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Imagine you are in this boat, heading out for an exciting day catching crappie on Mississippi’s Barnett Reservoir. Fishing this productive reservoir, there is very little chance you’ll come back in empty-handed.
The Opening Cast
by Richard Simms
Here’s a little friendly advice from your former friendly game warden friend (me).
Don’t get caught “fishing without.”
That’s the way game wardens describe folks they find catch fishing without a license. The phrase saves words and the meaning is clear, as well as costly. It is likely the most common violation that game wardens in the majority of states come across.
All too often folks who don’t fish very much are asked to go with a friend. They either never think about buying a license or maybe the friend says, “Aww, don’t worry about it. We’ll never get checked.”
Of course, that is the day you will get checked.
In some states licenses expire on the exact same date every year, no matter when you buy them. For regular anglers, that date is easy to remember. But in other states fishing licenses are always good for a full year from whatever date you buy them. And that date is hard to remember.
You can usually opt for an “Auto-Renew” option, which is wise for regular anglers.
If you don’t auto-renew, those states typically will e-mail an automated reminder that your license is about to expire. But if that email doesn’t come, or hits your spam folder or worse yet, you ignore it because you think “I’ve got plenty of time,” it can be expensive.
In most states the actual fine for “fishing without” is low – usually between $10 and $50. However, it is those pesky “court costs” that get you. In Tennessee counties that is usually around $300, give or take.
So, right now is a good time to open your wallet or purse and check the expiration date on your fishing license.
Richard Simms, Editor
“The outdoors is not a place, it’s a state of mind.”
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. Formerly he was a game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. Follow Capt. Simms other writings on his “Richard’s Ramblings” Facebook page.
