License check on a dock or shore?

[the_donger]

Bobby, I think you are 100% correct. I was just wondering if there was a rational behind the fact that I have been fishing off docks for 30 years (Herrington and KY Lake) and I have never been checked nor have I seen anyone else on a dock checked. I have heard of a very few people bank fishing getting checked but have never witnessed it with my own eyes. Doesn't make much sense to me. Just wondering...

[Tim_T]

I have been checked way back in the Gorge while wading East Fork of Indian Creek! Two forest service rangers came out of nowhere lol!

[Catfish Bob]

I got checked fishin Nolin at winter pool. They (2 of um) were on a boat. I was crappie fishing on a rock ledge(land) about 10-12 ft up off the water. The boat idled up and the guy jumped up and pulled himself up on the ledge. Checked my paper then jumped back in the boat. A+ for effort on that one. At first I thought they were going to have me just hold it up.
This was on a freezing cold February day. I don't think the temp went above 40 that day. Caught a mess of crappie tho!!! too much fun.

[RoadToad]

I've been checked exactly once, while bank fishing at Miles Park. There were about 10 people fishing there at the time, and he went around and checked everybody.

[bassin_bug]

One time at Cherokee Lake, we pulled our boat out of the water and stopped in the parking lot to tie it down to the trailer before leaving. A TWRA officer walked up and identified himself. He asked to see my fishing license and my husband's license, boat insurance and registration. Then he boarded the boat, asked to see the fire extinguisher, life jackets and flotation device. Then he checked both of the live wells and measured the fish. We were legal all the way but, since there were many other boats coming up the ramp, we decided to sit there and watch to see if he did it to anyone else.

That guy was making boaters pull over to the side of the parking lot and stay there until he got to them. He measured fish and threw some live ones back into the lake, took the filets and put them in a bucket, wrote tickets for BUI, no license, no registration, and everything you can imagine. I heard boat owners screaming, cursing, threatening the TWRA officer telling him he should be on the lake instead of in the parking lot. We sat there and saw him issue 30 tickets to some of the angriest people I've ever seen.

We also saw other boats do a U-turn and take off back up the lake.

[nonamesleft47]

We've been checked a number of times on the Kentucky river. The officer that works it now is very nice and remembers us so he just comes up and chats some. They do a good job of keeping the illegal population down on the river but I wish they would do more. I've seen alot of infractions and even traded some of them big legal fish for small illegal fish so I can let them go. Too bad you don't get cell service there.

I've been checked by a few that come blowing up in a big old boat, cross your lines and sit out 30 feet away with a pair of binos and have you hold it up so they can see the number. Not very nice.

[greenriverman1]

Yep.

[kygorski]

checked on shore several times on cumberland river, Best check was done with binoculars in Alabama.

[RoadToad]

You all talking about being checked by binoculars reminds me of fishing in Delaware. They give you a plastic pin-on cover with your license, and they want you to display in "prominently." Most people pin it to the back of their hat. I've never had a ranger actually approach me there, but I'm sure I've been checked many times.

[kygorski]

Theres a lake Ifished in the upper peninsula of michigan, where you probably were watched from a forest fire tower, it was a bueatiful lake, no buildimgs, no gas motors allowed,and some of the strictest limits on fish of anyplace I have ever fished.One game fish limit! You could almost drink the water with a cup.At least 8 ft of visibility.Trout,all kinds, giant SMB,big pike, but it was a chore rowing or paddling.It was called the sylvian trace, onceowned by the chyrsler corporation.If you were checked, oddss are you were going to be cited.