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fishing with a license 2024


fishing user avatarcrankbait2009 reply : 

off the wall thought but.................

every time out, i wonder how many people i see that are possibly fishing without a license.  how common do you think this really is?

i have always fished with a license mainly for the fact that id hate to get hit with a fine cause i didnt want to pay the $20 for a license.

has anyone ever got caught without one?  how much is the fine over what a normal license would have cost?

i honestly cant tell you the last time i have ever seen a park ranger or wild life ranger check for peoples licenses.  im starting to wonder if they even exist  :-/


fishing user avatarKoop reply : 

I've never fished without one, I asked a warden once what the fine was.  In WI at least its about $180 bucks.


fishing user avatarcart7t reply : 

My wife was out once without hers about 20 years ago.

$60, I'm sure it's more now.

With on-line sales there is just no excuse anymore.  


fishing user avatarcrankbait2009 reply : 

i am involved with an OHIO fishing forum as well and i posted the same question.  they were telling me that it is as well around $100 plus they can also confiscate every piece of equipment you have on you.

thats insane.  i realize if you try to cheat the system they can do what they want but that would crush my world.   :'(


fishing user avatarendless reply : 

couple of years i go me and buddy was on a boat and the was patrolling the water and checked us.our license and everything that was law to have on boat like the jackets, horn or whistle, throwing device, etc but that was the last time ive been checked. i no iv va i heard the maryland game wardens like to give va people troubles when fishing the potamac river in colonial beach and so forth. but i never been bothered yet when i was out on my boat.


fishing user avatarSam reply : 

Lots of people fish without a valid license.

I don't know of anyone getting caught.  :)


fishing user avatar.dsaavedra. reply : 

i always fish with a license...even though i've never even SEEN  game warden....


fishing user avatarbass wrangler569 reply : 

Twice I have fished without having a liscense on me but I had bought a liscense. The first time I left it at home 2 hours away and I couldn't go back, the other time I was fishing half the day when my liscense blew out of my hat and I elected to continue fishing. I have personally never seen somebody checking but even if I knew I would never get caught I would buy a liscence anyway because the money goes to support our fisheries.


fishing user avatarwvbucketmouth reply : 

I have been checked a few times, but I always buy West Virginia as well as an Ohio license, so I'm good. I once had a Game Warden walk me to my truck, as I forgot to take them with me. He was nice about it, but told me to always keep them on me, or risk the fine.

Our Game Wardens are VERY strict, and I am glad they are.


fishing user avatarFishing Rhino reply : 

Never fished without a license.

I have never wondered how many do.


fishing user avatarburleytog reply : 

It's an art form.


fishing user avatarPoolie727 reply : 

I've only been checked once this year.


fishing user avatarburleytog reply : 
  Quote
I've only been checked once this year.

I've been checked twice in the 16 years I've been required to have a license.


fishing user avatarRed Bear reply : 

its very much worth it to buy a license and have it and possibly never get checked for it than to not buy a license and have to pay a lot more in fines if you do get caught


fishing user avatarDINK WHISPERER reply : 

My cousin got nailed for $97 for doing this!


fishing user avatarFishing Rhino reply : 
  Quote
It's an art form.

A suggestion for another name, unless you've already used it.

Hurley Burley

Hurley Burley (born 1895), was an American Thoroughbred race horse. Her breeder and owner was Ed Corrigan who raced out of the old Washington Park Race Track in Chicago, Illinois. In Corrigan's time, he was the most powerful man in mid-Western racing. Known as the "stormy petrel" of the American Turf, Corrigan was the subject of many articles about him (the Kansas City Times, the Courier-Journal, The Louisville Times, to name only a few), all attesting to his murderous temper as well as his loyalty to those he liked.

http://www.ladivinaburlesque.com/?p=60

http://www.annburnett.co.uk/hurley-burley.html

http://www.sheckys.com/fashion/short/hurley_burley_7070.asp


fishing user avatarbass wrangler569 reply : 

This thread just reminded me of a joke I heard...

Two buddies, Rick and John, are fishing on a pristine lake in Maine. After fishing for about an hour, they hear a noise behind them, and shortly after a game warden pops out of the bushes and demands "Alright boys, let me see your liscenses!"

John immediately takes off through the woods with the warden in hot pursuit. After a ten minte chase through almost a mile of woods, John stops, gasping for breath, and allowing the warden to catch him. The warden grabs John by the sholder and gasps "Let me... see... your liscense."

Well, John reaches into his pocket, pulls out a liscense, and hands it to the warden. The warden looks at the liscense for a minute and then says, "Why did you run you idiot, this is a valid fishing liscense?"

John looks up at the warden and says "The thing is, I do have a valid liscense, but my buddy Rick back there, well, he don't, ya see?"

;D


fishing user avatarbilgerat reply : 

Not sure of the fine here in Joisey, but equipment confiscation is within their power.

Have also heard stories of illegals being let go, as they can't (won't) produce ID. Too much trouble for the wardens, as the INS would be involved eventually.

I love paying taxes >:(


fishing user avatarfishfordollars reply : 

Never fished without one. Been checked quite a few times.


fishing user avatar05aucrarsx reply : 

i keep my license inside the tackle box, so it's pretty much with me everytime i am out fishing.

lol


fishing user avatarBainza reply : 

I have one on my bass bag and one on the back of my trout vest so im always covered. Funny how I got 2...one day I was out fishing and next thing I see is my license floating down the stream... :-[   Well a couple days later it shows up in the mail!!! Unfortunately that was after I had already bought a replacement.


fishing user avatarElite Image Fishing reply : 

See the warden out all the time, but never been checked. Personally always fished with a license since, my father always instructed me to do so. I hope the money makes it back to do the waters we fish better, but who knows in this day and age.


fishing user avatarcoryjames reply : 

this has got to be one of the best fishing joke i ever heard.

A man was stopped by a game warden in Northern Minnesota recently with two buckets of fish leaving a lake well known for its fishing. The game warden asked the man, "Do you have a license to catch those fish?" The man replied to the game warden, "No, sir. These are my pet fish." "Pet fish?!" the warden replied. "Yes, sir. Every night I take these fish down to the lake and let them swim around for a while. I whistle and they jump back into their buckets, and I take em home." "That's a bunch of hooey! Fish can't do that!" The man looked at the game warden for a moment, and then said, "Here, I'll show you. It really works." "O.K. I've GOT to see this!" the game warden replied. The man poured the fish in to the water and stood and waited. After several minutes, the game warden turned to the man and said, "Well?" "Well, what?" the man asked. "When are you going to call them back?" the game warden prompted. "Call who back?" the man asked. "The FISH." "What fish?" the man asked.

;Dnow thats funny right there ;D


fishing user avatarRaul reply : 

I 've fished for 36 years, all those years I 've had a license, never been checked until recently.

In Mexico if you fish from the shore you don 't need a license, you only need a license if you fish from a boat.

At the current exchange rate the cost of the licenese is 40 dollars per year, but, the licenese is Federal, you can fish anywhere in the country with it, so it 's not that expensive.


fishing user avatarbigtimfish reply : 

I always fish with a license. I wish i could get away with just spending $20 on it. I have to get the $45 dollar all water license. I live too close to good red and speck fishing in the Gulf of mex not to do both types of fishing. This past weekend at one of our parks down here, standing at the boat launch, with a clipboard and measuring stick in hand, was a guy from Tex park and wildlife checking every livewell and icechest that came out of the water. I see them more around saltwater than fresh. But they will bust your A$$ for license and limits around here.


fishing user avatarD4u2s0t reply : 
  Quote
i am involved with an OHIO fishing forum as well and i posted the same question. they were telling me that it is as well around $100 plus they can also confiscate every piece of equipment you have on you.

thats insane. i realize if you try to cheat the system they can do what they want but that would crush my world. :'(

If you have a license, then it's not an issue and your world won't be crushed.  There's no reason to not have one.


fishing user avatargrimlin reply : 

A bunch here.....I want to say(guess) almost 65% of the people i meet don't have one.This is from shore fishing.I heard it's close to around $200...from what somebody told me.

I was once fishing a pier and this DNR boat pulls up nailing like 12 people without licenses. It was me and another guy who only had licenses.This was 3 years ago.That Pier cleared out really quick,after it was all over it was just Me and that other guy who kept on fishing.

I keep telling everybody it's like $15-$20 for one,you spend more money @ a movie theater.IMO Fishing license usually pays for itself after the 2nd or 3rd trip.


fishing user avatarnateobot reply : 

I love our lifetime license option.  


fishing user avatarnateobot reply : 

Also check your local rules.  In MN you can fish without a license in state parks. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fishing.html


fishing user avatarD4u2s0t reply : 

Get caught with fish and no licence,  sometimes it gets crazy.  last year on a canada fishing trip, they lodge sent us to the outpost with only catch & release licenses, and we wanted to keep the fish.  Not being able to read french, we just took the guys word that they were legit.  Game warden came out, wanted to fine us $750 dollars for 3 walleye in the boat.  He called the lodge, they told them it was a mistake, and they flew the proper licenses out.  I would never even consider not spending the 30 dollars for a license after that.


fishing user avatarJ Francho reply : 

I used to get checked, but now I know most of the local guys by name, even have their cell numbers in my phone.  A few times, I've seen people doing things that "weren't right,"  and called.  I'll make the call, and if I stick around, the responding officer will check me, just like everyone else, even though he knows I have mine.  Whenever this happens, there are at least a few that don't have a license.  The fine is pretty heavy, and in some circumstances, the officer has the option to confiscate the offender's gear, including the boat.  Seems pretty silly not to drop a few bucks on the license.  If you forget to bring your license, you can submit a copy of your valid license along with the ticket, and the charge is dismissed.


fishing user avatarJaric reply : 

Considering that the money from our fishing licenses goes directly to help keep the areas I fish in clean, the fishing license is one of the few if only taxes I enjoy paying.


fishing user avatarmike304 reply : 

I am a NY Game Warden. In NY fishing w/o a valid license or failure to carry license on your person is a violation punishable by a fine of from $0-$250 or 15 days in jail. The amount is up to the judge.

However, New York State, in an effort to raise money for the General Fund, has implemented an automatic $75 surcharge on conviction for any Conservation Law violations(including fishing without) before any fine is even imposed.

So it will cost you at least $75 in NY if convicted, plus whatever fine the judge wants to impose.

Seems like an awful risk to take for saving $19.


fishing user avatarFish Chris reply : 

I got checked the last time I was out.

Around here (especially on the Ca Delta) it's more common to get checked by Sherriff's (like I was) than by Wardens, because their are a lot more of them.

I know a guy that got caught without a license, and it cost him $400...... but here's the really funny / stupid part > About 2 weeks later, he got caught again, by the same warden, still without a license ! Bam ! $600 !

I think on the second one, the judge should have called it, "Criminal Stupidity" ! ;)

Fish


fishing user avatarNewAngler reply : 

for some reason i was fishing with a license but my wife was not..

and for another reason i thought i was going to be okay that one of us had one, and not the other, i think the only saving grace i had was my three year old girl with her Barbie rod, as the warden was female, and she thought my daughter was cute.




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