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I was fishing a newly stocked reservoir where it was legal to keep two bass any size and the rest had to be 12" minimum. There was a guy fishing from the bank who had two junior bass and a few bream on a stringer in the water in front of him, but every time he caught another small bass, he'd go put it in one of the buckets in the trunk of his car. My buddy and I got checked by a game warden on the water and he checked our livewell for small bass. We were crappie fishing and not keeping any bass, even though it was hard to keep 'em off the hook. My buddy told the game warder he should go check the guy fishing from the bank & the warden said he already had. My buddy asked if he checked the guy's trunk and the warden looked at us like a deer in the headlights. He got on the radio and had a game warden on foot patrol go stake the guy out from the woods to catch him putting undersized bass in his trunk. That warder radioed two other agents and the warden in the boat, who made a coordinated swoop in on the guy to bust him. I don't know what the final fine was, but they charged him for each undersized bass in his possession, (which was something like 120+ bass) and he lost his fishing license on top of it. It was a little over-kill, but they were looking to make an example of anyone stealing the resources and they got one in a big way.
Jim
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but if you're saying the guy had 120+ undersized bass in possession and they took his fishing license. You believe this punishment was overkill?
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I would say he's lucky they didn't lock him up, as
I feel they should have. This man had stolen from 60 other people...
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I'm saying that it shouldn't have taken 3 game wardens in vehicles and another in a boat to bust one stationary fisherman abusing the limit. I'm thrilled he got ticketed and lost his license, though I feel like he got off light. Not all of those bass would have survived, but they were put there in hopes that some of them might have for everybody to enjoy & appreciate.
If it were up to me, I would have taken one of his fingers too. That way, he'd have a permanent reminder to think about stealing resources from the people again. But maybe that's just me.
Jim
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Some folks just do it, Very few get caught! I can't stand to do anything that I have to look over my shoulder. As far as I am concerned - lay it on them.
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I fished for 30 minutes and suddenly remembered my KS. fishing license expired January 7th --- I got the heck outta there ----- $27.50 paid up at Walmart and good fer a year![emoji2][emoji226][emoji476]
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pays to double check the dates on your license before going, provided one was bought in the first place.
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I don't believe the stamp is required, so long as you release the fish you catch requiring the stamp.
The license laws can be confusing, and some of the senior life time licenses can be also. Maybe by design?
Florida cant be beat as for that, when you turn 65 you simply stop buying licenses, both hunting and fishing.
Assuming your a resident of coarse.
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I used to frequently get checked at the boat ramps and docks for license and boat being legally equipped with life jackets etc. The last 2 years they just wave and drive on. I did have a ranger in a boat ask to see my life jacket. And a ranger helped me load a small plastic pontoon boat on a trailer.
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In Arkansas about 4-5 years ago a man caught a new state record bass but was fishing without a license. He had a relative buy a license for him after the fact but the Game and Fish authorities investigated and discovered the deception. He lost his claim to the record and was cited for no license. IIRC he had been previously ticketed for no license. A fishing license is only $10.50 here.