Lost Fishing License

TDB wrote:
I hate having to display it, in fact I don't.

On a side note, and not to streal the thread, I got stopped today and checked. It turns out I did not have the trout stamp. i always click on the Erie combo permit. This year, for whatever reason, it did not process or print out on my license. I asked if I could just fish, since i already had the afternoon off of work, and take care of the stamp later. NO! If I wet a line in the DHALO section I would have a fine. Wow, I've been a lifetime trout stamp purchaser. Can count the # of trout I've creeled on one hand. Donate to the PFBC. Know the WCO personally. Am a state official myself. And I get the big sorry. It is just disheartening that the old trust factor is no longer alive, at least in the armpit of the state I live in!
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Last time I checked, doing any or all of those things does not absolve you from having to buy a trout stamp. Intention is not the same as action 🙂

Regarding lost licenses, I found one on the DHALO of Kinzua Creek (from the previous year) about five years ago. Worked out nicely, as I had forgotten my license holder; or it may have been the year that the sizes changed and my new license was too large for my old holder. I was hoping the previous license holder didn't meet the same fate as his license and holder..

The only time I ever lost my license was on Elk Creek steelhead fishing. It was on my hat and then it was gone, swept into the blown out creek. Found it stuck on a weed in an area that sees flow only in high water, a quarter mile downstream.

Now, if I have something with a mesh pocket, that gets the license, like Mo does with his. Doing this also tends to mute the bright white rectangle that I'm convinced serves to spook fish.

I use a PDF printer driver to save a copy of the license I buy online. I print a few extra copies, but always have the electronic copy available at home, should I lose the extra copies, or forget where I stash them. I've never lost a license since printing to PDF; I have forgotten where I stash the extra copies and find them years later when I put on a jacket or open a notebook.
 
"Last time I checked, doing any or all of those things does not absolve you from having to buy a trout stamp. Intention is not the same as action 🙂"

Nice post. Was I asking to be absolved from buying one? NO. I love some of the posts on here. I knew I would get a reply like this. Oh well, I guess I am living in my own little dream world where everyone gets along...

I just wanted to fish 2 hours this afternoon. I came home and finished the process online. I told them I would do that. i've done that for the past 20 years (bought the required licenses stamps, etc). If I was ever going to cheat it would have been 15 years ago when I was in college with no $. Now I am standing beside a $40k truck with $1000 worth of gear and someone believes I am going to cheat them out of $10.. Come on..

I know there are rules - and I clearly was outside of those rules, but sometimes exceptions can be made in the spirit of good human nature...
 
I mean no offense whatsoever, TDB, but I am with salmonoid. The WCO was duty bound to enforce the rule. I don't think it's fair to imply the WCO is morally bound to consider exceptions to the rule for every case. Rules are rules, and the line must be drawn. Frankly, if he had let you off based only on any of the reasons you listed, it would have been a clear case of discrimination against one that failed to meet those criteria.

Had you bought the stamp or license and forgotten it, he most likely would have written you a temp, and would have enforced a fine if you were unable to produce a valid license by a certain date. That's how it worked for me, anyway. I have found WCOs to be plenty reasonable in all of my interactions with them.
 
TDB,

After reading your post I ws going to post the lyrics to the song, "I fought the law and law won". I got a kick out of your getting pinched, not because it ruined your day but because we all do stupid things sometimes and have to sit in the corner. I am just glad to see it happen to others sometimes too....

Reminds me of trying to talk your way out of a ticket.....a waste of oxygen. Suck it up and move on.

Its fine to blow off steam about it but don't be surprised if people don't see it your way, afterall thems the rules.

Hope you got your stamp since.....what process do you have to go through to get one now that you already have your license? Since there is no stamp anymore you can't just buy one, will they give you an whole new license with the stamp for only the cost of the stamp? I am curious.
 
No sweat guys. I got the stamp. I "guided" my buddies on a glorious day.. It really was no loss.

Without getting into details, in my line of work - an honest mistake is not punished by me, but I guess that is just me.

I just cannot believe I did not check the box for the stamp. I fish 10-15 days per year on the Erie tribs and about 100+ days per year on approved trout water in PA. It is just 2nd nature for me to get the combo stamp. Guess I didn't.

I appreciate everyone's opinion. You are entitled. If someone were to be in the same position tomorrow I would side with them b/c I am a no nonsense guy.
 
btw, Maurice, your point about a ticket is interesting to me. I hope nobody has ever talked their way out of a ticket. B/c if what was written by some is true, if you break a traffic law you should pay. Rules are rules right? No preferencial treatment...?

Jay, the next time you roll through a stop sign or go 56 in a 55, please send your check to the state for your wrong doing, okay?..🙂
 
My dog ate mine last year. No joke. It was on my pack, within dog mouth range. She ripped it off the pack, took it around back and had at it. She took my thermometer as well but that was not consumed.
 
I find it highly unusual he didnt give you a temp ticket as well. Wonder if there wasnt something more to the story? Always very courteous to me and my friends as well. Hell, my one buddy came to help stock Stony and didnt even have a license period, and the WCO let him fish with a temp ticket untill he could buy one.
Mo- When you buy a stamp for an already existing license, you just have to pay the stamp fee and an entirely new license gets printed out with the stamp on it to replace the existing license.
 
Squaretail wrote:
I find it highly unusual he didnt give you a temp ticket as well. Wonder if there wasnt something more to the story? Always very courteous to me and my friends as well. Hell, my one buddy came to help stock Stony and didnt even have a license period, and the WCO let him fish with a temp ticket untill he could buy one.
Mo- When you buy a stamp for an already existing license, you just have to pay the stamp fee and an entirely new license gets printed out with the stamp on it to replace the existing license.
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I didn't know they could do that.
 
mrchunk wrote:
My dog ate mine last year. No joke. It was on my pack, within dog mouth range. She ripped it off the pack, took it around back and had at it. She took my thermometer as well but that was not consumed.
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LOL!

I HAD an outdoor thermometer mounted on the outside fo a deck spindle. It was one of those remote digital things. I thought it was out of reach of my dogs, but apparently it wasn't . I found about half of it. Same dog also ate about half of a solar powered light, too.
 
I didn't know they could do that.
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The WCO wrote out a ticket that he was fishing without a license, but pre-dated it 10 days ahead, and said if my buddy sent him his ticket and a license reciept, which my buddy did, he would void the ticket, which he did. The WCO also said to show this to another WCO should my buddy get approached that day.
I doubt this would be offered if someone simply gets caught fishing without a license, but my buddy asked and this was the reply.
It worked out great for us and yet another flyrod was put in a newbs hands.
 
Squaretail wrote:
I didn't know they could do that.
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The WCO wrote out a ticket that he was fishing without a license, but pre-dated it 10 days ahead, and said if my buddy sent him his ticket and a license reciept, which my buddy did, he would void the ticket, which he did. The WCO also said to show this to another WCO should my buddy get approached that day.
I doubt this would be offered if someone simply gets caught fishing without a license, but my buddy asked and this was the reply.
It worked out great for us and yet another flyrod was put in a newbs hands.
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Makes sense.

I knew they did that for forgetting or losing your license. Prove that you had one, but the date on the license better be older than the day of the violation. But I didn't realize they did that for not having a license. But I can see them doing it in your example.

And I agree they would probably be less likely to do it for someone who actually gets checked and caught without a license. But I suppose they could. sounds unreasonable to expect it though IMHO.

The vast majority of WCOs that I have met were also decent and friendly people.
 
TDB.......i want to offer my condolences , it's this kind of thing that sometimes really gets to people and sometimes it goes too far , there is no reason , with your history of buying a stamp , which should be easy to check , and your explaination of events , that you shouldn't have been able to enjoy your afternoon off and fish , there is no reason to be that unreasonable.
 
Osprey, Thanks - It really just blows my mind that something couldn't be worked out (I am not a criminal), but oh well - like I said, I tied flies on and netted fish for my buddies. Just played guide, however they didn't tip me!...🙂

Square, Nice story about the temporary ticket. I'm not surprised by that and I don't see what that would hurt. I even offered up the $10 cash and said I would go online and pay another $10 (hence they would make a net gain of $10).. I understand they can't take $, but that should have been an indication that I was serious about getting it. I told him i'd email/fax a copy of the new stamp today once I got it and if not I'd accept any kind of fine - said I would sign an affidavit, etc... NO OPTIONS.

Like I said, no real big deal, but it is just the point. It almost makes me want to not donate to the PFBC, even though I believe in what they do (sometimes...🙂, and makes me not want to help stock, etc.. BUT, I will be the bigger person and understand that they have to enforce the regs.
 
If you're looking for a tip, maybe you should bring your clients a few stones next time 🙂
 
TDB wrote:
Osprey, Thanks - It really just blows my mind that something couldn't be worked out (I am not a criminal), but oh well - like I said, I tied flies on and netted fish for my buddies. Just played guide, however they didn't tip me!...🙂

Square, Nice story about the temporary ticket. I'm not surprised by that and I don't see what that would hurt. I even offered up the $10 cash and said I would go online and pay another $10 (hence they would make a net gain of $10).. I understand they can't take $, but that should have been an indication that I was serious about getting it. I told him i'd email/fax a copy of the new stamp today once I got it and if not I'd accept any kind of fine - said I would sign an affidavit, etc... NO OPTIONS.

Like I said, no real big deal, but it is just the point. It almost makes me want to not donate to the PFBC, even though I believe in what they do (sometimes...🙂, and makes me not want to help stock, etc.. BUT, I will be the bigger person and understand that they have to enforce the regs.
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TDB, My opinion was all over on this, and initially was more on the side of the WCO because I've only had good experiences. Was having trouble picturing where he could allow you to fish though. But now it sounds like just one of those things. Maybe he didn't want to be bothered with it. They're human. Offering him the extra 10 was probably a mistake, and forced him to not be flexible. I’m trying to visualize that, ... he might have just went into protect his own butt mode at that point.

If you were by yourself and not in a heavily fished area, maybe he'd have cut you more slack.

Just a few thoughts.

I have a cousin who is a deputy fish cop, and I've been told he can be inflexible.
 
Dave, Sounds like you are trying to understand. It is hard to fully explain the situation by typing, but if you were there, i'm pretty sure you would have the understanding that something could have been done.

I guess it really comes to down to me that sometimes, if actions like this were taken against someone other than myself, I think the PFBC sends a bad customer service message.

I consider me as an ally for the PFBC and this was a shot over my bow.
 
Yep, I'm trying to keep an open mind. I'm also trying to be completely honest by admitting that i started out biased against you but only because of my good experiences with WCOs and the fact that we can only hear your side. However, you have convinced me that he should have cut you some slack.

Just one of those things... chit happens ... and maybe the WCO was having a bad day. Or maybe he doesn't like tweed. 😛

Just joking on that last part.

I wouldn't hold it agains him, which you apparently are not.
 
TDB wrote:
Dave, Sounds like you are trying to understand. It is hard to fully explain the situation by typing, but if you were there, i'm pretty sure you would have the understanding that something could have been done.

I guess it really comes to down to me that sometimes, if actions like this were taken against someone other than myself, I think the PFBC sends a bad customer service message.

I consider me as an ally for the PFBC and this was a shot over my bow.
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As an ally of the F&BC I would think you would be impressed with the fact that the WCO did their job. Many on here pee and moan that the WCO's are never around, don't catch the poachers, etc. Here is one who finds a violation and the perp wants him to look the other way because he is an ally......this is an example of unrealistic expectations and refusal to admit guilt to ones self.

You ought to be glad he didn't write you a ticket.

Your story could be written like this, he caught me with no trout stamp (my mistyake) and let me off with a warning but didn't let me fish....now I am an even bigger ally of the F&BC. Make sure you click that box for the trout stamp guys!

Its all in how you look at it. I think you got off easy.
 
I agree with Mo on this one. If you did not get a citation, you were lucky. You could have lost your fishing privileges...fine be damned!

I am one of those that feels they see too few officers on the water. I wonder how others might react if they had witnessed someone else fishing a DH area with no trout stamp.

btw, Maurice, your point about a ticket is interesting to me. I hope nobody has ever talked their way out of a ticket. B/c if what was written by some is true, if you break a traffic law you should pay. Rules are rules right? No preferencial treatment...?

Jay, the next time you roll through a stop sign or go 56 in a 55, please send your check to the state for your wrong doing, okay?..🙂
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The first time I read this I actually thought you got the ticket...so basically this post by you was pointless unless you mailed the fine in on good conscience. You probably already have your license remedied. Enjoy the rest of the season.
 
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