Running into fishing enforcement on my first day flyfishing...

Josh

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
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Posting over on the thread about the guy ODFW/OSP is looking for reminded me of this story.

I came later to fishing than many of you. I got my first rod in my early 20's from a flea market. A cheapo pflueger of some sort, I believe. A buddy set me up with a reel/line and I tracked down a handful of junk flies at the hardware store.

I'd watched some videos and wanted to practice casting. So I headed out to a local lake to cast from shore. I don't know that I even had a license at this point. I had no idea what I was doing and the wind was blowing pretty good and it was amazing I didn't hook myself in the ear. I hadn't been there 10 minutes (but was already untangling my 5th wind knot) when a guy came up and started giving me the hard press. What are you doing, where's your license, why are you here? And so on.

Turns out he was a plain clothes WDFW agent (or maybe WSP?) and was watching the lake because it turned out I was fishing the friday before opening day Saturday and the lake was one that gets stocked to the gills. I had no idea when opening day was, no idea what the regs said, and was generally pretty clueless. Thankfully, I wasn't so clueless that I hadn't clipped the hooks off my crappy practice flies. So the guy just gave me a tongue-lashing and sent me on my way. First and, thus far, only time I've had an on the water interaction with fisheries enforcement in WA.

 
I often see the Oregon State Patrol on Oregon waters and appreciate their presence. Been checked multiple times by officers in drift boats and jet boats on the lower 25 miles of the Deschutes River. In Washington, I have had only a few encounters over the years. In my youth, I forgot my hunting license on opening day of bird season. At that time, upland bird hunting started at noon to give the deer hunters a chance to hunt in the morning. After my dad chewed me out, he called the officer (I believe it was Fish and Game back then), who gave me a pass for the day. Last summer, I pulled into the boat launch near my house and a WDFW Enforcement truck stopped at the top of the ramp. Turns out he lives nearby and we had a nice conversation about walleye fishing. WDFW officers are spread thin in Eastern Washington and he said the launch we were at is not a hot spot for enforcement issues.
 
I have been checked exactly once by a WDFW officer. I was at the pullout adjacent to the Fox Island bridge and was surprised but pleased that someone was checking. I was less pleased when he discovered that my fly, acquired in a swap on the old site, still had an intact barb which I hadn’t noticed. That will be a warning son!
 
Josh said:
Posting over on the thread about the poacher ODFW/OSP is looking for reminded me of this story.

I came later to fishing than many of you. I got my first rod in my early 20's from a flea market. A cheapo pflueger of some sort, I believe. A buddy set me up with a reel/line and I tracked down a handful of junk flies at the hardware store.

I'd watched some videos and wanted to practice casting. So I headed out to a local lake to cast from shore. I don't know that I even had a license at this point. I had no idea what I was doing and the wind was blowing pretty good and it was amazing I didn't hook myself in the ear. I hadn't been there 10 minutes (but was already untangling my 5the wind knot) when a guy came up and started giving me the hard press. What are you doing, where's your license, why are you here? And so on.

Turns out he was a plain clothes WDFW agent (or maybe WSP?) and was watching the lake because it turned out I was fishing the friday before opening day and the lake was one that gets stocked to the gills. I had no idea when opening day was, no idea what the regs said, and was generally pretty clueless. Thankfully, I wasn't so clueless that I hadn't clipped the hooks off my crappy practice flies. So the guy just gave me a tongue-lashing and sent me on my way. First and, thus far, only time I've had an on the water interaction with fisheries enforcement in WA.

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I didn't start fly fishing until my mid to late 20s. But I'd fished for trout with a spinning rod my whole life. Self taught, no one else in my family fished.
 
Zak said:
I didn't start fly fishing until my mid to late 20s. But I'd fished for trout with a spinning rod my whole life. Self taught, no one else in my family fished.
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I'd fished a bit as a kid, visiting grandparents in FL, etc. But it wasn't a big part of my family's life. So it wasn't until I got that flea market rod that I started the journey.
 
I think some folks aren’t aware of or are at least familiar with all the rules involving fishing here. Some fisheries also seem to attract anyone who has a fish’n pole, regardless of whether they have a license or not. This will happen a lot this summer, guaranteed.
I went years without being checked, but I’ve been checked four times in the last eight years or so, ironically all at the same beach and three times by the same officer. They last time they didn’t even ask for my license since they said they recognized my vehicle. 😂
SF
 
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I got checked about a month ago at a beach I rarely see another angler at. It was a crappy day outside and I was with my two year old. Basically drove to the beach to get him out of the house, and picked a beach an hour out of town so he’d get a nap. The officer pulled up within a few minutes of me getting there, after maybe two casts.

The officer was a nice guy, and I had my license on me and my barb clipped, so it was low stress. I had accidentally left my discover pass in my glove box, and scrambled over to get it, but he told me “eh, no one cares about those.” Y’all’s mileage may vary on that one.

Anyway, that and some chit chatting took about 10 minutes, at the end of which my two year old walked into the water and my day was done with no additional fishing. Good times.
 
NRC said:
Anyway, that and some chit chatting took about 10 minutes, at the end of which my two year old walked into the water and my day was done with no additional fishing. Good times.
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Been there done that. Always bring for them a full change of clothes going pretty much anywhere but especially near water, including socks and shoes, until they’re about 5. Then hopefully they don’t do it a second time (but they might). Good job getting the kid out. Hopefully the nap plan worked.
 
I must attract WDFW enforcement. I get checked at least once a year. On the lake, at the launch, out on the Sound. I thank them for paying attention. I can’t recall a negative interaction, except the time I tried to BS an officer about forgetting my license when I was 18. That didn’t go well 🤦‍♂️
 
On the other thread, Josh’s comment that most of the folks he has encountered that are not following the rules are gear fishers reminded me of one of my few encounters with DFW enforcement. I was fishing the North Fork Stilly late in the season after the fly only season had ended. Most fly guys had called it quits for the season, knowing that the river would be crowded with gear guys. I was standing in the middle of a run with gear guys both up and downstream when I saw a warden coming up the river checking licenses and gear. When she (yes, she) approached where I was, I waded out and asked if she wanted to see my license. She said ‘thanks, but no; I never have any problem with fly fishers’ and she headed upstream to check the next gear fisherman.
 
I have been checked about once a year for the past 4 or 5. Twice this year, once coho fishing and once chum fishing, plus a coast guard check on my boat. I think it happens more often to folks fishing popular salmon spots. All have been pleasant interactions.

I wish they were out more. Some years/some spots I bet they could fill their ticket quota for the year in a couple of days of checking folks.
 
I have never had my fishing license checked in any state. I had my hunting license checked for the first time ever at the tail end of bear season in July…not by a warden but a county sheriff.
 
I've actually been checked in British Columbia multiple times. Which is odd given that I don't have that many fishing days up there overall. One time they made me hold up my license so they could look at it from the bank with binoculars. I was pretty surprised.
 
Been checked quite a few times over the years...never a problem because I was legit, and I am always glad see them 'out and about'

A few years back my grandson and I had our licenses checked by a USFS Ranger in the Colville NF. I think he was mostly concerned about whether we were going to start a campfire (we weren't intending to) because they'd recently been prohibited due to high fire danger.

Many years ago a friend and I were bass fishing from his boat at Eloika Lake, and a WDFG officer pulled up way too fast and slammed into our boat, putting a dent in the gunwale. Apologizing profusely, he asked to see our licenses, and left in hurry.
 
Josh said:
I've actually been checked in British Columbia multiple times. Which is odd given that I don't have that many fishing days up there overall. One time they made me hold up my license so they could look at it from the bank with binoculars. I was pretty surprised.
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I’ve had that happen twice (binocular check). One time each while living in MT and CO. I appreciated not having to wade out of the river to show my license.
 
jasmillo said:
I’ve had that happen twice (binocular check). One time each while living in MT and CO. I appreciated not having to wade out of the river to show my license.
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I have only been checked once in 60+ years of fishing. Like you, it was in MT. and I was also pleased as well as surprised they used binoculars.

They have their act together for sure.
 
jasmillo said:
I’ve had that happen twice (binocular check). One time each while living in MT and CO. I appreciated not having to wade out of the river to show my license.
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Horseback CO Fish & Wildlife warden, that was an experience.
 
Matt B said:
Been there done that. Always bring for them a full change of clothes going pretty much anywhere but especially near water, including socks and shoes, until they’re about 5. Then hopefully they don’t do it a second time (but they might). Good job getting the kid out. Hopefully the nap plan worked.
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Oh for sure. We had a change with us, but it was cold enough that he lost all zest for the beach by the time I got him changed.

Looking forward to some spring and summer beach days, though! The boys got a shade tent and a kite for Christmas, which reflects my plans.
 
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