Anybody Ever Get Caught Without Their License?

[DirtyDeuceGoose]

I will even go as far as buying a weekend license when I head to my neighbor's cabin and fish the tiny little lake that it sits on. I've never seen a conservation officer but that doesn't mean I won't some day.

[PAGreg]

Pennsylvania just started selling 5 year licenses. So I bought one of those and will be covered for awhile.

[bkohlman]

Never gone fishing without a license. Never will.

[Patrick Morrow]

No inspector have ever in my lifetime even asked me for fishing license. Still I always bought it just to support local fishing associations manage fish stocks so I could have a change to fish in future too.

[SudburyBasser]

The last time I bumped into a CO while I was fishing was the late 1990s so I haven't been checked since then.

 

That said, I always have a licence with me with the exception of one time last year when I forgot it at home. After driving for over an hour to a spot I realized that I hadn't brought it. I dared Murphy's Law by going ahead with my fishing. Fortunately no COs that day.

[ABW]

Only 16 so I don't need a license yet here in Indiana. The public pond where I fish at never gets checked, unfortunately. 

[Trek]

  At 56 I've been checked a few times in two different countries and several different states. No big deal I have always had them. You got to figure they are only doing their job. I alway buy on line because I can print more then one copy. I keep one in my wallet, one in the truck and one in the boat. It works

[bigbassctchr101]

I was lucky enough to get caught without HAVING mine.  But i did buy them. 

I flipped a lawn tractor and my wallet fell out and got chopped all to shreds.  I did not have anything in whole...my drivers license, scuba cert, college id, everything was in pieces.

I picked through what I had left of my id's and put them in another wallet. Since i did buy the license my info was on file. So he was able to call it in with no problem. 

I went to school for Wildlife and Fisheries and knew a lot of the same guys he did...so that also helped to have some convo while he was checking into it.

[J Francho]

Never been caught, but I have accidentally been fishing without a license, or with an expired one.  Thankfully, NY has changed their stupid "fall to fall" season pass, and gone to a license that is valid for one year after purchase.

[EvanT123]

Yes. Needed to get a lawyer and was let go "in the interest of justice."

[geo g]

Several years ago I was stopped, and checked, on Alligator Alley. He did a completed inspection of the boat. Two weeks later, I run into the same guy, and he did it again, including the boat. When I told him about the first inspection he said, "I'll probably see you again soon". I even dropped the name of his boss, who played full back for me, 30 years ago. It didn't faze him a bit!

[cbass12]

I've had a lifetime combo hunt/fish license since I was 18, and it never leaves my wallet so it's always with me. So needless to say the only time I'm without the license is when I'm sleeping.

[Chris S]

Nope never leaves my wallet, I have had my boat registration looked at more than my FL, got a fix it ticket once because the GW didnt like the color of my call letters. 

[Chris S]

Several years ago I was stopped, and checked, on Alligator Alley. He did a completed inspection of the boat. Two weeks later, I run into the same guy, and he did it again, including the boat. When I told him about the first inspection he said, "I'll probably see you again soon". I even dropped the name of his boss, who played full back for me, 30 years ago. It didn't faze him a bit!

I hear ya on that, I had the same GW do it to me on a back to back Saturday and Sunday, not that I care or had anything to hide, guess they have a quota to meet on boat inspections.

[Yumf2]

In wisconsin where I live you don't need a fishing licence till you are 16, and my dad and I got stopped by a warden on my 16th birthday! I told him I turned 16 in like a week and he believed me. I regret lying to the warden but I went home and baught a licence. No harm done

[ColdSVT]

Never been caught, but I have accidentally been fishing without a license, or with an expired one. Thankfully, NY has changed their stupid "fall to fall" season pass, and gone to a license that is valid for one year after purchase.

I liked that change!

I need to get a new for ny next time i am up there

mine expires in APR lol

Gonna get a five year PA this spring

[DILLY07]

I always will have a license with me. I have a 3 year license. One in truck, one in tacklebag, one in my wallet. I check them each I go tournaments, trips and all. I've been checked couple times. They are friendly around here. Now, they know who I am now. I'll see them once awhile, they will holler then ill talk back and see how Im doing.

 

Always have your license.

[ClackerBuzz]

Pennsylvania just started selling 5 year licenses. So I bought one of those and will be covered for awhile.

same here. so nice not to have to buy it every year.

i switch out bags/gear often depending if i'm fishing from my canoe, kayak or jon boat so i'm guilty of forgetting my physical license.  i never forget my smart phone so took a pix of my license. i also bought my license at Dicks sporting goods and had them email me a receipt for back up.  

[ww2farmer]

I never have been for not having a license, because I always have one, but I have been ticketed for not enough safety equipment in the boat. Which was just a mental lapse on my part. it rained the last day I was out, I took the life jackets out to hang them up to dry, I put mine back in, but forgot the 2nd one for a potential passenger. Well I had a passenger and got stopped the next time out, NBD small $25 fine, and the officer let me have his spare life jacket so we could keep fishing the rest of the day, and I dropped it off at the boat ramp attendants building at the end of the day, so it wasn't a total fiasco.

[DaRy03621]

Yes, an expired license.  I grew up in PA, and was used to Jan-Jan licensing.  When I moved to IN, the license ran from April-April and wasn't used to that.  Got caught on April 3rd with an expired license...dooh!!!   I realized it as soon as I handed him my license, but was trueful at least.  I went and bought my license the day that it happened.  He gave me a fine, and I decided to take it to court.  Proved to the judge that I didn't intend to fish illegally, was a just a mental lapse and was let off!  That was the only time though.

[Jaderose]

Nope.  I have gone out and realized I didn't have my wallet.  I left.  I know out local CO and would undoubtedly get away with it.  She knows I have one.  Not the point.  I try to be a good steward and an example.  Not carrying your license is neither of those.

[basscatcher8]

I buy all my licenses online from Illinois DNR. You get a PDF of your license which I proceed to print several copies off and place them in all gear bags as well as my wallet. Long as I remember to renew which I do April 1st every year I have no issues.

[WarrEagle]

I know this thread is old, but I have to contribute to this anyway. Back in 1992, I was in a john boat with my BIL, smoking a bowl out on a lake in a park in Hillsborough County, FL. We only went out to smoke and drink a beer. We had poles in the john boat, but they were never taken out of the rod holders. Game warden comes along, sees us, pulls up along side and asks for licenses. My BIL has his, he was there to fish, I did not have a license and never even touched a pole. Guess what? Cited for Fishing W/O a valid license. Warden insisted that I 'could' have been fishing. Despite my objections and pleadings, cited anyway.

 

I don't remember the fine, at the time it was a lot I'm sure as I was a young buck. But to this day, it comes up on every background check that is run for pre-employment and I end up explaining it. It's just an infraction, not even a misdemeanor but its on my national criminal file. The only blot on my file at that.

 

It was only a citation, no arrest, no confiscation of my BIL gear. Just a major PITA and it still screws with me 25 years later. Moral of this story, never step foot on a boat with fishing gear in it without a license. 

[OperationEagle]

So here is a question.  If an angler for some reason doesn't have their license on them but has purchased one, why can't the DNR just check by scanning a drivers license?...assuming the angler has a drivers license.  

 

when I buy my fishing license they look it up using my DL number.

 

maybe they can?

[iceintheveins]

I've forgot it a couple times but they said just make sure to have it next time. One made me quit fishing but the other said I could keep fishing since he knew me. Getting caught without one is a $100 fine around here first offense and 5 or 10 points on your license (20 points means a suspension). I think the whole confiscating gear is HORRIBLE and of questionable constitutionality, but they generally only do that for severe offenses, of which I think it's fine UPON conviction. If you get your stuff taken, even temporarily, for not having a license (unless you're a habitual offender), the punishment DOES NOT fit the crime.