round-a-bout way such as.."man, licenses are going up again", or "You aren't going to believe this but I just got asked to see my license by a DEC guy. Boy, that hasn't happened to me since I was in my twenties." When they ask 'Which way was he heading' or, 'Guess I'll head on back to the motel, wife wants to have an early dinner'...I suspect.."No License."
I sure wish NY made it a rule that you had to wear your license pinned to your back like a hunting license.
[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 17 October 2005).]
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mantis,
One thing the state can do is make a violation expensive. As I recall, subject to correction if wrong, the penalty in NYS for not having a license is less than the cost of an out of state license. So someone from out of state can gamble on not being asked. Even if that person is fined it's still cheaper than the license.
Now if NYS were to make the penalty say $250 for the first offense of 'fishing w/o a license' and $500 for second, then people might think twice about the odds and risk against getting caught.
Requiring the license to be visible would help somewhat too.
Allan
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Patting myself on the back and almost dislocating a shoulder I say that I ALWAYS buy a license. In fact if I fish in YOUR state, I buy the full year non-resident license. Not that I have a lot of money but because I want to support the fishery I'm enjoying and hope to in the future. In Wyoming the math is simple. The per diem fee would cost me more than the anual. Other states, I contribute.
Of all places where I "got caught" was in Wyoming when I was picking up my son from UW to take him home for Christmas and when I crossed the Medicine Bow River where it crosses I80 the syrens called. Unfortunately cars parked on I80 in the middle of nowhere attract police attention. The rest is history.Cost me $200 (cash no less)The irony here also was that the officer was a retired Illinois state trooper and he just didn't "understand".
Mark
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I'd rather be in Wyoming!
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I was standing in the river yesterday casting to a couple risers, and saw the warden moseying down towards the river. There was a guy fishing with bait from the bank below me, and three guys from Idaho in a boat sitting in the middle of the pool salmon fishing.
The warden checked the guy fishing from the bank, who had his license displayed as is required, did NOT check the three guys in the boat, who did not but were friendly and chatted with him while they fished. He didn't bother me, either because he knows that flyfishers are fine upstanding folks, I was far enough in the river that it would have been a pain to wade back to where he could check me, or, most likely, that he recognized me and my truck. I think the ride-along he had with him was my boss's eldest son, as well.
After he left, I heard the most wonderful conversation about wardens, illegal activities, and how these guys had been busted for various things, and thought it was a shame that you could actually get FINED for breaking the law. Sheesh.
If you show up to fish with me, and don't have the licenses required, there is NO WAY you are going to fish in my presence. And if you are going to blatantly break the law in my presence, you should know that I have that warden's cell and home #s. One of my pet peeves is people who think they are above the fish and game laws by which the rest of us abide.
Dennis
PS Not sure, but I think you need some licenses to fish the salt in California. Considering how much $ we all seem to spend on this sport, not buying a license is pretty ridiculous from an "It costs too much" standpoint.
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Fishing the salt here does require a license.
So does gathering shellfish, even seaweed!
As I recall the complete run of licenses, freshwater, salt and all runs us about $60 each.
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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
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So-o-o-o did you turn in the 3 in the boat that you knew did not have licenses...or get their car license when on shore and call the GW?
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In Oregon, the license costs for fishing, crabbing, and clamming with salmon/steelie tags is over $50. The money goes into the general fund and only part is availabke to Fish & Game.
That party (I won't mention which one so as to not be political) which hates people who might be independent raises the prices as high as possible to try to discourage anyone from being self-reliant.
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There are plenty of people that fish without a license, but I've spoken to a lot of casual fisherman that have given up fishing because of license prices.
The 20 bucks( or what ever) is too much for someone who only fishes once or twice a year. If they feel like wetting a line they can always head to the shore( no licence needed here).
The fewer people that buy licenses, the more the state has to charge to cover services.
The DEP needs the money so I don't mind paying myself. I get my money's worth. I would even support a saltwater license.
I was checked once this year, and when I fish in Vermont I seem to get checked half the time.
Once 15/18 years ago I got checked twice in one day by two different COs. I had forgoten my license at home too.
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Mantis, from what I heard after the warden left, I gathered that they had their licenses, just that they were not displayed. The warden must have come to the same conclusion, or he would have asked em to row over to shore and let him take a look. Either that or they had big brass ones, fishing forty feet in front of a BLM boat launch.
Dudley, in California we have two free fishing days a year, when you do not need to buy a license.
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LF I bet that is because of all the Salmon rivers you have out there.
Dud those people who complain over a $20 license because they only go once or twice a year are just trying to get away with something. Same guys probably had no problem paying for the beer in his cooler of the pack of cigs in his pocket. I've heard the same thing from a guy who was pulling on his breathable guide weights at the rear of his forty grand SUV.