Adrian

I was just wondering how many fishermen get checked for licenses? I stay legal and have a license in Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Montana Yukon territory Alaska in one year and only was asked for it in my home state of Minnesota and fly fishing in Montana. Never saw a warden anywhere else.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

I get checked maybe once every 3 to 4 years.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Same here. Every couple years and never hassled

Reel hip Loc: San Diego, Ca

I get checked about once a year. Usually coming in the channel on my boat they come over in theirs. Always professional.Just glad I get mine. The penalty is over $500 here in CA.

Adrian

I have seen Coast guard on Lake Michigan and the Bering sea near Homer Alaska but they have not checked private vessels that I have seen. Mainly commercial fishing boats.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

They're only concerned with Federal (commercial) licenses. They don't uphold state laws. They will board you to check for safety violations,or search for contraband.
In CT.I've been checked 3 times in last 10yrs.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

In Canada, one day, we were checked three times for illegal fish, slot fish, but only once for a lisc. The fourth time he just smiled and waved us on. He said a lot of times, once I check a boat for illegal fish, then they will keep them. Why they would keep a slot fish is beyond me, you can catch 100 walleyes a day but you can only keep 4. and they will come to the cabin and check the freezer too. They can be nasty and sneaky, but it's their job. Somebody has to do it.

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

I always buy a license for the area I’m fishing. Not just because it’s illegal not to but it supports the sport a little bit. In Oregon I had my license checked about 75% of the times I went fishing. Lots of game and fish cops in Oregon. If you see one and he heads your way your GONNA get checked. Even if the same cop just checked you earlier that day. In Idaho I’ve never been asked. Depends a bunch on where you are. Here in Idaho they’ll ask if you having any luck but they don’t hassle you beyond that. They figure if you’re out fishing you’re probably smart enough to buy a license first.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

We were checked at least 3 different times on the Napa river and twice this year on the Petaluma river.
It's their job guys. Never had a problem with them checkin us.
Have been checked a couple of different times out on Lake Sonoma as well, but that wasn't this year.

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

Sometimes. Some places are revenue influenced. I mean the same guy checking the same person twice in the same day? “COME ON MAN!!!”. What? Do they think you sold your license to somebody or something? Maybe you dropped it in the river so now they can write you a citation? I’ve never been busted for a game or fish violation of any kind but I’ve come real close to getting in trouble for “assaulting an officer of the law”. That’s what they call it if you remind them they already checked you once today. That or “interfering with the duties of a police officer”. I just don’t play their games and they don’t like that at all. Most times they’ll stay back in the distance until you spend the 20/30 minutes it takes to lure fish in then come rushing up to you boat and demand you pull all of your gear out of the water so they can check it. That’s uncalled for if you’re not, obviously violating any laws. Especially with guys like me who’ve been check tons of times and have never been cited for any wrong doing.

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

Got checked once in the last eleven years. It was a young officer that had his 4th of July plans canceled and was assigned to another district other than his own. I saw him idling up the channel on the Mississippi river and waved at him before we drew abreast of his boat and shut off my engine in case he wanted to look us over. He saw me shut down and then he idled over to us, I ask what I could do for him. He ask to see our life jackets and we had them over the backs of the seats, I started to pull them off but he said he saw we had them and said we were good to go. I offered him a cold can of lemon ice tea and he said that would go good because it was a damn hot day. I started to dig out my license but he stopped me and said he was only checking for jackets and I ask why. He said his his 3 day weekend with his wife was ruined by making him work at the last minute and he was only told to check jackets so (THAT) was all he was going to do ! I told him I had the same thing happen to me working in the factory and could understand how he felt, Gave him another can of Tea to go and told him thanks for being there.

FourchonLa. Loc: Fourchon Louisiana, South Louisiana

Only once in my lifetime. See them all the time along the coast randomly checking.

bottomcoon Loc: Tahlequah, oklahoma

I've spent a lot of money buying out of state license over the years & the only place I've ever been checked is right here in Oklahoma. I had to pay a fine years ago for snagging less than 1000 yards below the dam. There was no 1000 yard sign, marker or yellow line. After I signed the ticket the kind lake patrolman informed me I was about 50 feet short of the 1000 yard line. The fine was $75 & he let me keep my fish. I wasn't too upset. He was very professional & said he enjoyed watching me as I had a really good technique. He probably told that to all his victims.

Egghead

A good technique huh lol. I got in trouble once for snagging salmon where it was legal. I turned all the hens loose and kept a limit of males. The game warden thought I was cheating.lol. I wasn't tho, I painted my snagging hook orange so I could see it laying on the bottom. When a red salmon swam in front of it I'd get em every time. He said it was unsportsmanlike. Cuz no one else could catch any. He took my fish. So there i was, on a River with my pole and hook, and no fish. So yep I went and got another limit. He was pissed.lol. but I wasn't in the wrong. And he new it.lol.

bozokarl Loc: south central Pa

Before this year, in the 33 years I've been required to have a license, I've been checked twice. This years every time I went up to the Susquehanna river to fish for catfish I was checked. Before this year I've never even seen a "fish cop" on that stretch of the river.