Fishing License

BDD

BDD

Steelhead
Going to vent here a little bit and potentially see if it is a problem with just me or does it impact others as well. I'm not sure what it is about fishing licenses but I struggle with keeping and finding them throughout the year. My day was jammed packed with chores today but since Snoqualmie Pass is looking dicey, I decided to cancel my work assignments and go fishing at the last minute instead. I'm sad to report that this would have been the first time fishing in many months and am excited about spring fishing. But I'll be damned if I remember where my fishing license is. With all the different boats, bags, vehicles, coats, etc. I have always struggled keeping track of that little paper, which ironically is the key to much of life's pleasures for me. I must be a slow learner as I never seem to figure it out. But because of that, I'll spend a good part of the day just looking for a little piece of paper that says I can go fishing. I'm not sure if I am more frustrated with me or WDFW for not having a better system to prove to them I have a license. I used to keep just the license part in my wallet as all the other stuff that comes with it seemed less useful to a C&R angler. But when I went to confirm it was there, nothing. I sure wish I'd either become more disciplined with keeping it handy or WDFW would come up with a system where they could simply check me with me giving them my name. With all the crap (and I've minimized a lot of stuff over the years) you take with you on a fishing trip, it seems a little silly that none of that matters if you don't have a small little piece of paper giving you the okay by the government to go fishing.
 
I keep all of my fishing licenses in the ugly bright orange plastic holder I got when I went to a store years ago to buy my first WA license...and I put it into my main backpack which has a small zippered compartment inside the bag...
 
I struggle with the same thing. I try to keep it in a basket on the counter where I keep my wallet and keys, but sometimes it ends up in a fishing bag, could be a lake bag, or a steelhead bag, or a stream bag. I try to keep it with my lanyard of tools which I always need to go fishing. Maybe I could connect it to the lanyard somehow.
 
BDD said:
Going to vent here a little bit and potentially see if it is a problem with just me or does it impact others as well. I'm not sure what it is about fishing licenses but I struggle with keeping and finding them throughout the year. My day was jammed packed with chores today but since Snoqualmie Pass is looking dicey, I decided to cancel my work assignments and go fishing at the last minute instead. I'm sad to report that this would have been the first time fishing in many months and am excited about spring fishing. But I'll be damned if I remember where my fishing license is. With all the different boats, bags, vehicles, coats, etc. I have always struggled keeping track of that little paper, which ironically is the key to much of life's pleasures for me. I must be a slow learner as I never seem to figure it out. But because of that, I'll spend a good part of the day just looking for a little piece of paper that says I can go fishing. I'm not sure if I am more frustrated with me or WDFW for not having a better system to prove to them I have a license. I used to keep just the license part in my wallet as all the other stuff that comes with it seemed less useful to a C&R angler. But when I went to confirm it was there, nothing. I sure wish I'd either become more disciplined with keeping it handy or WDFW would come up with a system where they could simply check me with me giving them my name. With all the crap (and I've minimized a lot of stuff over the years) you take with you on a fishing trip, it seems a little silly that none of that matters if you don't have a small little piece of paper giving you the okay by the government to go fishing.
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Dave -
I've always kept mine in the same folder that Brute's talking about but then sometimes that folder is in my boat tote, sometimes I need it in my carp fanny pack, sometimes my backpack and sometimes my float tube....... so this past year I transferred it to my wallet which I somehow usually remember to take. Last summer I was wet wading and forgot that my wallet was in my pants; wallet soaked. DFW's paper may be waterproof but the ink isn't*. Why in the heck don't they have a digital image we can have on our phones? The only person I know who doesn't have a phone is that stubborn @Bambooflyguy ;-) Good luck finding it, Dave.

Buzz


* I got checked by DFW enforcement, they were able to sort of see that the license was valid despite most of the lack of nonwaterproof ink.
 
I’d have to imagine WDFW can verify you have purchased a license should you forget it and a small miracle happens and you do actually get checked.
Your drivers license or ssn # should be enough to verify you did indeed purchased one.
Not being able to find it won’t stop me from going fishing.
SF
 
Each year's fishing license never leaves my wallet, along with my driver's license and concealed pistol license (none of which I want to be without should I encounter a LEO requesting to see them). I've had to produce each of them at one time or another.

When I'm on water fishing the wallet goes in a small dry bag and is on my person at all times.

I'm sure that if you forget such documents (but possess them) and get cited you could go to court and plead for a reduced or forgiven penalty, but who wants to go through that shit?
 
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You wonder if they make it difficult to enhance ticketing opportunities and thus increased revenue.....just a thought.
 
Just take a picture of it, as long as you can read your hunter angler ID that should be all you need, unless you need a harvest card on you. I have been told by police that a photo of my insurance card is also ok, insurance doesn't even send the paper cards anymore, as long as you have your policy # they just run it in the computer. Since oregon now prints you 9x11 sheet of paper if you dont use the ap I just trim all the excess white off, fold it up and put it in a little plastic drug baggie and into the credit card slot of my wallet.
 
Jim Allen said:
You wonder if they make it difficult to enhance ticketing opportunities and thus increased revenue.....just a thought.
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I think they have plenty of ticketing opportunities without resorting to such tactics. Lots of offenders and the WDFG officers are spread quite thin.
 
Fishing essentials are always in the essential hat. This hat, (except for the taking of this photo) resides in my truck or on my tying desk.

As suggested above take a picture on your phone.IMG_20230303_083537352[1].jpg
 
I also keep my license in the little plastic thing which stays in my fishing shirt pocket at all times. I don’t change shirts accept at the end of my fishing for the year. When I buy a new license I change shirts. One year I went for a swim and my license went blank, I went to the store and showed them the blank license. Got a new license for no cost.
 
Bagman said:
I also keep my license in the little plastic thing which stays in my fishing shirt pocket at all times. I don’t change shirts accept at the end of my fishing for the year. When I buy a new license I change shirts. One year I went for a swim and my license went blank, I went to the store and showed them the blank license. Got a new license for no cost.
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And you don't have to worry about being accompanied by any members of the fairer sex during any of your fishing trips! Genius move!

Reminds me of the Patrick McManus character Rancid Crabtree! Rancid claimed he never got sick or bothered by skeeters because he was coated with a layer of 'protective grime' from never bathing.
 
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