New NC fishing license regulations for 2007!

[Katmaster Jr.]

Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, anglers ages 16 years and older using any type of bait or gear to catch finfish while fishing North Carolina's public water must possess a valid North Carolina Fishing License. Anglers who receive Food Stamps, Medicaid or Work First Family Assistance may obtain a written waiver from this new fishing license requirement through their county Department of Social Services.

What do ya'll think about this?

Zakk

[JAYNC]

I think its fair and should provide more money to stock fish and make the fishing better in N.C.

[Larry]

Thats how it is in MN. I had to buy my licences at 16.
The rest of its fair.

[Mark J]

I'll send the wife out tomorrow to try to get us some food stamps.

[Katmaster Jr.]

I'll send the wife out tomorrow to try to get us some food stamps.

LOL!!! That's the only part of it I was wondering about, seems kind of weird in my opinion.:)

[Mark J]

Next thing you know their fines will be free too.
But of course the fines for paying folks will increase.

We gotta get this Easley crowd out of the capital preferably by rail and I dont mean the joke of a commuter rail he is talking about either.

[Dragger]

If you cant buy food, how can you buy bait............ just my thoughts.........

[Katmaster Jr.]

Next thing you know their fines will be free too.
But of course the fines for paying folks will increase.

At this rate, it would not surprise me at all.:sad:

Also, Dragger, I was just thinking the same thing!

[bigblaze]

If you can afford to fish, you can afford to but the D**N liscense..EVERYBODY!!!!!!:mad:

Next they (state gov.) will want us to catch their bait for them, cut it and put on a hook....


Let's start a web site Mike Easley's got to go......it appears to be working against Jim Black

[Larry]

Well guys I see where you are coming from..... but if we take a moment to look at those less fortunate, basically saying that they can't or won't purchase a licence. I would rather have them register with the state and DNR and recieve a waiver or discount while being on record, then having someone deprived of enjoying our nations resources, due to financial contraints, especially if kids are a factor. (At what point does it change over to the majority not being able to afford outdoor activities.)
If we are worried about people abusing it. I cant imagine that it would be worth anybodies time to get a waiver unless they flat out could not afford one, where as instead of purchasing the licence outright saving themselves a considerable amount of time.
Again: At least we would have a more accurate idea on how many people are using rescources if they obtain waivers. Just because they cant afford it does'nt mean that they don't use it.

[Mark J]

Come on. Bright bare copper has topped 2 bucks a pound and no telling what aluminum is now.
Pick up some trash.
A 15 dollar fishing license has never kept anyone from fishing before from what I've seen.
I have a feeling this is nothing more then an easy out for the NCWRC.
They are writing tickets to nonexistent people all the time.
Case in point.
"Pablo, do you even exist? You don't have a driver's license, social security card , or any other form of ID much less a fishing license."
"You say you live on Smith Rd. and your house number is 3333?"
"Here is your ticket and your court date to appear."


I would consider this legislation's purpose is more aimed towards immigrants illegal or otherwise as opposed to helping out some poor folk whether they are poor from sorriness or circumstance.
I'm anxious to watch some Game Wardens down at the rivers checking bankfishermen for license.
I bet a dime to a dollar Pablo wont get checked for a license anymore.
I see where this a problem in the field and the courtroom but if my gut is right on this, this aint the way to handle it.

My proposal to correct this situation would be to make a fishing license mandatory with a driver's license.
Since NC has never had a problerm issueing immigrants illegal or otherwise a drivers license sell em a fishing license right there at the same counter.
You know you got em covered then.

[C_wernett]

But I agree there. And people who have been fishing without a liscence are going to continue fishing without a liscence and harvesting fish in a illegal manner. How many of people have you run into fishing that you've run into on the water that have a "hard time" with english do you think know that there is a 14" length limit on largemouth bass? Could they even read the Regulations Digest to obtain such information? I've almost been in fights before over immigrant workers with stringers of bass that were 5"-10" long! Find a couple on your favorite waters next time you're out and watch them, inconspicuously of course. More than likely, if they catch a small bass, they'll throw it up on the shore quick and do one of two things...1.)Stomp it so that it won't draw attention flopping around...and/or 2.)Throw it directly into a ziplock bag, or other type of plastic bag that they've got stashed in the long grass or trees...

And as for other people on food stamps or government subsidy...I am one of those people that technically qualify...though I simply won't do it, I could. Both myself and my wife are liscensed fishermen! If you can't afford a liscence, you need to be spending more time getting a job to support yourself and your family, then trying to harvest a few fish for dinner. Of cousr special circumstances apply. It just sounds like a government loophole to me...

[bronco67]

bigblaze if you are down on your luck on food stamps nine time out of ten you are not fishing for sport you are doing it to eat . the worms are free minows can be cought fishing line can be found around docks and a hook can be borrowed slap it all on a stick or coke bottle and you have dinner the family can eat and save the food stamps for important things . Just think if you were hungry would a license stop you from hunting fishing or trapping wouldn t stop me.And even since they waived the fee they aren t going to register any way because that would cost to travel or a stamp and o yeah they dont care anyway they are just hungry.

[Steve W]

I don't feel threaten by people taking undersized fish with or without a license.
That bull stuff is a mortal sin and their all going to "heck" when they die. But
My fishery is under attack from companies that pollute the water. There are small rivers and creeks in this area that have had warnings posted to not eat the fish because of pollution. The old timers tell us about the days when these same creeks were full of cats, bass and crappie, now-a-days you couldn't eat the fish even if you could catch them. Lower Arkansas is still pretty rural, and there are folks out in the country with no running water living in shot gun shacks. A whole bunch of them folk fish to eat, and have probably never had a license in their lives. To them I say "Amen brother- pass the worms".
The other scary thing down here is poaching fish for a living. These guys put out gill nets, take everything in sight including turtles, and gar and sell it out of the back of a pickup truck.
I'm not sayin I'm in favor of giving away fishing licenses, it's just not a big risk to my fishery. Time will probably come when it is an issue, right now I got bigger fish to fry.

[bigblaze]

I'm sorry bronco67, I'm gonna stand my ground here! The fishing liscense waiver is just the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. What about all the free health care that's provided and the State has plenty of soup kitchens, and missions where they pass out free food!

IF YOU GOT TIME TO FISH YOU GOT TIME TO GET A JOB BROTHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phillip puryear]

No laws are gonna stop the coke bottle fishing crew. Their to high up on the ladder. Thanks Bush..

[Kerrlakecatmaster]

Next thing you know their fines will be free too.
But of course the fines for paying folks will increase.

We gotta get this Easley crowd out of the capital preferably by rail and I dont mean the joke of a commuter rail he is talking about either.

It's his fault on food Stamps !

[Mark J]

Phillip, Immigrants legal or illegal have been coming to this country and getting more then a citizen can get in many cases long before either George Bush took office. The Mexican American border is not some new geography formation.
We have even shipped American jobs to Mexico by the thousands and they still come here.

The Easly crowd has always made it easier for ILLEGALS to get what they need in the way of drivers license and welfare funds in North Carolina not George Bush.

[fwmud]

If you live near a social servies office, drive and park. Watch the vehicles that pull in to get this "helping hand" that they need so bad because they "are down on their luck".
Surprises me how a expensive vehicle can be had but food can't be bought with money?

[WylieCat]

Well, I have been blessed in my life by not having to be on any type of government assistance. If I was in that situtation I would appreciate the break.

Personally, I think it is a good thing for the people who really need the help, and there are some folks who truly do. For the ones that don't need the help and are milking the system, they will be too lazy to cart their butts off to DSS to get the waiver and will end up with a ticket.

[bigblaze]

it's just like the guys that stand on the street corner begging (pan handlers)for money, look at their clothes...

Usually they are wearing nice clothes and a pair of new shoes...

whats up with that?

[Mark J]

It's their job and it is tax free income.
One of those panhandlers called into the WPTF afternoon talk show one day.
Pretty much he was laughing at all the idiots that gave him money. He said his Lexus was never parked more then a 100 yards or so from him and boasted an easy 40-50,000 dollar a year untaxed income from standing on an intersection.

I got into the habit of giving them free advice a long time ago.
GET A JOB!

[flathunter]

So these people who are on welfare, public assistance can now fish for free, and they have every day to fish because they dont have to work for a living, hell I say charge them folks double..They will fish more in a month than I can in a year:mad:

[Mark J]

No doubt it is a loss of revenue for the NCWRC unless of course this loss is offest by.... Raising my license fee? Or is the money going to be robbed from the new saltwater license program?
Ouch that just opened up a whole nother can of worms there.

Maybe one day the majority of the people in this state will run that democratic garbage that has festered in Raleigh for years out of town.
Not a day goes by they dont cry broke and then play Robin Hood on the tax payer to GIVE to the untaxed and they think they are going to have a nice lottery for the school systems. Bahahaha! Not in this state. Its corrupt before the first ticket has been sold.

[bigblaze]

yea!!

That lottery will be a joke....first they get everybody to belive it's going to be additional revenue to contribute to the education fund.....Once they get it passed we find out only some of the money is going to the education fund.


I'm in the construction industry and The Wake County Public School System could save alot of money if they would stop worrying abut aesthetics and build a square brick building.

[Mark J]

3 story flat top schools like the old days.
You seen the Highscoolmahal Johnston county built? West Johnston highschool? She came in at over 31 million bucks.

[YeeHaw]

That's how it is here in IL. It lasts for about a year.

[catfishrus]

i hope they put a catfish pond on campass with the change left over out of that 31 million. i believe somebody is getting paid a little much for all these new schools. i wish they would build a new lake to fish on some of mine are getting over crowded..lol.

[ponykilr]

there was an interesting piece in the last field and stream about saltwater fishing licenses(which i do support) that told how it was about other things than just collecting money to be earmarked to use for improving the fishing. it is a way of measuring the economic impact of recreational fisherman.

the way the govt. is set up as far as who gets preference(commercial vs. rec.), the group with the most economic impact actually gets the most weight. the fisheries division is actually a part of the commerce dept.

without the licenses, there was no way to measure impact that all those rec. fisherman make on the economy. these licenses are a good thing. it's not like regestering firearms or other tricks of the liberals to take our freedoms away. this is just what must be done to protect and further our sport. no licenses means we have no voice or weight.

as far as requiring all over 16 to be licensed, it too is a good thing. the funds should be protected and used for the sport and for the sport only. but, you know how the govt. can be..................

i do not think that that there should be any exceptions. if you fish, if you use the resource that belongs to every north carolinian, then you should ante up and pay your fee.

i wont get into the abuse in our 'entitlement minded" society, but i agree that there needs to be sweeping changes made to the way my taxes and yours are spent on people who do not pay taxes and/or are not citizens.

sportsman should get behind licensing, it is how we can be finally heard as a power to be reckoned with.

[Mark J]

I started pushing for a saltwater license about 10 years ago.
Once you travel up north and find a little time to drop a hook in some saltwater you'll find out why I support it.
15 bucks to park in a sand lot and walk to the beach ( 15 bucks because you got an out of state tag on your car). plus purchase an out of state saltwater license. I told this cat then. "Buddy, I hope you never come to NC".

I liked what our state did back in the early 90's with out of state licensing.
Take Alaska for example. If I wanted to go to Alaska and hunt for 5 days or whatever my license would cost me 800 bucks.
So the state of NC said Ok, if an Alaska resident wants to pull a license here it is going to cost him 800 bucks.
If Georgia charged me 25 bucks for a 7 day fishing license. NC charged a Georgian 25 bucks. Fair enough? I thought so.
I thought it was a great idea but evidently some of these backwoods license agents couldn't read well enough to understand a simple chart of 50 states.

But anyway, I started writing our state legislators and talked to a few over the course of several years trying to help provoke legislation. Other groups were doing the same thing and there were several groups doing survey questionaires on the beaches.
After fishing north of NC several times in saltwater I was willing to pay for revenge.
NC is well known from east to west coast for the saltwater fishing and folks travel here from all over explicitly to saltwater fish.
Our red drum are huge compared to other states. The striper, Spots, you name it have always drawn the crowds.

I'm glad it finally passed. I wish the money could be evenly divided between the commercial fishing community and the sportfishing community.
Economically speaking, if we didnt have one or the other of them we would have alot less jobs and tax base.

[ponykilr]

that is true mark, but the rec fisherman usually got the short end when decisions were made. shrimp trawlers killing scores of red drum and snapper. huge nets killing the very fish that you or i would be fined for due to size. at least now we will be on more even footing. good posting.

[Mark J]

You know NC is the only state in the Atlantic Pact that still allows inshore trawling and netting.
My only beef with that is outside boats coming here to do it. On the other hand, so far with our vast rivers and sounds that many species use for breeding grounds it has been able to sustain itself and provide good fishing commercially and recreationally.
No doubt the recreational fishing would be better without inshore trawling and netting I still feel commercial fishing has its roots and place in our waters. Our eastern counties are some of the poorest in the states. many of those commercial fishermen are farming in the summers and fishing the winters to make ends meet.
If you were to draw a line between the commercial fishermen and the recreational fishermen in our saltwater I would have one foot planted deep on each side of the line.

These two sides have bickered for years and the state representatives (lawmakers) from these eastern counties have always primarily sided with the commercial fishermen causing unfair representation of the recreational fishermen. Over the last couple of years both sides have come a little closer together in a common goal.
We have one of the largest if not the largest charter fleets on the east coast and that group has worked tremendously together through captains agreements on some species like dolphin. They limit theirselves to a lower posession limit then the state or feds set.
They have their act together in that respect.
I dont see how a trawler can improve their by catch death rate unless they haul nets more frequently and police theirselves and other trawlers more closely. Commercial fishing for NC is a necessary evil but I think alot of attention has been given to it in recent years and I think we are on the right track to a happy medium for all.

[seaark]

I have a little trouble with this one. I know there are people who need help sometimes, but I think this one is going a little to far. I know some of these people will really take advantage of the system and use it to there full potential and milk it for everything it is worth. Both of my boys have lifetime sportsman licenses. My youngest son is 16 and is autistic. I wonder if they would give me a refund on the money I spent on his license. Even if they would, I would not take it nor would I ask. That money went to support fish and game in N.C.: or did it. I wonder????? I know there needs to be a better way to reach wildlife enforcement. I went to High Rock last year to fish and was at the Dutch Second Creek landing waiting on a storm to blow over and seen something I never seen before. About 30 minutes after the storm blew over, I was getting ready to launch and 4 cars pulled up. Thirteen guys got out of the cars and walked over to the bridge and started cast netting. They kept everything they caught which was 7 trips to there cars with a very large vinyl suitcase. You could not understand a thing they were saying. I tried for around 30 minutes to reach someone by phone and 2-way radio, but there was no one there. I finally got out of the truck to walk over and say something but they got in there cars and left. I wanted to say something sooner but it was 1:45 in the morning and there were 13 of them. I just wonder what will happen now with all the free vouchers that will be issued now. They will be using a trawling net in our fresh water lakes if this keeps up or gill nets and keeping largemouths and stripers. WAY TO GO NORTH CAROLINA. ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE AS USUAL (a little sarcasim here).:mad:

[ponykilr]

seaark, i agree. something has to be done in regards to how the hispanic population views our resources. i have neighbors that have bought into our subdivision that are hard working, english speaking, business owning, tax paying citizens. i have talked with them about the same things i will mention now. they agree with me that it is an education issue for the most part.

the hispanic population as a whole does not understand conservation. it is not an idea that they were taught as we were here. they must be reached and educated.

litter is another area that needs addressing. i see it over and over again hispanics tossing trash in the river as they fish, leaving litter on the ground and tossing it out of windows going down the road. go to mexico(real mexico, not tourist areas) and you will see the same things.

i am not predjudice. i have mexicans where i work that are great guys and hard workers, it is not a lack of care, but a lack of education that is the problem there.

the illegal mexicans will not get waivers, and therefore should still be at risk for getting caught raping our resources. we need more enforcement of the laws we already have, and constant review and updating of these same laws.

people who need fish to live are very few. people who need a waiver are fewer than that. i fear that like the other entitlement/subsidies/govt assistance programs, that this one will be abused.

sigh..................what is to be done?

[bigblaze]

IF THEY ARE STOPPED AT THE BORDER THEN THEY CANT ABUSE ARE RESOURCES!!!!!


SECURE THE D**N BORDERS!!!!!!:mad:

[Mark J]

I'm anxious to hear a plan that will totally secure our Canadian border, Mexican border, Atlantic border, and the Pacific border.
At this point, I think the next step to securing borders would be shooting them. It's like throwing basketballs up hill, they come right back.
Kick the basketball out of the road and into the ditch and it is out of play.

[ponykilr]

to completely secure our borders would take the removal of our own freedom and would make us something other than what we are. it just isnt feasable. what is feasable is to make it very hard for someone to function in the us without permission.

make it a felony for someone to hire a person without a visa or greencard. make it a felony for a person to knowingly harbor an illegal alien. make it impossible to get any type of hospital care or treatment unless you are legal. no government aid, assistance or help of any kind for non legal folks(except a trip home)

if we do not get tough(not with just our southern neighbors) we will not be able to support the population explosion.

further(although off topic a little) we should round up every arab/muslim that is in our country and is not a citizen and send them home. it is not predjudice, it is common sense.

[Mark J]

Did you know..If the Johnston county sheriff's dept found an illegal alien through a traffic check or DUI or by any means. That illegal is not deported nor will immigration move one finger to do ANYTHING about it.

This is where the problem is at. We dont deport known illegals back to Mexico, Honduras, Guatamala or anywhere else south of here.
They say it is lack of manpower. I feel that it is a cost prohibitive issue myself.
If you were catching them in groups of 50 I could see feasible transportion costs. But when you pick up one here and there, the costs would soar and with that man power requirements probally would also.
Of course you could jail them until you had a group of 50 but then again, the Johnston county jail is over crowded with deadbeat dads and other scum of the earth. Then you gotta feed and clothe them until such time the deportation bus rolls around.

Employers are handed documentation by illegals. Alot of these fakes are so good that the people whos job it is to issue these documents fail to realize they are fakes by looking at them. Only their computer database will tell the story.
I would rather see some type of national ID card with counter counterfeiting measures implanted in it much like our currency. Make this form of ID be issued by the Social Security Administration because you have to have a SS number to work. Those issueing the ID would know right then and there if that person qualified for the ID.
I would only agree to hefty fines on employers if they were caught paying under the table or not filing a 1099 on that person.
In that case, I say hang em high.

[Beagle]

You are hitting on the head Mark.
I am in the position of hiring. Yep, the forgeries are real good! We are not the type of company that pays depressed wages to gain a certain group of workers. White, blk, hispanic, green or blue, our wages are scaled to the job in line with the NC dept of labor. Want to know the sad part? It is a 4:1 rate of hispanics to all others as far as applications for work. Other sad part? In the past 2 years I have terminated 2 hispanics and at least 15 non-hispanics.
Sorry, got off topic of licences.
Everybody but the elderly, handicapped, and resident active duty armed forces personel, can fish on my dime as far as I am concerned.

[Beagle]

Meant to say..well, I am sure ya can figure it out who I think doesn't need a tag...was going to fast.:)

[ponykilr]

sounds like the mark or sign from revelation.

[derbycitycatman]

I gotta agree most everyone should have a license. Here in KY even the elderly and disabled still buy a license but its only five bucks or so. If someone who speaks english and knows licenses are needed should be able to buy a license. Even at $20, gas and bait will be much more than that. Unless they are using their food stamps for bait. :rolleyes:

The problem of our non-english speaking brothers should be tackled with education as someone said earlier. If and when they start speaking english maybe we can convince them conservation is needed. We may not be able to reach them but hopefully we can at least reach their kids.

[Strikeking]

Hey Zakk were did you find this information at

[Fishing Fred]

Some very good posts. I agree with Mark on selling aluminum cans. Anyone that can't afford a license can go to almost any boat ramp or any acess to the Cape Fear River on Monday morning and soon pick up enough beer cans to buy his entire family a license. He might have to remove the fishing line from a lot of them . As for our unfortunates from south of the boarder ( not the south carolina border ) it is not education but their lack of respect for themselfs and their fellow man , when they litter and destroy our resources. Also if you weren't paying any taxes you wouldn't care who had to clean your trash up. If you live and work here you should be required to learn and speak english. Our children shouldn't have to learn to speak spanish. Become a responsible citizen or get the H--L back to where you came from. At least learn to get off the boat ramp when someone is trying to use it. Visit the area below Jordan Damn sometime to get a real in-sight on this issue. They are sometimes catching more fish in cast-nets than on hook and line. The game wardens try but cannot be there all the time. Oh yeah Mark, flatten that basketball and it won't roll back down hill !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phillip puryear]

FishingFred, Good post man. I agree everyone should have a liscense. As for Jordan Dam something could be done about that craphole. Im not going to put his name on here but he has to know that every saturday and sunday that place is full of no liscense having scavengers. We cant even get in there anymore to catch shad.

[Fishing Fred]

I posted this somewhere on this site lately. Week before last I think some a-- built a fire with a tire and wood, right on the floating metal dock at Poes Ridge boat landing. If anyone ever sees anyone do this kind of damage---Please get the license number of the people involved and report them to the proper officials. These bums cost us every time they fish or party at our lakes and rivers.

[Splorndle]

The courts will dismiss a no license charge if you just show up with a valid license. You do not even pay fine and court costs. Education of everyone is done when they get the ticket. Most of the officers let the violator know the deal.