Fishing License

[Steph Boeker]

Forums are so much fun and enlightening as well !!

 

[LDUBS]

I did a little research. 35 states offer a discount. 14 states make it free. Only one state, Wyoming, does not have a senior discount. The average cost of a senior discounted fishing license is $9.50.

Most states offer the discount at 65. Others apply the discount. at 60 or 70. Minnesota offers a free license at 89 and over. California's senior discount applies to those with disabilities or low incomes.

And, the average cost of a regular annual fishing license is $25.42. Highest state is California at $58.58. Lowest award goes to Hawaii at $6.00.

 

[LDUBS]

OK, now this thread is definitely off track.

<Deleted>

 

[LaqueRatt]

Deleting my reply. Accidentally posted. No sense in stirring the pot, so I'ma shuttin up.

 

[Fishfreek]

I live in Oregon and they want us to believe that they are on our side and understand our plight with raising lic fees and boat fees. After reading everyone’s comments I don’t believe they do or are aware.
If I could understand the rules and laws of my state I’d explain them to you.. I’ve been an American for over 73 years old, haven’t seen a discount on either one..

https://myodfw.com/fishing/licensing-infoCheck out this link. It shows the senior discount offered for 5 year Oregon senior residents. I've seen bigger discounts but there are some.

 

[troutski]

Good going troutski. You can always count on someone who must throw their political views out there no matter what the conversation is about.

My bad, it wasn’t meant in that way. I thought I was clear, my apologize to you.

 

[GTS225]

HEY! As a side subject........how many of your states run on a calendar year, and how many run on a fiscal year, for the license expiration?
I seem to recall Florida does a fiscal year. (But my memory is 66 years old.)

Roger

 

[LDUBS]

HEY! As a side subject........how many of your states run on a calendar year, and how many run on a fiscal year, for the license expiration?
I seem to recall Florida does a fiscal year. (But my memory is 66 years old.)

Roger

My state, Calif, used to be Jan - Dec regardless of when you bought the license. They recently changed it to 12 months starting from purchase date. Much better.

 

[Stand Up]

I just applied for my game bird license and by golly it's free of charge just like the fishing license. They treat us old folks well here.

 

[Hardpan]

I did a little research. 35 states offer a discount. 14 states make it free. Only one state, Wyoming, does not have a senior discount. The average cost of a senior discounted fishing license is $9.50.

Most states offer the discount at 65. Others apply the discount. at 60 or 70. Minnesota offers a free license at 89 and over. California's senior discount applies to those with disabilities or low incomes.

And, the average cost of a regular annual fishing license is $25.42. Highest state is California at $58.58. Lowest award goes to Hawaii at $6.00.

As a "Senior Discount," California's offering is pretty much non-existent. A resident must be age 65 or older AND be either blind or disabled OR receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). Qualifying for SSI is very restrictive:

"SSI is different from Social Security retirement benefits, which are paid to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes for many years.

"The Federal regulations governing SSI state that all resources (including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, etc.) need to be spent down before an SSI recipient can qualify for benefits."

In other words, ya gotta be old and crippled or old and plumb broke to get a "senior" discount on a fishing license.

My license this year (I'm in my seventies)

$58.58 Resident Sport Fishing
$10.29 Sturgeon Fishing Report Card*
$18.36 Second Rod Validation*
====
$87.23 Total (so far)**

*"Report Card" includes tags for a maximum of three fish, if retained. ALL sturgeon caught (including releases) must be recorded and the total reported to the state at year-end. Sturgeon must be between 40" and 60" to be retained; all others must be released unharmed. FWIW, there is a movement underway to ban keeping any sturgeon.

** There are a variety of additional fees for specific species or geographic regions.

Bottom line, fishing ain't cheap in California.

And, be prepared to do some research to make sure you're legal - the downloadable (no longer produced in print) Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations is now up to 129 pages; the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations is 112 pages. But rejoice - much simpler than the hunting regs!

 

[LDUBS]

As a "Senior Discount," California's offering is pretty much non-existent. A resident must be age 65 or older AND be either blind or disabled OR receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). Qualifying for SSI is very restrictive:

"SSI is different from Social Security retirement benefits, which are paid to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes for many years.

"The Federal regulations governing SSI state that all resources (including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, etc.) need to be spent down before an SSI recipient can qualify for benefits."

In other words, ya gotta be old and crippled or old and plumb broke to get a "senior" discount on a fishing license.

My license this year (I'm in my seventies)

$58.58 Resident Sport Fishing
$10.29 Sturgeon Fishing Report Card*
$18.36 Second Rod Validation*
====
$87.23 Total (so far)**

*"Report Card" includes tags for a maximum of three fish, if retained. ALL sturgeon caught (including releases) must be recorded and the total reported to the state at year-end. Sturgeon must be between 40" and 60" to be retained; all others must be released unharmed. FWIW, there is a movement underway to ban keeping any sturgeon.

** There are a variety of additional fees for specific species or geographic regions.

Bottom line, fishing ain't cheap in California.

And, be prepared to do some research to make sure you're legal - the downloadable (no longer produced in print) Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations is now up to 129 pages; the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations is 112 pages. But rejoice - much simpler than the hunting regs!

I thought I might get back to salmon fishing this year and had some questions about about restrictions in the Delta. Talked to some DFW people at the sportsman exhibition in Sacto earlier this year. I was surprised at their lack of knowledge about the fishing reg's. Maybe they were hired to hand out brochures at the sportsman's show, IDK.

Anyway, as it turns out the salmon season is shut down this year in an attempt to rebuild the fishery.

 

[sonny1]

As a "Senior Discount," California's offering is pretty much non-existent. A resident must be age 65 or older AND be either blind or disabled OR receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). Qualifying for SSI is very restrictive:

"SSI is different from Social Security retirement benefits, which are paid to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes for many years.

"The Federal regulations governing SSI state that all resources (including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, etc.) need to be spent down before an SSI recipient can qualify for benefits."

In other words, ya gotta be old and crippled or old and plumb broke to get a "senior" discount on a fishing license.

My license this year (I'm in my seventies)

$58.58 Resident Sport Fishing
$10.29 Sturgeon Fishing Report Card*
$18.36 Second Rod Validation*
====
$87.23 Total (so far)**

*"Report Card" includes tags for a maximum of three fish, if retained. ALL sturgeon caught (including releases) must be recorded and the total reported to the state at year-end. Sturgeon must be between 40" and 60" to be retained; all others must be released unharmed. FWIW, there is a movement underway to ban keeping any sturgeon.

** There are a variety of additional fees for specific species or geographic regions.

Bottom line, fishing ain't cheap in California.

And, be prepared to do some research to make sure you're legal - the downloadable (no longer produced in print) Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations is now up to 129 pages; the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations is 112 pages. But rejoice - much simpler than the hunting regs!

That is really screwed up. I spent the first 17 years of my life in California. Joined the Marines in 1975 and left California for good. Got out of the marines in1981 and got a job working oil fields in Oklahoma. By 1986 oil went bust and joined the Navy. Got out in 2000 and went back to Oklahoma. Almost moved to California really glad I did not. Not bashing California just prefer the backward ways of Oklahoma. We are allowed to use up to seven rods while fishing at no extra charge. Very straight forward regulations.

 

[Steph Boeker]

I thought I might get back to salmon fishing this year and had some questions about about restrictions in the Delta. Talked to some DFW people at the sportsman exhibition in Sacto earlier this year. I was surprised at their lack of knowledge about the fishing reg's. Maybe they were hired to hand out brochures at the sportsman's show, IDK.

Anyway, as it turns out the salmon season is shut down this year in an attempt to rebuild the fishery.

Anyone who looks to the gov.. for answers, help or salvation is crudely misguided in the 1st place or too ignorant to arm themselves w/any useful knowledge they may have garnered anyway.
All the smart ppl have voted w/their feet and moved from that distopian hell hole.
If this is too political, let me apologize now for any perceived unwelcome tangent,
sincerely ...................
Happily a Louisiana native,
Geaux Tigers !!

 

[LDUBS]

That is really screwed up. I spent the first 17 years of my life in California. Joined the Marines in 1975 and left California for good. Got out of the marines in1981 and got a job working oil fields in Oklahoma. By 1986 oil went bust and joined the Navy. Got out in 2000 and went back to Oklahoma. Almost moved to California really glad I did not. Not bashing California just prefer the backward ways of Oklahoma. We are allowed to use up to seven rods while fishing at no extra charge. Very straight forward regulations.

We need people like you to move here and vote!

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Son of a gun. My 2023 fishing Lic was $76.94 (including the second rod validation). I can get a lifetime license for $644.50. I'm 71 years old. TB rules prevent me from expressing what I think of my state's handling of fees.

Here it’s $30 and $12 for seniors. You can use as many rods as you want,troutline,jug fish. As long as your total number of hooks 100 or less.

 

[jethro]

Son of a gun. My 2023 fishing Lic was $76.94 (including the second rod validation). I can get a lifetime license for $644.50. I'm 71 years old. TB rules prevent me from expressing what I think of my state's handling of fees.

Wow, that is high, although you are lucky enough to live in a state big enough to likely provide all the fishing opportunities you need. Where I live I have to buy NH, ME, VT and MA and sometimes NY which I do every year on Jan 1. It's brutal. With my snowmobile registration in both NH and ME it's usually a $600 day minimum.

 

[LDUBS]

Wow, that is high, although you are lucky enough to live in a state big enough to likely provide all the fishing opportunities you need. Where I live I have to buy NH, ME, VT and MA and sometimes NY which I do every year on Jan 1. It's brutal. With my snowmobile registration in both NH and ME it's usually a $600 day minimum.

Yikes! Clearly the grass isn't always greener. I am happy to agree that California has a lot going for it when it comes to the outdoors.

 

[KMixson]

Yikes! Clearly the grass isn't always greener. I am happy to agree that California has a lot going for it when it comes to the outdoors.

Yes, California has some great outdoor getaways. Same goes for New York state. Once you get away from the big cities it is gorgeous in places. The problem is when people think of California or New York, they think of the cities.

 

[Colorado1135]

As a disabled vet in South Dakota I get my hunting and fishing license for $10 and it's valid for 4 years before I have to renew again.

 

[Steph Boeker]

Yes, California has some great outdoor getaways. Same goes for New York state. Once you get away from the big cities it is gorgeous in places. The problem is when people think of California or New York, they think of the cities.

I grew up in a Capitol City , Baton Rouge, LA. You wouldn't really call it a "big" city, but, at the time, 150,000 ppl (70's) it was a decent size.
Anyway, I hitched to Calif. for an adventure and stayed 14yrs. Got my career and traveled the state on my off time. It was damn pretty and inviting. But, I didn't seem to like the ppl in the cities. Congestion, garbage, regulation, etc ... I also traveled 47 states in my work career and never liked any of the ppl in bigger cities as I liked ppl in smaller towns or villages. I asked my boss after 8yrs working out of San Diego all over the country, if I could geaux home and base out of Louisiana where I felt better and would be cheaper to fly me to the bigger cities in the east. He thought it was a wonderful idea and kept me on for another 25yrs that way.
I guess something happens to ppl when they live in congestion. Less trusting, more hurried so no time to smell the roses or have a nice howdy w/ other folk. They seem to cook & pray less and have less interaction w/ other human beings. Maybe that's why I moved out to the country into a small town of less than 5000. Don't get me wrong, these ppl have decades long feuds and are set in their ways but they are nice and mostly trusting (tolerant ?) or even outgoing to those they don't feud w/.
God bless every one !!