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).]
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We stopped fishing in PA when the out of state license topped $60. We can stay in MD for $20 in fw and fish DE fw for the same. Fishing the Chesapeake Bay requires a Bay license which can be purchased by the fisherman or by the boat owner. The boat owner’s license means that everyone on the boat at that time is covered. The ocean is still free…for the moment.
Even though it is not required to wear your license in MD, I continue the habit started in PA. It’s easier to remember my license when I know it is on my vest!
I didn’t get a Pa. license this year because of illness but I usually go down there 3 to 5 times a year. Seems like a season long out of state used to be about $35 plus you needed a $5 Trout stamp. Pa. has its own fish entity. I believe all monies for licenses go toward that end. It doesn’t go into the general fund like it does in NY. Or so I have been told. I know they are having some serious trouble with the Susquehanna and perhaps the increase is to help find and correct those problems…at least I hope so. We have quite a few guys on here from the Keystone State that could inform us much more accurately. Funny how a license is a once a year deal, yet gas is an every week deal of paying nearly double the cost of a license and yet we keep on truckin’.
In addition to my Pennsylvania license, I buy a New York out of state license each year. In fact since I’m hoping to go over to the Beaverkill next weekend, I guess I’ll have to spring for a new one as their license year is Oct. 1st to Sept. 30th.
One interesting diference between the two states is that in PA your license must be displayed so it can be seen, while in NY, it doesn’t.
Catch a big one for me.
Bob
There is a fine line between fly fishing, and standing in the water waving a stick.
I always did buy a license but now am not required to.Illinois says disabled fish free.You have to have a disabled ID class 2 100%.If I get to go to another state though I BUY QUICK and I display it openly.I got a pin on pouch someplace (mind fried)and put it on my hat and when it comes to fishing my hat is like American Express never leave home with out it.
SW Ladyfish: We stopped fishing in PA when the out of state license topped $60. We can stay in MD for $20 in fw and fish DE fw for the same.
I’m happy in one way to hear that since I complained, (to no avail), to the state when the jacked the license prices to that ridiculous level. I personally wish they would just abolish the entire out of state license completely and charge everybody the same. It would save money since the state could do all licenses without verifying residence and wouldn’t require the extra printing costs for the OOS license.
But as far as NEEDING a license, I stopped displaying my PA license over a year ago after losing my SECOND license. The funny thing is even though I have met at least one Conservation Officer streamside, (who didn’t ask to see mine), I have yet to have it be an issue which leads me to believe that there are plenty out there who don’t have a license at all.
A really simple, although difficult to manage partial solution to that problem would be to have all fishing tackle purchases in a given state require a license. We do it with liquor and cigarettes why not tackle? If a non-fisher wanted to buy a tackle related gift they would have to find a “runner” to buy for them. Even though it would be a hassle for retailers and purchasers alike it would cut down on some non-license holders going fishing.
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 17 October 2005).]
I always get a fishing licence its supposed to help pay for the sport . I hope it does but am not giving odds on it . In BC you do need a licence to fish the Saltchuck . I sometimes fish in Washington and Idaho States on occasion I always buy the appropriate non resident license when I do . Not to do so would be illegal and just plain rude . I run across fishers sometimes who are obviously doing something wrong e.g. Over the limit , bait fishing in a bait ban area , motorboat on a no motor lake etc. I carry the regs with me and usually point out their error . 99% of the time the person just didn’t know the rule . But there is always that 1% who just don’t give a gosh darn ( I cleaned that up lol ). If they are rude to me about it , and continue with their transgressions I turn them in .
I have to disagree with Bamboozle’s solution tho . I think that idea would just send people to shop by mail order or ebay and the internet for their fishing supplies to the determent of local fly shops .
I get a little miffed by the local Fisheries guys who I encounter every once in a while on several different lakes . They never seem to check anyones license . They has never ask me if I have one . How can you regulate something if no one ever gets checked . I think if we could count on getting checked at least once or twice per year it would keep everyone a little more honest .
In my opinion out of Province/State license fees should be just nominally more than local fees . The Province/State benefits from tourism far more than they would by dinging people with a costly fishing license .
Ps. I also think It would be a nice gesture and really good PR if the DFO guys when checking for the proper certification , Upon proof of you having a valid fishing license each fisher could be given a tot of rum to take the chill off .
I could be wrong , It seems unlikely , but I suppose it could happen.
[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 17 October 2005).]
[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 17 October 2005).]
I got checked this year – not to see my license but to see what fly I was using to catch a bluegill on each cast. Made friends by giving the warden a few to try.
Many times in Michigan I noticed DNR cars in the parking lot but no uniformed fisherman. You start a conversation with a stranger like I have read above about not having a license and your in deep trouble. I think Florida also has a salt license
Here in Colorado, lots of people that don’t even fish pay their $20.25 for a license. The reason? In this state, a portion from each hunting and fishing license goes to Search and Rescue. If you bought a license, it’s like having “rescue insurance” – you won’t be billed for your own rescue! If you don’t have the license – be prepared to pay up after you recover.
Danbob
I live in Washington State, but only a few miles from Idaho. Every year I buy a non-resident Idaho license–a little over $70. Worth, IMHO, every penny. Some of the most beautiful country and the best fishing. Of course, I buy a WA license, but probably fish about the same number of days in both states.
A month ago, a friend and I took a backpacking trip into the Mission Mountain Wilderness, just north of Missoula, MT. $53.25 each for the required permits and licenses, good for 4 days. A tribal permit to hike across tribal land, a Montana conservation license, and 4 days worth of fishing licenses. Turns out we didn’t even wet a line. After hiking into the target lake (about 6 miles of nasty real estate), the weather closed in over night. About 4 inches of snow on the ground at 7 am. Bugged out. We’ll try a littler earlier next year!
I am not a fan of displaying my license because that is how it gets lost or ruined. The few times that I fished without a license was because I took it out to wear it the time before. Another problem is that licenses are made out of the flimsiest paper known to man for 50 bucks you think that you would at least get a heavy duty one. It gets desroyed just taking it in an out of the case. Add a little water and you end up with a mush ball. I got *****ed at one time by a warden because he couldn’t read it because it was all worn out.
The bastards make you take it out of the case to read it and they read through it more thrououghly than a archeologist reading an anchient scroll.
Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick