Well, It’s been a while since I wet a fly and so today the weather was perfect. First order of business was a new license. I stepped up to the counter and to my horror was told the prices had went up to $28. Man, I know the money goes to a great cause, but come on!!!
How else can you get so darn much fun, relaxation, peace of mind and happy memories for $28/year? This glass is half FULL!
I agree with Oldfrat. Why else would I spend $40 on my in-state license, $44 for an annual license for Arkansas, and $52 for an annual license in Oklahoma. The nice thing is I live close enough to all three states to fish in them all year long so the fishing season never ends. Panfish in the Spring thru Fall and Trout in the cooler months. Worth every penny!
TxEngr
I look at a fishing license as a “yearly necessary bargain”. This year, I will probably purchase an annual license for Pa in addition to my Ohio license. I will also get limited licenses for NY & Tn as well. All a bargain when you consider the 1 time round trip gas will probably cost you more!
Mike
Here in California I paid $38 for a license. The state stopped hiring new wardens, closed the game warden school and may have laid some off. Then the newspaper runs this information so the poachers would know now is as good a time as any.
It seems like the $38 for what’s gotta be a bunch of licenses in a state of 30 million people, would do wonders, but the wondering is done by most sportsmen who wonder where the money goes.
The game wardens we have are terrific. They definitely take their job seriously and are nice people. I have been checked more since the cutbacks than 15 years ago when the states economy was more flush.
Bob
Oregon is now double that. I am not pleased but what can you do? The Dimocraps want to do away with anyone who has any self-reliance. They want to tax them out of existance now.
Here in PA ours went up this year too. $38 with a trout stamp and Lake Erie permit. Supposedly, they are going to add new hatcheries in the state to replace the ones that they closed down a couple of years ago. I’m sure it could be worse though.
Ben
24.75 here in Oregon for the fishing.If you want to hunt tack on another 20.And they are considering the idea of a trout stamp also.Crabbing and claming until a couple years ago was free.Now you have to have a shellfish license for that.And if you want to fish for steelhead,salmon,sturgeon,or halibut you have to buy a tag for that also.I don’t fish for sturgeon or halibut but i still have to pay for it because they put all four species on one tag now and doubled the price.So i have to pay for something i don’t even fish for.It’s not right but i guess if you want to play you have to pay.
I find it amazing that when you sit down and figure up just how much money they take in from the thousands of people who buy fishing licenses,hunting licenses,fish and game tags,and the application fees for each hunt you apply for,that they say they don’t have any money to enforce the laws.I sat down once and figured it all up from their own figures on how many people bought licenses and tags and it was an unbelievable amount of money.But since i would go crazy not being out on a stream fishing or in the mountains on a family elkhunt i will keep paying their prices.
In 2002, anglers purchased 28.9 million fishing licenses in the United States. California, where I live, sold 2.2 million. (Source: [url=http://www.iafwa-awds.com/archives/fy_2002_license_trends.htm:c03a6]http://www.iafwa-awds.com/archives/fy_2002_license_trends.htm[/url:c03a6] ) Figure, ballpark, 80 million total license revenue from the CA licenses. You think 80 million dollars buys much these days, for a government agency? That money goes to pay for much much more than salaries for enforcement personnel (Which, in my opinion, are about a tenth of what they should be). It pays for vehicles, training, buildings, pensions, disability, insurance, printing costs (you know those free regulation booklets you get, and the licenses themselves?) and so on and so forth. It pays for research, for the fish that get planted in the streams and lakes, for the lawyers that get called every time somebody trips or decides to sue over some decision.
I paid about $200 for my 2004 license collection. I caught enough fish that, on a per-fish basis, my licenses cost me a penny or three (OK, more like a dime) per fish. Licenses were about 5% of the total cost of my fishing trips.
Think about that next time you pay $8 to see a movie, or $50 to fill up the tank in your pickup.
[This message has been edited by DG (edited 14 February 2005).]
maybe some of you over 65 should move to new york state. after 65 you are eligible for a senior license which includes fishing, small game hunting and big game hunting - total cost $5.00. just about the price of a roast beef on rye without a soft drink.
mike
I guess it’s relative to what we love to do.
Annual salmon licence: 38$
Annual river membership 20$
Daily rod fee 49$
Have to mltiply everything by 2 as my girlfriend always fishes too.
90 minutes in a cinema costs over 30 bucks for 2 (not counting popcorn, pop and parking).
We’ll fish from 5 am 'til 10 pm and love every minute of it.
Money well spent as it’s less expensive than a therapist.
p.s.: Junior fishies for free as he’s under 16.
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 14 February 2005).]
I guess we’re lucky. It’s $9 for a fishing license and $5 for the trout stamp-a real bargain.
It’s just something you gotta take in stride.
For me this year:
MN Res license w/trout stamp $27
WI nonres w/trout stamp $47.25
IA nonres w/trout stamp $53.00
With all of the funding cuts I am surprised it?s this cheap. Then I am going to want to go pheasant hunting, then deer hunting.
I you want to play you have to pay.
Fly Line,
Exactly my thoughts too.
As a resource manager, I also have the idea that it’s not a right, but a privilege to do these activities.
A few years ago, I’d have BC and Quebec licences, as well as passes for 3 cummunity game reserves, salmon tags (Quebec atlantics and Pacific Ocean (feds)).
Lordy, don’t count the gear $$
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
My state of North Carolina have always leaned toward the reasonable side of the ledger … maybe not as much graft in the system as yet. When I turned 70 paid a one time fee of $10.00 and that covers fishing and hunting for the rest of my time here on this planet, or otherwise able to do so. The last regular license was a fishing combination (all species) for $20.00 annually.
Dale
living in CA, i dont think $38 is unreasonable to fish year round. i typically pick up my new license on or before 1/1 and its valid until 12/31. i can fish any regulated waters in season, and any waters with year-round regulations.
when i lived in NY, the license was like $15, or something, but i had to pay extra for a trout stamp, and than again more for a resorvoir stamp to fish for larger trout. and i never fished as much as i do now (i was a baitcaster at the time 
).
its part of the fun we need in our lives. with all the money we each spend annually on gear, materials, lines, trips, etc, etc, etc…is the cost of the license really worth fretting over??
Fishing license and trout stamp here in Iowa costs me $28.50. This year, I also hope to spend time across the river working some of the streams in Wisconsin. Will cost me about $30 there, I think. I haven’t checked to see what their fees are this year. Still a bargain in my mind. A place to get away from it all and enjoy the scenery, plus the bonus of fish to catch.
CJ
The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.
Guess when ya look at things the way some of you have, it puts things in perspective .I have been grumping about the out of state license fees for pa fishing and had decided to not fish Pa this year .But I guess I could spend the money on worse things . I dont go out boozing … gave up smoking 10 years ago and the wife says I cant have a girlfriend… I guess I can justify a Pa license fee and perhaps a new rod …and new pair of waders … a few more overnight trips …
[This message has been edited by ny angler (edited 14 February 2005).]
Hey Grumps. Here in Mississippi when you turn 65 it’s FREE, FREE Hoorah it’s FREE. Can you guess who turned 65 last October? 
We still have to pay access fees at the sate parks but even there we have a greatly reduced rate. The only license fee I have to pay now is the Saltwater license as that is a federal thing.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
Well here in Montana it isn’t to bad at all.
You have to have a conservation license which cost you $6.25 then a fishing license cost you $13.00 for the season. If you are handy capped it just cost you $6.25. If you are over 62 it costs $6.25. In other words you have to have the Conservation License.
One other thing that is kind of funny in our state is that if you wish to fish for warm water spices you have to buy a stamp for them. It is an extra $5.00. They built a new hatchery for these fish and that is how they are paying for it Most states have a trout stamp We got a Warmwater Game Fish Stamp LOL Go Figure
Now if you are a Non-Res it is a lot more. It costs you $69.25 for the season.
They are giving GI’s there license for free here now and I am happy to see that.
I have never minded paying for a license. It is the cheapest thing you can do for pleasure. Ron
PS: And yes that includes what some of you are thinking about as being pleasure. That cost a hell of a lot more.