Fishing License
 

Who has the 'authority' to look/ask for my fishing license?

Not that's it's a big deal, but I just don't want....say....a lifeguard (or Joe Shmoe) asking me for my license, if they don't rate to see it. Or do they (lifeguard)?

Any Peace Officer may ask to see your Fishing Liscense.

Technically anyone, but joe blow on the beach aint gonna wait for you to come back in, and whats he going to say to the authorties " that guy in the kayak".
now life guards on the other hand, they usually have radios and boats. dont piss them off because they do have the the authority to kick you off the beach.

I had a DFG uniformed surveyor come up at LJ and ask me about my fish, type of fish, how many fish, and where caught. When he looked at my catch, he said, "wow that's a lot of fish". I think I skewed the results making the fish population look healthier :D

I asked if he wanted to see my license and he said no????

Then on the way home a got pulled over by an unmarked CHP. I knew I could talk my way out of the ticket because of my fishing kayak story of getting up and launching at dark AM and catching a lot of fish and just being tired. The cop asked what I caught and I started naming off a bunch of fish and then he said "Do you want to catch a ticket?" :D :D :D I knew I was golden and said "not really" :luxhello:

I'm not sure who has the authority to demand to see your license. I had a high school age life guard in Lagun ask/demand to see my license a few years ago. It ran through my mind to say no or even be an ass hole and demand to see her life guard license but I figured she was 1 radio or phone call away from getting some legit authority down there and making things ugly for me. I showed her my license and went fishing. With the way things have been going, civil rights wise, I might act different today. Mike

Anyone can "ask" to see your license. Only a Wildlife Officer/Game Warden or other Peace Officer can and have the authority to demand it. No lifeguard (they can radio all they want...no more authority than you or anyone else), no survey taker, no uniformed surveyor, no security guard......

Not sure if lifeguards can check your fishing license but it wouldn't hurt to let them see it... A lifeguard at LJ asked me and my bros if we had fishing licenses; we said "yes, do you want to see them?" and he said "No"!

Cheers :cheers1:

Back in the days I would have been scared and just showed it to them. However, today I would have told them NO and if and when they did call the 'proper authorities' I would have asked them what law allows a lifeguard to ask for a fishing license.

Lifeguards are not Peace Officers. They are public safety officials. They can observe conduct and report, observe conditions, administer first aid, close portions of beach for emergency..... They have only the same power of arrest as a regular citizen.

Coming from a military background, I'm all about rules and regulations! If anyone other than the 'legal' aformentioned asks to see it, I'll be telling them to go pound sand. I could, however, show it to them and be on my way.....But

For me it's about the principle of the matter....What makes people these days think that they are special or hold some position of power (whether it may be a small amount) to question someone because they feel that they can?


Note: Power and authority are two different things.....Authority is just power that is legitimized.

A lifeguard CAN say it is too dangerous/crowded/ etc to launch or land though.

Just sayin, they can't demand your license, but they CAN still ruin the day

Blitzburgh is right. Lifeguards are not peace officers. While I am sure they can ask to see a fishing license just like you or I can, they cannot compel anyone to produce it. Enforcing fishing regulations does not fall under their authority.

Harbor patrol officers, may have additional authority as they are now part of the police department and are peace officers. In my day, they were part of the lifeguard service.

Park rangers in many locations have the authority to demand to see a fishing license and write citations if one is not produced. I learned this the hard way when I took my young son fishing at Donne Pond in Palomar State Park many years ago. It was new years day and there was no way to buy a license that day. The $120 fine got my attention.

Bob

Sometimes things are not Black and White.

Yes it is true that only some people CAN ask to see your license it is also true that maintaining good public relations requires a lot of flexibility at times.

The lifeguard may not have the "power" to see your license but can prevent you from using a part of the beach she "identified" too dangerous to be shared by kayakers that day. You may not pay the "price" that day but the kayaker next week will.

The harbor patrol may all of a sudden decide to enforce the rule about not dropping hoop nets in an obscure area of a breakwall because you wanted to make a "POINT" and not show him your license.

If you are legal, and following the rules you should not be too troubled to show someone your license.

If you are not legal, then I and most people want you to get busted!


Hey you never know when the lifeguard you just became friends points you to a nice little honey hole he heard about from another angler.


Just my take on it.:D

you can always stick your license down your shorts that way when someone asks to see it you are prepared.....

on a hot summers day :)

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/...67_468x688.jpg

San Diego City Lifeguards can and do write tickets.

This is true. I should have notated that caveat. The city of San Diego Full Time Lifeguards are considered Peace officers and enforce rules as such.