PA Fishing License Display Rule Being Changed

[afishinado]

From the PFBC site >

HARRISBURG, Pa. (October 22) – During today's formal meeting, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Board of Commissioners took steps towards replacing a long-standing regulation that requires anglers to display their fishing license on an outer garment while fishing.

Under a proposed amendment to Section 63.2 (PA Title 58), the current display requirement would be replaced with a possession requirement, which would require only that an angler carry the license on their person while fishing and present the license to a PFBC law enforcement officer upon request. Under this proposal, anglers who still wish to display their fishing license on an outer garment may continue to do so. While the PFBC seeks legislation that would allow for the display of a fishing license on a mobile device, this amendment would still require a printed and signed license to be possessed. The Commission acted to approve the publication of proposed rulemaking containing the amendments to the fishing license display regulation and following publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin the proposal will be considered for final rulemaking at a future meeting of the Commission.

Summary of other business discussed at quarterly PFBC meeting >

https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/fish-and-Boat-Commission-Details.aspx?newsid=294

 

[Bruno]

The Fishing License Holder manufacturing lobby will squash this. Powerful lobby.

 

[KevinHoss]

Its odd that this is still a rule/law.
I haven't worn a license on an "outer garmet" in at least 15yrs. When checked I would always produce my license from my pocket (in recent years as a PDF on my phone).

Not once has it been an issue or even had an officer tell me that this was wrong.

Just curious if this has ever been enforced or if the officers realize its a pointless rule

 

[FarmerDave]

KevinHoss wrote:
Its odd that this is still a rule/law.
I haven't worn a license on an "outer garmet" in at least 15yrs. When checked I would always produce my license from my pocket (in recent years as a PDF on my phone).

Not once has it been an issue or even had an officer tell me that this was wrong.

Just curious if this has ever been enforced or if the officers realize its a pointless rule

You probably get checked more because you don' display.

Enforcement? I don't know the law, but I think they give you time to produce a license. They can also check at the time if you actually purchased one.

IMO,the display rule just makes it easier for the WCO. They can "check" from a distance whether you have a license on you. However, they can't tell if it is your license or a legal one from a distance.

I think it is time to make displaying a license, optional. It would force WCOs to interact more often with anglers which is a good thing. IMHO of course.

I didn't check the link, so if that was said, I apologize.

 

[timmyt2]

I would still display mine, that way if a CO wants to check me they can do it from afar with binoculars making both of our days much easier

 

[afishinado]

KevinHoss wrote:
Its odd that this is still a rule/law.
I haven't worn a license on an "outer garmet" in at least 15yrs. When checked I would always produce my license from my pocket (in recent years as a PDF on my phone).

Not once has it been an issue or even had an officer tell me that this was wrong.

Just curious if this has ever been enforced or if the officers realize its a pointless rule

Understood ^.

I fish quite a bit and display my PA fishing license. I haven't been checked by a WCO in more than 20 years.

As others have said, I'm sure the WCO saw my license was displayed and moved on.

Even with the change of rules, I'll probably still display my license to avoid having to produce it to prove I'm fishing legally.

 

[KevinHoss]

I have rarely been checked, and when I have been it is in Erie Co, when floating, and at the rivers when they were in the areas for something non fishing related.

In all situations displaying a license wouldn't have made a difference.
Everyone was getting chcecked and it was more of a reason to "make contact"

one thing that people forget is that the officers are not strictly fish/game officers... they are boat/waterways as well. The majority of things they deal with are not "sportsman" related, esp on the east and west sides of the state. Drunk boating being number 1. The area they cover is quite large and a busy weekend in Pittsburgh leaves most of the region un attended.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Long overdue. The Pa. Game Commission dropped the requirement several years ago. I guess the fishing license buttons will become collector items now! I have the brown, brook and rainbow plus this years orange.

 

[Dave_W]

I thought the display requirement had been revoked some years ago?

I still wear mine and will likely continue to do so.

I'm not sure about a digital license on the phone - this could pose some problems.

 

[Bamboozle]

Dumb idea to dump the requirement IMHO. What's the big deal with displaying?

From afar, a WCO can check for a license which saves wasting the time for what may represent the only potential offense.

I get the "I haven't be checked in years" thing but if you display, how do know you haven't been checked...

...from afar...;-)

As for me, I like, buy & display the buttons instead and carry the license.

Signed,

Anxiously awaiting the end of registration plates & inspection stickers...

 

[timbow]

You guys are living in some kind of fantasy land if you think WCO's are out there checking your license with binoculars. If they were REALLY that proactive in observing anglers from a distance do you really think there would be so few citations issued?? Imagine if just one WCO was watching through binoculars, without being detected, on Walnut Creek during Steelhead season. How many citations do you think they could issue in a day? I can guarantee you that word would spread about these ninja-like WCO's hiding in bushes and issuing citations to every Russian snagger in Erie County. The truth is there are very few WCO's and most of them never leave their vehicle. So unless you are standing around in a PFBC owned public access area you don't really need to be worried about encountering a WCO

 

[Dave_W]

timbow wrote:
You guys are living in some kind of fantasy land if you think WCO's are out there checking your license with binoculars.

I can personally attest that I have seen WCOs using binos to observe anglers on multiple occasions and issuing citations as a result of such observations.

 

[timbow]

Dave_W wrote:

timbow wrote:
You guys are living in some kind of fantasy land if you think WCO's are out there checking your license with binoculars.

I can personally attest that I have seen WCOs using binos to observe anglers on multiple occasions and issuing citations as a result of such observations.

Sounds like you frequent an area that has or had a good WCO. I think you are definitely in the minority though in PA.

 

[ColdBore]

Dave_W wrote:

I can personally attest that I have seen WCOs using binos to observe anglers on multiple occasions and issuing citations as a result of such observations.

As somebody who knows a couple current, and several former, officers on both the fish and the wildlife sides, I'll tell you that guys are only kidding themselves if they think they've never been checked, or watched from afar through binos.

Most officers aren't looking to dig in deep and get up close personal to find frivolous violations. They'll look for the obvious from a distance if it's easier. Visible license, legal methods, not looking "sneaky", playing a fish quickly then releasing it unharmed, etc, all add up to "he's probably playing by all the rules".

They don't do this to be tricky or trying to hide, but more as a matter of convenience. If they can hit an easily accessible observation point, and scan a bunch of guys, it's usually not hard to pick out who deserves a personal visit and further investment of time. Otherwise, they can move on and cover more territory.

 

[Mike]

Keep believing that WCO’s are not watching from afar.

As for me, I will continue to wear my license on my shoulder bag in which I pack my lures, flies, needlenose, knife, stringer, emergency power bait, etc.. I don’t need another card or piece of paper in my wallet and, as others have said, I’ll make life easier for the WCO’s and me.

 

[timbow]

ColdBore wrote:

Dave_W wrote:

I can personally attest that I have seen WCOs using binos to observe anglers on multiple occasions and issuing citations as a result of such observations.

As somebody who knows a couple current, and several former, officers on both the fish and the wildlife sides, I'll tell you that guys are only kidding themselves if they think they've never been checked, or watched from afar through binos.

Most officers aren't looking to dig in deep and get up close personal to find frivolous violations. They'll look for the obvious from a distance if it's easier. Visible license, legal methods, not looking "sneaky", playing a fish quickly then releasing it unharmed, etc, all add up to "he's probably playing by all the rules".

They don't do this to be tricky or trying to hide, but more as a matter of convenience. If they can hit an easily accessible observation point, and scan a bunch of guys, it's usually not hard to pick out who deserves a personal visit and further investment of time. Otherwise, they can move on and cover more territory.

Even if the majority of WCO's are regularly observing from a distance, as many of you suggest (and I don't believe) it must not be a very productive means of patrol considering the agency is proposing a regulation change that makes it harder for their officers to continue with type of enforcement. Just about every other state in the country has similar regulations where you don't need to display your license. Many of these states, especially the western, are much more conducive to long distance glassing since they are more wide open. Yet NONE of these other states are considering changing their regulations to make anglers display their license because the hear Pennslyvania has such a great regulation that is so effective. It's just not an effective way to enforce regulations, especially in a state that you can't glass more than 50 yds due to the foliage.

As far as why I hate the current regulation, in no particular order:

1. I have multiple packs/bags that I use. Some are at my house, some are at my cabin. Having to remember to switch license when I switch packs is annoying. I always have my phone though so a digital license is super convenient.

2. Those supposedly waterproof holders aren't really waterproof for very long. Eventually I fall in and the holder always leaks and my license is ruined. My phone is waterproof and so are most of my packs.

3. Those holders are a magnet for fly line to get wrapped around.

 

[Mike]

They aren’t just looking for fishing licenses when watching from a distance often considerably greater than 50 yds.

 

[RLeep2]

I'll probably continue to display my license because I've been buying them for a half century plus and it's more trouble to remember that the law has now changed than it is to do it the way I've always done it.

The change makes sense though from the checking standpoint. I got checked in Maine this year while carrying but not displaying and the warden simply looked me up on his phone in Maine's system. Easy Peasy..

 

[rrt]

Showing my age:

I always wear a vest and display my lifetime license on it and have no problems.

I neither have nor want a cell phone and think I would resent having to tote one of these intrusive devices around. (From what my wife and granddaughter tell me, they get more robo calls than calls from people who actually want to talk to them on their cell phones -- and they are on a do not call list.)

Anyhow, the change is really no big deal IMO.

 

[just_jon]

I have not displayed my license since they came out with the optional license buttons. The button displays my CID # and doesn’t flap in the wind. Guess I will not be getting a button next year.