# Va Saltwater Fishing License



## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

Hey Folks,

I am looking to get a saltwater va fishing license. If I plan to fish the ares in the va beach area (seagull, lynhaven, etc, etc.) will I need a PALS or will the standard saltwater license do?

Thanks,

Jeff


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Jeff, I don't think you'll need a SW license to fish Virginia if you have one from Maryland. 

From the Virginia Marine Resources Commission website. 



> Chesapeake Bay - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers. Virginia licenses honored include: 1) individual annual licenses; 2) individual temporary licenses; 3) private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4) annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5) annual licenses for rental boats.


http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/recfishh&l_licensing.shtm


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

jeff you will need one to fish the ocean. your md license will cover your va bayness, but not the oceanfront, someone please tell jeff if i am mistaken and help him out


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

> jeff you will need one to fish the ocean. your md license will cover your va bayness, but not the oceanfront


Neil, I think you might be right. Hmm. 

Calling Tom Powers ... .


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## Bunkerboy (Jan 14, 2006)

You won't need a VA SW lic for any pier that you have to pay to fish.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*No problem*

Figure it is only and extra $12.50 for the Pals, and the money will go to a good use.

Neil,

One step closer.... to venturi9ng down south 

Jeff


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## Lafayette_River (Apr 12, 2005)

*i may be wrong*

but as i understand, you would not need a va lic to fish va waters in the bay as long as leaving from and returning to a md port as for piers if you pay to get on you are covered by the pier's lic.say you fish lessner you would need one.like i said i could be mistaken


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## Bassboy (Dec 21, 2003)

*I got a ?*

If you have a Va. saltwater license do you need a NC license to fish saltwater in NC? Ive never bought one and i think i heard somewhere that your covered if you havea Va license in NC. just checkin


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

you dont need anything in nc unti lnext year


bay water is covered under the licencse, so lesner would be covered


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Ok a Virginia license covers all of VA and the bay portions of MD. The MD license covers the bay of MD and VA (I believe the DC area requires a DC license) But not the Ocean. Now NC does not allow any recipical coverage, based on the last time I read it.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

I have a VA SW license so I can fish MD bay, VA bay and VA ocean. 

CAN I FISH MD OCEAN W/ VA SW License?


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

Digger,
"Now NC does not allow any recipical coverage, based on the last time I read it."

That's my understanding also.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

You shoulda get the va sw license to cover and not the md sw licence, which then cover all of the bay water. Since the md ocean doesn't require a license. I'm just thinking of ways you can save money.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*MD license*

Hey Lip,

In MD you do not need a license to fish the tidal waters (except for the bay and it's tributarires). For that you need a bay license and or freshwater depending on the tidal/no tidal split for the rivers that feed into it. Some of the creeks on the easter shore although brackish may be considered non tidal, so you will have to check if you venture away from the sand.

a couple of years ago, I would drive all the way to delaware/md to fish the inliets as no license was requred. Go figure, probably spent more on gass, but hey you know.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

Forgive me if I am repeating what someone else already stated.

1. A MD license is good to fish in any tidal waters of VA the line starts 3 miles off of the beach and ends in places like the West Point Bridge and College creek on the James. Below is the entire part from the VMRC Web site along with the dividing lines.

2. NC salwater licenses are not in effect until Jan. 2007. 

3. Discussions have been initiated regarding recroprocity with VA for some NC/VA waters. However, IF it is going to happen it will not be in 2007. (Report from the head of VMRC Fisheries management division to the Commission at either the Jan or Feb Commission meeting).

Tom

A recreational saltwater fishing license is required in Virginia's portion of the Chesapeake Bay, its tidal tributaries, and Virginia's Territorial Sea. Boundaries associated with these areas are described below:

"Territorial sea" means the waters within the belt, three nautical miles wide, that is adjacent to Virginia's coast and seaward of the mean low-water mark (from COV 28.2-100; this is the outer Atlantic Ocean boundary of Virginia tidal area requiring a license from the Commission).

Freshwater/Saltwater License Lines on Tidal Rivers

Persons fishing upstream of the designated lines on the following waters must have a valid freshwater fishing license while those fishing below the lines must have a valid saltwater fishing license:

…..Potomac River: Route 301 Bridge

…..Rappahannock River: Route 360 Bridge

…..Piankatank River/Dragon Run: The 1st set of power lines immediately upriver of Anderson Point

…..York River System (including the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers): Route 33 Bridges

…..James River: A line connecting Hog Point and the downstream point of the mouth of College Creek

Below these designated lines a freshwater or saltwater license will be valid on any tidal portion of any tributary entering the above mainstem waters.

The following waters are entirely freshwater and require a freshwater fishing license throughout: Meherrin River; Nottoway River; Blackwater River (Chowan drainage); Back Bay, Northwest River, and North Landing River and Intercoastal Waterway upstream to Great Bridge Locks; and Dismal Swamp Canal below (or South) of Deep Creek Locks. 

Chesapeake Bay - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers. Virginia licenses honored include: 1) individual annual licenses; 2) individual temporary licenses; 3) private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4) annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5) annual licenses for rental boats.

Potomac River - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or the Potomac River Fisheries Commission may fish in any portion of the mainstem of the Potomac River to the lower border of D.C.. Virginia licenses honored include: 1) individual annual licenses; 2) individual temporary licenses; 3) private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4) annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5) annual licenses for rental boats.

[/b]Virginia saltwater recreational licenses purchased for fishing in ocean waters are the same license used for Bay waters and have the same reciprocity described above.


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