Forgotten license ?

W

Wallyfish

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Mar 18, 2014
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I ran into an old fishing buddy. As we were chatting, he mentioned he drove 2 hours up to State College to fish Spring Creek but he left his license at home. He never fished because he forgot his license. He went to a fly shop, got some ice cream and drove 2 hours home without fishing.

I have not yet done that, but it can happen to anyone. What is allowable when you drive hours only to find your license is at home? Do you fish or not?


 
If I drove that far I'd fish regardless.
 
I would fish as well, that's a pretty long haul. It's not like you never bought one and you're intentionally fishing against the law. I haven't forgotten my license yet.
 
It happened to me on the lIttle J about 10 years ago. After giving my info to the WCO I had to send it in to him within ten days and then he sent it back to me. He gave me his business card for fishing in between mailings to provide if stopped again...for a call and confirmation to the subsequent WCO checking my unlicensed butt.

Process was smooth and cordial.

Whats funny is how it went down. Fishing across the river from the USGS gage I hear someone screaming from the bank. I turn and see PaulG holding his license toward a figure on the bank...Then some more yelling, I turn again and I hear, "Hows the fishing" I yell back "good". He goes on, ''what are they biting on?" (kinda like the scene from A river Runs Through it...I yell back ''Black Ants." Then he says, "we can cut the small talk if you just turn around and show me your license"....I yell back, "I can't because I don't have it with me"

He says, Then your gonna have to come to shore. And then the process began.
 
This happened to me last year but i only had 45 minutes to go back home for it. Now I have 2 copies of my drivers license, fishing license and license to carry a firearm . One set stays in the safe in my jeep, there is another in my chest pack and originals are at home.
 
I would fish anyways. They can look you up and see whether or not you truly have one and it's not like you wouldn't. It's definitely a crappy situation but I would not drive two hours to just turn around and head home.
 
If I had purchased a license and I drove 2 minutes to the creek and forgot my license I would still fish.
 
I have a copy stored on my phone off all my licenses, just in case.
 
This happened to me. I just fished. Lo and behold, WCO caught me. All they do is have you fill out a citation, and they stress for you to NOT sign if your lying, and didnt really forget it at home. He even told me to keep fishing, and gave me some tips on where to go. Was at Lake Oneida in Butler County...

Then I had 10 days to send them a copy of my fishing license and all was good, if I recall.
 
All of the above underscore the value of buying your license on line and printing out extra. I always have a spare in the glove box. At least if I arrived at a destination without it I could produce it for a wco. Also I tend to keep a license attached to my chest pack. If I forgot that; well you know.....
 
ryansheehan wrote:
I have a copy stored on my phone off all my licenses, just in case.
Click to expand...


+1 ^

When you buy a PA Fishing license online, a PDF of the actual license is generated. You can store and retrieve the PDF with your phone.

Also, as others have mentioned, I too make several copies of my license and keep one in my wallet, glove compartment, fishing bag...blah, blah, blah...in case I lose or forget my license.
 
When you are stopped by Troopers or even local police, they can check your license status, your registration and even insurance. While the law requires you possess these documents while in the act of driving, if there is a reasonable excuse for not "carrying," most law enforcement will verify electronically or allow you a reasonable period of time to produce the documents. I think I would turn around and get it if I was less than 10 minutes out to my destination. Otherwise, I would rely on the good will of the CO.
 
I absolutely would have fished if I had driven 2 hours! I figured they had a process a bit like the one described above in which you have a few days to send the license.

But like a couple others mentioned, I always buy my license online, so not only do I print a couple copies, but I also save one to google drive, so if I am ever without it, I can simply access it on my phone. I download it to my phone's on board memory though - reception can be spotty in some places I find myself fishing!
 
Wallyfish wrote:
I ran into an old fishing buddy. As we were chatting, he mentioned he drove 2 hours up to State College to fish Spring Creek but he left his license at home. He never fished because he forgot his license. He went to a fly shop, got some ice cream and drove 2 hours home without fishing.

I have not yet done that, but it can happen to anyone. What is allowable when you drive hours only to find your license is at home? Do you fish or not?
Click to expand...

So it never dawned on him to simply go to the nearest license sales agent and pay the couple $ for the replacement license? THAT is one of the benefits of the CID# and the Point of Sale system. Smh.
 
Two hours travel ain't squat!!
If you forget your license - than maybe you wern't meant to challenge your target. I'm sure the local fly shop can locate your PA fishing license and sell you a duplicate (good for the local economy anyways).

I feel that if your fishing and you know that you don't have your license readily available if/when asked, than you are fishing illegally and deserve to pay a fine.


TAKEN FROM THE PFBC:

10. Do I need to display my license?

Yes. Most times a clearly displayed license allows a Commission Waterways Conservation Officer to quickly and easily verify that anglers are legally licensed without inconveniencing a fisherman.
Anglers should be aware they are required to carry another positive means of identification, a valid driver's license, for example, to establish their identity if requested by a Conservation Officer.


12. I lost my license, now what?

A lost fishing license is replaced by applying to any issuing agent. The cost is $6.90 for the license, price includes the cost of any trout/salmon or Lake Erie privileges that were purchased with the original license.


 
Like guys said, you can take a picture or use the PDF. If you really want, you can print a temp/replacement off online if you actually lost it for pretty cheap from the pfbc, we have to do it for my brother once.
 
I have two backups for free: one in the glove-box and one in my favorite vest. The "live" license is on my hat, which I can't afford to leave home or my sunburned head will be worse than the fine.
 
I feel that if your fishing and you know that you don't have your license readily available if/when asked, than you are fishing illegally and deserve to pay a fine.
Click to expand...

This is why the guy didn't fish. Most reasonable people, anglers and officers, would say sure go ahead and fish, as evidenced by the responses and stories above, and send in proof later. But there are those among us who are very aware that the one overzealous officer in the region with the hard on for levying fines for the slightest infraction of the most insignificant of rules that the almighty state has passed, will likely be the one that finds them that day.
 
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