How Often Do You Get Checked for Fishing License?

George Cawthorn · Post by **George Cawthorn** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:34 pm

I was wondering what the situation is around the country.

My only experience is out here in California. Mostly at Castaic and Pyramid.
Also I have done some fishing in the salt.

For shoreline lake fishing I would say I get checked about three or four times a year. When I went out salt fishing about four times on private fishing boats, we got checked for licenses once on our way out from Marina Del Rey.

How often do you guys get tapped for the fishing license, tackle inspected, catch counted etc.

ronlehman909 · Post by **ronlehman909** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:45 pm

In all my years fishing only once at the Lagoon. I was on my float tube during the summer, last year, and a DFG agent was on shore checking out shore fishermen. She called out to me to hold up my license and with binoculars she checked it out and said that I could continue fishing and that I didn't need to paddle over to her. I think she was basically looking to see if I had one and the color of the license indicating current as I know she could read anything off of it. I have seen them checking people out on shore and asking whole groups to leave.

Fire Ball · Post by **Fire Ball** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:12 pm

I was at Castaic on the pier one time and the lifeguards came over and checked a guy's license that wasn't fishing! (Pretty sure it was just lifeguards) He was just helping his kids out, lol. I showed them mine, but they didn't care, lol. They just cared about the one guy's license. It was stupid.

ukey28 · Post by **ukey28** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:56 pm

Ron,
They have eyes like hawks and can walk on water. Don't ever try to fool them with a piece of paper the same color or the "I don't understand english" routine. Never works. I'm glad they are out there. Think of how bait guys could go over limit on bass and what would happen to a fishery if they kept all of those fish over the limit. You could whack a population of fish down to nothin, real quick!

johnnie crain outdoors · Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:51 am

I get checked quite often by the Iowa and Illinois DNR as I fish the Mississippi river. Complete check-livewell-saftey-registration-fishing license-distance in inches of boat number-and a biggy-horsepower rating. When I ran the 15 foot Champion with a 140 hp Evenrude I got stopped alot. The boat is rated for 140 hp. Got stopped by the smae game warden twice in one bass tournament by the same guy!! I ask him how many completely black Mean 15 Champions he has checked lately. He just smiled. He was pulling my chain and wasting my tournament time. JC

George Cawthorn · Post by **George Cawthorn** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:29 am

Yeah I've had some surprise late night visits on the shoreline too.

Once I was at the Lagoon... it was after 2 AM and I heard this jingle jangle up on the bank behind me. I turned around and there was a DFG guy there with his flashlight shining down on me.

He said "I'm going to come down to check your license." He did and checked everything else I was doing as well. Checked my bag for illegal baits, made me reel in my line to see what I had tied on and all.

All my stuff was legal of course. We got into a real long conversation, must have been ten minutes or so at least. He was telling me that they had a lot of trouble with poaching at the Lagoon. Especially at night.

He said a lot of illegal bass and carp were showing up in fish markets and they were trying to crack down on it.

Fire Ball · Post by **Fire Ball** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:14 am

Originally Posted By: geobassYeah I've had some surprise late night visits on the shoreline too.

Once I was at the Lagoon... it was after 2 AM and I heard this jingle jangle up on the bank behind me. I turned around and there was a DFG guy there with his flashlight shining down on me.

He said "I'm going to come down to check your license." He did and checked everything else I was doing as well. Checked my bag for illegal baits, made me reel in my line to see what I had tied on and all.

All my stuff was legal of course. We got into a real long conversation, must have been ten minutes or so at least. He was telling me that they had a lot of trouble with poaching at the Lagoon. Especially at night.

He said a lot of illegal bass and carp were showing up in fish markets and they were trying to crack down on it.
I bet there are a lot of problems at night. If you were fishing illegally or something at night, you could run from DFG pretty easily, lol. I would be afraid that poachers would kill me if I was him, haha. Do DFG officers get weapons? Lol.

BTwizy · Post by **BTwizy** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:39 pm

Once about 7 years ago......I guess we just dont get that much pressure here!

George Cawthorn · Post by **George Cawthorn** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:27 pm

Fire Ball, being a DFG officer is no joke day or night.

Yes they have guns and trust me, just like regular police they are not afraid of anyone.
Cautious yes, afraid no.

Hey Johnnie..... I was figurin' you'd have at least a Yami 200 on that puppy.

Robo Bass · Post by **Robo Bass** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 4:34 am

I've never been checked. Probably 'cause I'm only 16