Don't Forget Your 2007 License

JackM

JackM

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Like I did. I will have to stop by Wal-Mart tomorrow or buy on line as I plan to get out for a bit. :-(
 
Dear Jack,

Weren't you the guy a month ago who was telling us to buy our license now so that we could get 13 months of use out of it for the price of 12?

I bought my license at the Fish Commission Headquarter's the other day. It is one of the new computer generated licenses and the dang thing looks like an airport luggage tag. Gone are the pretty trout stamps if you buy a computer version.

Happy New Year!

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
IF YOU BUY ONE ONLINE DON'T FORGET TO PRINT MORE THAN ONE COPY BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THOSE FISHING LICENSE HOLDERS HOLD UP WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS :lol:
 
Fredrick wrote:
IF YOU BUY ONE ONLINE DON'T FORGET TO PRINT MORE THAN ONE COPY BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THOSE FISHING LICENSE HOLDERS HOLD UP WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS :lol:

Fredrick....SSShhhhhhhhhush, some folks are sensitive about that....and you never know who is watching. (I bury my extra ones in a hole in the back yard.) :-D
 
Maurice wrote:
Fredrick wrote:
IF YOU BUY ONE ONLINE DON'T FORGET TO PRINT MORE THAN ONE COPY BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THOSE FISHING LICENSE HOLDERS HOLD UP WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS :lol:

Fredrick....SSShhhhhhhhhush, some folks are sensitive about that....and you never know who is watching. (I bury my extra ones in a hole in the back yard.) :-D


I hear the mandatory minimum sentence on printing out an extra license is 20 years in solitary.
 
I hear the mandatory minimum sentence on printing out an extra license is 20 years in solitary

Pad, I could do that time easy considering that i'm a Federal Corrections Officer :lol:
 
Fredrick,
I put my license holder inside my vest to protect it, I know what everyopne is going to say, but the streams I fish I'd be getting a replacement every other week. I also print an extra one just in case.
 
I stopped displaying my license years ago after I watched one float down the Bushkill. I now do the on-line thing for the obvious advantages. I can live without the pretty trout stamp, you can always buy a real one and stick it on.

Funny thing is; since I started tucking away my license in my pocket; I have had at least three WCOCE, (WCO Close Encounters) and have never been asked once for my license.

I'd GLADLY pay an extra $5 a year for a button like the old days.

As a matter of fact I REALLY wish the PFBC would create a multi year or lifetime license for pre-seniors. My drivers license and gun permit are both multi year. What's the problem? I don't understand why the Fish Commission feels it necessary to verify identification and proof of residency every year.

It's all about cash isn't it? Why not get some in advance?
 
Bamboozle wrote:
I stopped displaying my license years ago after I watched one float down the Bushkill. I now do the on-line thing for the obvious advantages. I can live without the pretty trout stamp, you can always buy a real one and stick it on.

Funny thing is; since I started tucking away my license in my pocket; I have had at least three WCOCE, (WCO Close Encounters) and have never been asked once for my license.

I'd GLADLY pay an extra $5 a year for a button like the old days.

As a matter of fact I REALLY wish the PFBC would create a multi year or lifetime license for pre-seniors. My drivers license and gun permit are both multi year. What's the problem? I don't understand why the Fish Commission feels it necessary to verify identification and proof of residency every year.

It's all about cash isn't it? Why not get some in advance?

PRE-SENIORS!!! That's a new one to me. Good word. And I think just about everyone who isn't already a senior would qualify.

In most states you just carry your license in your wallet. Displaying the license is a pain. The license holders you buy for 50 cents seem to be made of a material called Tearable Plastic. Also, sometimes I wear a vest, sometimes not. So when I don't wear a vest, I have to take the holder off the vest and put in on my shirt. But then if it gets chilly and I put on a jacket or sweatshirt, I have to take the holder off and refasten it. Same if rains and you put on a raincoat. Then if the sun comes out again... You get the picture. It's just absurd. Instead of fishing, you spend the day playing pin the license.

So I started pinning the license holder on my fishing cap in the time-honored PA tradition. But sometimes I forget my fishing cap. Also, sometimes I reach up to adjust my fishing cap and jab the point of the pin of the license holder into my hand. I've actually drawn blood that way.

In Colorado, I bought the license, put it in my wallet with my drivers license. Done. You can than fish to your heart's content without giving the license another thought. If a WCO wants to check the license he asks you and you pull out your wallet and show it to him.
 
Well said, Bamboozle.
 
Sure would make things a lot simpler if you didn't have to display your lic, but why would they do that..Most of the times when I've been checked they make you come out of the water and take it out of the holder and show it to them anyway.

After losing one a few years ago,, I started hooking it with a safetypin alone with the holder pin for more security, it's worked so far.
 
A few years back, I purchased one of those instant laminator packets at Staples. All you do is put the license between two clear plastic sheets, one or both of which are sticky and press and smooth. I leave about one inch extra plastic on one of the sides and then use a paper punch to make two holes where the pin (from an old license holder) can go through. This works way better than the old license holder because moisture cannot get inside. The license looked the same on December 31 as it did when I bought it. I pin it on my hat. When it rains and I'm wearing a hooded rain jacket, I ignore the "outer garment" requirement, knowing that a WCO is either not going to be out in the rain, or if they are, they'll understand.
 
Dear Board,

Just spend $ 2.00 and get a hunting license holder. I've had the same one for 15 years and it has never fallen off a vest or chest pack. I just clip it to a D-ring and know it will always be there, the D-ring would rip from the fabric before that big old safety pin will fail.

Another advantage to the hunting license holder is that it is available in blaze orange so on the extreme outside chance that your license falls off it is much easier to spot. To me the greatest advantage is the license holder is a good 4" X 6" and I can easily tell if it is attached to the chest pack I put on for a days fishing. I fish with 3 different chest packs and I can always be sure I have my license attached.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
I pin my license holde to the inside of a mesh pocket, you can see the license through the pocket and it won't get torn off. But that is on my trout pak. So if I go for Bass, I have to remove it and pin it on that chest pak.

Reminds me of those old bicycle flags in the 70's. Remember those. The orange triangular flags on 7 foot fiberglass poles so folks could see you when riding your big wheel or bike in a neighborhood.

I say put it inside, in your wallet, an inside pocket, etc. Just tell them why you do it if asked or say you forgot to display it. I'd say they'd have to be having a pretty bad day to fine you for that when typically, if you fish without it they will ask you to send it to them for proof. Well, at least you have it with you.

Besides, the display thingy is just a convenience to allow the WCO to "scope" you from a distance an make the pinch. To me it is far more important for the WCO to be visible than to catch the odd poacher. I'd say if they were just to drive around more often they would eliminate more illegal behavior rather than hiding in the woods playing "I spy".
 
Well the good news is that the law regarding "display of license" requires a WARNING not a fine for NOT displaying your license.

From the PFBC website:

The Commission has a longstanding regulation requiring that any person fishing on Pennsylvania waters display his or her fishing license on a hat or outer garment while fishing. This regulation differs from most other fishing regulations in that it requires that “a warning will be issued for a first violation of this section if a person has a valid fishing license in his possession.” Thus, our waterways conservation officers and deputies would only cite somebody for this violation if they ignored a warning to display their license while fishing

In other words, if you keep it in a pocket, make sure you keep it in a holder that you can secure to an outer garment if you get busted.

As far as remembering to move the license from garment to garment. I know this guy, not me of course but this guy...

...I think he lives upstate or something...anyway...

...this guy buys his license on line and prints several copies and keeps one in his trout bag, one in his bass bag, one in his smallmouth bag, one in his float tube...you get the idea...

...yea, this guy does this and he tells me he never forgets his license anymore.

He just hopes that the new POS license system going into effect for 2007 doesn't screw up his system.
 
Bam, what a good story!! I'm gonna do it too!!
I phoned my fly shop the other day about the '07 licence and was told they hadn't arrived from the State yet AND they didn't know when they would. It was some kind of a "glitch" in the PFBC system. Anyone else have this experience?
 
I bought my nephew his first ever fishing license on Friday December 21st. The local bait shop where I bought it told me he got the 2007 licenses on the 20th; the day before.

Maybe the "bait shops" get them before the "fly shops". ;)
 
Lol,
I always felt duty bound to carry my license pinned to the back of my vest where it could easily be seen by a WCO until I was summoned by one, while standing in the middle of French Creek, who expected me to simply put my back to him so he could "inspect my license". So, of course, I toook the vest off while looking at him and then showed the license. The man had the good sense, and solid sensibility, to acknowledge that no one in his right mind turns his back on demand and thanked me for my courtesy. I have kept it in a vest pocket since then.
Coughlin
 
I don't carry my drivers license on stream, nor my wallet so I think having the license on you somewhere is sufficient, I can't imagine any judge giving a fine to someone who is carrying a license but not displaying it. Then again these offices are so politicized maybe he'd fine me for looking like an ex hippee. :-D
 
I haven’t bought my license yet, but it sounds like they are in transition to the new system. Last one I bought (2006) they were still using carbon paper. As much as I enjoy shooting the breeze with the old lady at Trader Horn while she transcribes my info into a license booklet, its not particularly efficient. I may think it quaint, but the guy in line behind me thinks it archaic. It’s also labor intensive to file and difficult to track down a license number. The new system should streamline the process immensely; swipe your drivers license, give them your SSN and pay, probably with a credit card.

Since the PGC and PFBC are merging their licensing system, its unclear what the final product will be. With on line sales for example, you can instantly print multiple fishing license but you get only one hunting license, by snail mail. Hunters would like back up copies too. And a hunting license is valid Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 while fishing license go by calendar year. The license display regulations are similar but slightly different as well. It remains do be seen how they sort out the differences.

However, when the smoke clears, they’ll have much better demographic data on us. Maybe better marketing will stem the slide in sales.
 
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