Why in the world does WA still have paper-only fishing licenses?

Stonedfish said:
Here in Washington, the first catch card comes free with your license. You can buy additional cards if you fill up your first card. It’s kind of worthless if you never plan to retain any fish. If you mail it in to WDFW after your annual license expires, they get data off of it if you retain fish. If you mail in an empty card, they get data that maybe you didn’t fish much or you aren’t much of an angler. 😂
SF
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Great, so now WDFW is judging my spey casting now too? Everyone's a critic I tell ya
 
I think the State could make it easier for those of you who want only digital or as @DimeBrite suggests, a sticker. I'm pretty sure the State's giant computer can check to see if you have purchased a fishing license by scanning a vehicle license plate.

Personally, I'm fine with a paper license and catch card; that just me. I think @Bambooflyguy is probably the same since he has been known to say he doesn't have and won't get a cell phone. This is what Steve relies on:

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April Fool's Day is just around the corner, don't forget to get your new license (and carry it).
 
Buzzy said:
I think the State could make it easier for those of you who want only digital or as @DimeBrite suggests, a sticker. I'm pretty sure the State's giant computer can check to see if you have purchased a fishing license by scanning a vehicle license plate.

Personally, I'm fine with a paper license and catch card; that just me. I think @Bambooflyguy is probably the same since he has been known to say he doesn't have and won't get a cell phone. This is what Steve relies on:

View attachment 147095

April Fool's Day is just around the corner, don't forget to get your new license (and carry it).
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You find the above in front of 7/11 stores next to the movie vending station.
 
I know there are a few fisherman here that like me, have let a fish or two go because you just did not want to deal with the catch card. It’s pouring, the wax paper the catch cards get printed on is going to get soaked and no pen on earth will be able to write on it. Your license and catch card is in your wallet which will require the removal of your rain jacket, wading belt, stripping basket, etc. to retrieve. Then you’ll have to find your pen which is never where it’s supposed to be, and has been likely rendered useless by some super corrosive combination of puget sound water and coho blood and slime.

Ok fishy, just go get netted near your hatchery. I’m just going to buy some chicken for dinner tonight.
 
Stonedfish said:
Even if you don’t plan to keep a fish?
Does this river have species of fish in it that don’t require a catch card to retain? If so, how would they determine what species you are fishing for?
SF
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Yes, I told him the first day I don’t keep fish and he said it didn’t matter. This river has trout, bass, pike minnows, whitefish but also steelhead and salmon. I was swinging for steelhead .
 
DKL said:
Yes, I told him the first day I don’t keep fish and he said it didn’t matter. This river has trout, bass, pike minnows, whitefish but also stealhead and salmon.
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Thanks for the reply. That seems very odd to me if you didn’t intend to keep any fish or could have been fishing for the other species that don’t require a catch card.
SF
 
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A reminder here to log in to your account in Oregon or Idaho BEFORE you lose service if you plan on retaining fish. Fishing in Oregon with a friend last fall and he caught a couple of hatchery steelhead. Went to report the catch and he wasn't able to since he wasn't logged in. Fearing a ticket, I reported them on my app since I was logged in and had caught none. Luckily we found a guy with a Starlink setup (and a big screen tv to watch the World Series......) and he got logged in for the next day.

At least we couldn't figure out how to do it. Maybe there is a way?
 
Random (slightly germane) question: does anyone know the technical name or trade name for the type of material the WA licenses / catch cards are printed on? I'm poking around for an art project and would like to print some things on a similar waterproof / tear-proof material.
 
The reason Oregon, Utah, Montana, Idaho, etc... "beat" Washington to digital licensing is that we don't have a state income tax in Washington, so we rely entirely on revenue from discretionary spending to pay for government programs. When discretionary spending goes down, so goes state revenue, and we end up with completely predictable budget shortfalls every few years as a result. No funding, no improvement to government services. It's just that simple, and in my opinion, just that stupid.

It's plenty ironic that the "red" states tend to have state income taxes, but the end result is that those states have more reliable revenue streams, and they get more planned initiatives accomplished, in good times and bad, because of it.
 
Phil Fravel said:
Knowing this state they will hire several companies and do various prototypes. Waist a ton of $$$ and increase fees

Should of hired the company that did Oregons!!
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Alaska is downright impressive. I didn't think a government agency could make it so easy for me to give them money. Kudos to you Alaska.
 
jasmillo said:
I know there are a few fisherman here that like me, have let a fish or two go because you just did not want to deal with the catch card. It’s pouring, the wax paper the catch cards get printed on is going to get soaked and no pen on earth will be able to write on it. Your license and catch card is in your wallet which will require the removal of your rain jacket, wading belt, stripping basket, etc. to retrieve. Then you’ll have to find your pen which is never where it’s supposed to be, and has been likely rendered useless by some super corrosive combination of puget sound water and coho blood and slime.
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That paper...there is better paper. Like Rite In The Rain brand paper, which works great even when soaked, provided that you're using a pencil to write with. But WDFW requires using a pen on catch cards. Good thing it isn't ever rainy during salmon season in salmon country...
 
Shad said:
The reason Oregon, Utah, Montana, Idaho, etc... "beat" Washington to digital licensing is that we don't have a state income tax in Washington, so we rely entirely on revenue from discretionary spending to pay for government programs. When discretionary spending goes down, so goes state revenue, and we end up with completely predictable budget shortfalls every few years as a result. No funding, no improvement to government services. It's just that simple, and in my opinion, just that stupid.

It's plenty ironic that the "red" states tend to have state income taxes, but the end result is that those states have more reliable revenue streams, and they get more planned initiatives accomplished, in good times and bad, because of it.
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You say this like Washington doesn't collect epic levels of tax revenue from other streams.
 
Matt B said:
But WDFW requires using a pen on catch cards. Good thing it isn't ever rainy during salmon season in salmon country...
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You could use one of RITA'S other products. Always have one with me. Works great on my WA paper tags, while I wait for them to make the electronic license/tag switch.

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I've mentioned this for years to the WDFW. Especially once their app was put into effect. Put it as part of the app. Plus when you land that fish you can hit the locate/GPS button to auto log body off water.

I was in Montana, with my son, fishing and few years back. My license was online and kept a copy on my phone in case I was out of cell range.
 
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