Have you ever had to produce your Licence ever?

[Mat Hillman]

I voted 7 times, which I think is about right! been fishing around 27ish years

 

 

Did also pack up and leave burgess park lake (near old kent road, london) rather sharpish a couple of times when I was a teenager too

 

 

Mat

[chesters1]

once in 1969? at the kent championships and a couple of years ago although i wasn't fishing but strolling around the pond

[Matthew Simmons]

Just the once - in 1977 by a Wessex Water Bailiff back in the days before EA

[azrael]

had to show my licence lots of times

[Snakehead]

Hardly been asked in years but did get checked 3 times last year,think they were having a purge in our area

 

I can go a long time with out needing it and then all of a sudden I need to show it a few times.

[Phone]

All,

 

A couple inches of snow falling (6pm Sun). This is just a musing on "license checks"...

 

Here, in the US, license enforcement is essentially a function of law enforcement. While specialized officers are charged with this function they carry the benefit of law. When you get a "ticket", just like a traffic ticket, it is very serious. They can, and sometimes do, seize equiment, ALL of it. Each state is responsible for the enforcement of the laws of that state.

 

While they are not supposed to, most state DNR (Department of Natural Resources) officers "profile" anglers. If a guy is in a $50,000 boat/trailer and equally expensive pick-up truck with all the patches and badges on his vest; 5 or six rods; 400 lures; - - - you get the picture - - - - they often don't get checked. Family picnics, pop, mom and the kids, often do get checked. The family guy will have a rod and reel; a can of beer and can of worms bank fishing is doomed to produce his license. Often just a warning ticket is issued.

 

Old guys don't need licenses in MOST states. Maybe 3 states require over 65 yr old anglers to purchase licenses and then only if they are "out of state" non-residences.

 

While I used to get checked frequently - because I fit the profile for bank fishing - I haven't been checked in probably the last 10 years. I am an old guy now. When the thread question was posed and I responded it was in answer to the question as though it was many years ago. They really do leave old guys alone.

 

Think I'll go watch it snow now. 3 - 4 inches more expected.

 

Phone

[badexcuseforanangler]

Ive just had a count back think its about 5 times in 30 years, Dam can I really be that old that I have been fishing for 30 years ?

[chezz]

The poll is quite simple. For those only please that have fished for more than 5 years how many times have you been asked to produce your licence?

 

In 20 years for me...Once!

 

For me never in 43 years is that any surprise?

[andy_youngs]

For me never in 43 years is that any surprise?

 

Not to me. I've been asked to produce ID once in 46 years. In order to get it out of the way, I pleaded guilty (because I was). But that's not really the issue. The real issue is about whether the authorities should be using these powers, and how they should be reported.

[azrael]

Not to me. I've been asked to produce ID once in 46 years. In order to get it out of the way, I pleaded guilty (because I was). But that's not really the issue. The real issue is about whether the authorities should be using these powers, and how they should be reported.

 

i think it is the issue just because they do not ask for licence does not mean you should not buy one

 

would you have got one if they ask you to show it a few times each year

 

it might be different if you never knew you needed one but they make a very good effort now to put the rules up explaining that you need a licence and not to take fish