Anybody Ever Get Caught Without Their License?

[Choporoz]

I was bank fishing a few months ago and left my tackle box with my license in the truck.  After I'd walked and fished a couple hundred yards around the lake, the game warden walked up and asked for my license.  I told him it was in the car and even showed him an electronic copy on my phone.  He was pretty adamant that I needed to have the paper copy on me.  He didn't cite me, but was pretty clear that I needed to have it on my person or within reach any time I'm actively fishing.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I never have.  I've been checked two times.  Once in MO on a creek and once on Lake Fork TX.  I keep the licenses in my wallet.

[WIGuide]

I've forgot it a handful of times but have never been caught doing so. My dad did get stopped on our dock though and his wallet was in the house. They just took down his name and address and checked in the system when they got back to see if he had one. 

 

One other time when I was little my dad had also forgot his. We could see the DNR boat working its way towards the back of the creek we were in stopping to check the few boats that were in there. At this point while looking for his wallet, my dad remembers he left it at the cabin. So we put the rods down and take off of some skinny water. We weren't going all that fast due to all the stumps in that area and when we slowed down to idle through the tiny bridge to get back to the main lake the DNR boat was pouring it on trying to catch up. Unfortunately for them they had no lights or any sort of megaphone to tell us to stop, so dad opened it up on the other side of the bridge and they were left to eat our rooster tail lol. We got back to our dock, dad ran inside the cabin and told me to say that he had to go to the bathroom if they stopped. By the time he was coming back out the other boat had finally reached our bay but were on the other side of the lake and didn't even bother coming over to check us.

[Dwight Hottle]

I have been  caught without my license in my possession twice while in Canada. The first time was in Quebec. I left my license in my wallet which I left in our cabin located on an island. When the dnr checked us on the water I realized I had left it in the cabin. He told us he would follow us back to the cabin. We were about 5 miles away in a small boat with a 15 hp motor. Once we got back he confirmed my license & then proceeded to check out the freezer/refrig for fish to make sure we were not over our possession limit.

Second time I did the same thing, left my wallet with license in our cabin this time in Ontario. This time we were on a hot bite with really big walleye. We released a 10lber which swam away but subsequently floated up. The dnr were watching us with binoculars. They picked up the fish & came over to our boat. They asked if the floater was our fish & I responded honestly that I did not know. He said it most have been ours & handed back to me. He said since it was dead it was considered part of our allowable limit. Then he asked to see our licenses. I reached for my wallet & realized I had screwed up again. Since I did not have a license we were over our limit. I told him my license was back at our cabin. He said he would meet us back there since my boat was faster. It was a 20 mile run one way. We got back first & then waited on him. I had my wallet with license when he came to the dock. He told us we were at our limit & if we fished anymore that day we would be in violation if we caught a fish that died even though we were releasing them all. He said if we wanted to fish anymore we should give the fish away to someone else & then we would be legal. We found some locals guys cleaning fish & they were happy to take our two fish. We were fishing with conservation licenses which only allowed to have one walleye in possession per license. Hopefully I will not forget to have the license either with me or in the boat. By the time we got back to our fish they had moved and we had a slow bite for the rest of the day. We were fishing deep & the walleye suffered from air bladder problems. We had fizzed the one we released but it did not make it.

[Senko lover]

I agree with ya'lls sentiments. Doing the right thing always pays off. Point in case: I have a cemetery pond right by my house that I didn't fish for about two years because there was a no fishing policy. I finally gave in and talked to the manager, who gave me permission. I now fish there almost every day (in season).

[Lund Explorer]

I've been checked numerous times, but only time I didn't have a license with me.  The first time I was 16 years old and didn't need a license until my next birthday.  Had to show my driver's license to prove my age.  CO said he was glad that he didn't own a bar because he wouldn't have bothered to card me to get a drink.  Drinking age back then was 18.

 

I always have my license in my wallet, and I never go anywhere without it.

[Ratherbfishing]

No, but my buddy has. Actually, he HAD purchased his license, it just wasn't on him.  It was in his bag from when he'd waded the river with me 4 months earlier.  I'd dragged him out to go ice fishing with me on a pond in the local forest preserve.  There was about 7 inches of snow on the ground, it was about 10 degree's out and the wind was whipping like mad.  I was having a good time but my buddy-not so much (I'd say he was probably miserable).  Having the Conservation Officer ask for his license probably didn't help his mood any.  Anyway, when he couldn't produce it, the C/O walked him up to his truck where he radioed it in.  He was lucky he wasn't fined anyway because the C/O didn't seem any too happy to be out there.  He (the C/O) did issue fines to a couple of other ice fisherman that day for keeping blue gill which were too small.  Yes, you heard it.  Too small!  I'd never seen anything like that before.  Who even thinks to check if there is a minimum size limit on bluegill?!

[Snakehead Whisperer]

I was caught without my paper license only once. I was shore fishing and my license was in my boat. I had a digital copy on my phone and showed it to the CO, he was satisfied with this.

 

Nowadays I don't really get stopped for a license or boat safety checks, albeit I am usually fishing the same stretch of river and I know all of the CO's and harbor police now (I know them because they used to flag me down me a lot.)

 

 We were fishing deep & the walleye suffered from air bladder problems. We had fizzed the one we released but it did not make it.

Now I'm curious what depth you were fishing at. I catch walleye in 75-80' out here, which to my understanding is about as deep as they'll usually go. Fizzing doesn't really seem like an option at that depth, but maybe I'm wrong. Occasionally I catch crappie in the same area, and sometimes they're dead before I get them to the surface.

[flyfisher]

I have been asked to see my license a couple of times and every time i have had one.  I don't even keep a paper copy anymore.  I have the digital copy saved to my phone and while it technically is supposed to be a paper license, after talking to the ranger he said nobody would ever care if you showed them the digital version.  He also said that he wouldn't be surprised if i the future a digital license would become the norm.

[Choporoz]

ff, it wasn't but about 90 miles north of you that I ran into the warden who wasn't all that happy about me trying to show an ecopy

[FunkJishing]

never but I know of a couple that went fishing without theirs and got a 300$ fine.

[Dwight Hottle]

I was caught without my paper license only once. I was shore fishing and my license was in my boat. I had a digital copy on my phone and showed it to the CO, he was satisfied with this.

 

Nowadays I don't really get stopped for a license or boat safety checks, albeit I am usually fishing the same stretch of river and I know all of the CO's and harbor police now (I know them because they used to flag me down me a lot.)

 

Now I'm curious what depth you were fishing at. I catch walleye in 75-80' out here, which to my understanding is about as deep as they'll usually go. Fizzing doesn't really seem like an option at that depth, but maybe I'm wrong. Occasionally I catch crappie in the same area, and sometimes they're dead before I get them to the surface.

 

 

We were fishing the adolphis reach where lake Ontario flows into the bay of quinte. We were marking schools of migrating walleye  down 45-60  over 80 to 100 fow. Once hooked we bring them up slowly but some off them have their air bladders blocking there mouths past the throat. These fish are coming from 120+ fow into water that gradually gets as shallow as 20 fow.  I have caught  walleye elsewhere as deep as 90 feet jigging.  

[hatrix]

I got a ticket for hunting without a pencil... I had one when we started the day though but must of lost it. I was out with others and could of used someone else's but he was kinda being a dick and rules are rules I guess.

We were fishing the adolphis reach where lake Ontario flows into the bay of quinte. We were marking schools of migrating walleye  down 45-60  over 80 to 100 fow. Once hooked we bring them up slowly but some off them have their air bladders blocking there mouths past the throat. These fish are coming from 120+ fow into water that gradually gets as shallow as 20 fow.  I have caught  walleye elsewhere as deep as 90 feet jigging.  

 

They been killing the walleye off the rocks right now. I guess it has been one of the best years and around 6-9 seem to be the magic time. I have a few myself this year but its sketchy even for someone like me walking down there. But them old guys though it out even so. I already watched quite a few people eat it on the rocks. It can be pretty dangerous though and you could end up in the drink or have some broken bones walking on those things very easily if your not on full alert.

[*Hootie]

I've never fished without a license, except as a kid.

Hootie

[BassinLou]

I know several have mentioned a digital copy. I read this tip some time ago on here, and I did it immediately. I made copies of my license. It looks exactly as the master copy. I keep a copy in each of my tackle bags. My bank fishing bag and my boat fishing bag. My license is a card now so i keep that in my wallet at all times. Never been asked to show my license although i have been stopped for boat safety checks. 

[ColdSVT]

One of these days im may get popped for not displaying my license in full view here in PA...i hate that reg!

[Bluebasser86]

I did get caught one lifejacket short once. 3 of us fishing out of my 14' johnboat and there was 3 when we left, but we must have lost one on the way to the lake. I won't ever put the boat on the water a lifejacket short again, that one cheap, orange lifejacket cost me $276!

[skeeter1980]

I don't need to worry about buying a fishing or hunting license again.I turned 65 this past July.In Delaware,no license is needed,when you turn 65.

[MikeJames]

I always make sure I have mine on me. The Conservation Officer here doesn't cut anyone any slack. About 2 years ago my cousin and I were floating a canoe on Back Creek and he yelled at us from the bank to come over, the current was too strong in that area to paddle back to where he was at so we just kept going. Nothing we could do about it. Once we got to the next spot he could pull his truck too he was out in the middle of the creek waste deep waiting for us 4 hours later!!

 

The lake I fish at the most has a pretty narrow road to the boat ramp, I've seen him pull sideways blocking the road so no one could leave and didn't move until he had checked everyone there. One guy was pretty upset because he wouldn't move his truck so he could go to work until he was finished checking everyone at the lake. I think he wrote almost 30 citations that day. 

[Senko lover]

I heard a story once where a guy was taking his wife out fishing. He didn't have a license, but she did. He wasn't planning on fishing, but after a little while, his wife was struggling with casting, so he picked up the rod to show her how to cast. Of course, that was the time the warden decided to show up, and he got fined bigtime.

[Catch and Grease]

I forgot it once or twice but fished anyways, but never got caught without it.

[jignfule]

no

[Bankbeater]

One March I was out and realized that my license had expired. I put the gear back into the car and drove over to the local bait shop to buy a new license.

[Catch and Grease]

Only problem I have with buying license is that the money is supposed to go back into the lakes to maintain them, but heck nobody takes care of the lakes around here, So where is our money going? But the law is the law and I will buy my license as long as I have to.

[powerduster]

Nope, I always have my license on me, but I did get fined $125 a few years ago for literally nothing! I met plenty of game wardens and they were always friendly, but this guy was wacked.