PA Fishing License Display Rule Being Changed


I haven't displayed mine in 20 years yet I fish where you won't see the law man much unless they like to hike haha
 
I used to not display mine but carry it all the time and even had an extra copy in the truck just in case.

I have only ever encountered a WCO twice; both at the same river access. One time I didn't even have my license at all because I was planning on taking my vehicle, but a friend drove instead and I left it behind. He didn't even ask.
 
About a decade ago I had a brown I'd estimate in the 20" class swing downstream, position herself in seam no more than 10' from me, and begin rising to sulphers. (below Benner on Spring, so possibly an escapee, but you don't think clearly in the moment)

Sh*t myself so bad that I fumbled with my chest pack switching flies and somehow managed to knock my displayed license off, with a nice SPLAT on the water. Needless to say, that spooked her before I got a cast in.

I've not displayed a license since, and have never been asked to provide proof in a couple dozen days on the water I've fished each year.
 
Have not displayed in years I keep my MD, NY and PA licenses in my wallet right where they belong
 
Display was stupid and just gets in the way. In MD we can show it to the law on our phone. Works great.
 
tracker12 wrote:
Display was stupid and just gets in the way. In MD we can show it to the law on our phone. Works great.
Click to expand...

that's interesting and I'd be all for it but they sold 1 million licenses in PA in 1990. they sold around 700,000 this year.

MD sold 300,000 including coastal and you have an ocean and large bay.
This could play into it.
 
I have been practicing civil disobediance for many years now. No display. I have never been "carded" in PA. A few times in Maryland including twice in one day on Hunting Creek. Once by DNR and once by the Fed Park Police. As you might be aware, Hunting Creek is close to Camp David.
 
spin fisherman will still display....on their hat :)

sometimes i wear it,sometimes i carry it IN my wallet,like i do in other states.
 
PA needs to catch up with lots of other states, and allow just being allowed to show it on your phone if asked. Printed licenses are so not trendy!!
 
bikerfish wrote:
PA needs to catch up with lots of other states, and allow just being allowed to show it on your phone if asked. Printed licenses are so not trendy!!
Click to expand...

Here is an article linked below that explains there is an antiquated law that requires all licenses to be "signed in ink" which prevents e-licenses to be valid. Until that law changes, a printed and signed fishing license on your person is still required.

https://adventures.everybodyshops.com/change-fishing-license-display/?fbclid=IwAR3mJ4D6K8hfaD_Tb-OYmuyUD9dJA694iIcGkyJ5q-W1nbXCxBX9vR7RrjE
 
Some of us old geezers don't have smartphones to display - printed licenses are still valuable to the few of us! But i can see where phone licenses are much more convenient and eco-friendly.
 
In over fifty years of fishing the main stem Delaware and almost the same length of time on the West Branch I have never been checked by a WCO. The only time I have ever even seen WCO's has been in the parking lots of PFBC boat ramps.
 
Having destroyed one phone by falling into the Yellow Breeches one cold February day, I no longer carry a phone on the stream. I haven't displayed my license in years and have only been checked once while fishing Big Hunting Creek in Thurmont MD. Tried the "badges" Pa sold but lost both of them.

I do carry a license in all 3 pair of waders should I need to provide it to a WCO.
 
It's official: the fish commission did approve this at their winter meeting yesterday.
Welcome news IMO.

I just have to decide if I want to carry it in my wallet now.
Or stashed somewhere inside my vest.
Either way, no more concerns about it being torn off the my back now.
 
I bought my fishing license in December online and just got my badge last week. I am going to wear that for this season.
 
I have a place on Chautauqua Lake in western NY. You do not have to display your license in NY.

I am 66 and been checked twice in 50 years in Pa. The last time was a totally bizarre check.

We were fishing a popular Bedford County fly fishing project water. There were 4 of us fishing including a father and 17 year old son.

We were putting our waders on when a car pulled in. It was a FC officer. We had a great conversation with the officer. He provided great information plus some things he ran into at Raystown Lake.

So we get our rods strung and thank him for the time and stand up to walk away, when he decides to check our licenses. He immediately asked for a second ID, so we set back down and pull our waders down to fish out our wallets with our drivers licence. He asked us to take our drivers license out and he compares our fishing license with our drivers license.

So other than the inconvenience, it was no big deal until he got to Joe's 17 year old son. He didn't have his wallet and you could tell he got upset. So grabs his fishing lincense and starts asking him questions to see if it was his license. The officer, then asks for his fathers fishing license and asks the son questions off his dad's license.

The scene went from a comfortable start to our fishing trip to a tense situation. The officer lectured the father and son on the importance of carrying your wallet at all times.

So I would rather carry my fishing license in my wallet like I do in NY if fishing license checks turn into a similar scene.

I have no idea on why the officer waited until we had our waders on and rods strung to check our license with a second ID. It would of been so much easier to do with our waders off.
 
Glad they finally changed this. The PGC did away with display requirements for hunting in 2012. I can't believe it took 8 years for the PFC to follow suit.
 
The one and only time I've been checked he did the 2nd form of ID thing and my license and fishing license addresses are different because PA won't give me a new license just a change of address form.... So he made me go back to my car and get the change of address form.

I'm happy this changed, that thing just got in the way and after the last couple outings in cold weather the license holder thing has cracked in one too many places.
 
Dumb idea to abolish it. Maybe they should abolish registration plates too.

They also just shot their license button program in the foot...
 
I’ve been checked 5-6 times I’m guessing. Spring creek last winter near Axeman , Pine Creek in project water, Allegheny river near Kennerdale are the ones I recall. Definitely know I got glassed and wasn’t displaying license, the pain was I had to wade out and show my license. So that’s a good reason to display it but I never do because I know it would become lost.
 
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