# License regulations and pier list



## Ociferscott (Apr 24, 2009)

I've recently read information that basically states the following:
- The federal saltwater registry is forcing coastal state to adapt thier fishing license protocols to match new registration requirements for migratoty fish species (we all knew this).
- The new regs will basically force all fishermen in Virginia to possess a valid fishing license (or to pay and register with the federal program), this means that you will no longer be exempt when: fishing from private property, fishing over a certain age or with certain disabilities, and (most importantly for the majority of us) fishing from a public pier.

Seeing as all public piers (even the one's you pay to get on) will now require a virginia fishing license, I thought it was time to get together a list of the local piers, especially the "free" ones as the "pay" piers have offically lost their primary appeal (aka. no license required).

I have information on only the pay piers and the free ones on the peninsula, you southsiders should add more information on free public piers to complete this list.

PAY PIERS
James River Pier (JRB)
Buckroe Pier
Oceanview Pier (OVP)
Seagull Pier
Lynnhaven Inlet Pier
Virginia Beach Pier (VBP)
Little Island Pier (LIP)

FREE PIERS
Gloucester Pier
Yorktown Pier
Back Creek Park Pier
Denbigh Pier
Riverside Park Pier
King Lincoln Park Pier
Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park Pier
Fort Monroe Pier
Jordan Bridge Pier

I'll try to update this post with relative locations for all of these piers at a future time, but a google search should turn up locations for now.


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## 757 Fire (Jan 22, 2010)

If a state license is required to fish Pay piers then it seems to me like pay piers need to drop fee's to between $5-$7.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

Hidenwood pier Newport News on the James River. (free)
Newport News small boat harbor Wave Screen pier (free)
Smith Point Landing Pier (free) End of Tidemill Rd. (York County)
Jones Creek Landing Pier (Free) Isle of Wright County


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

There's the Kiptopeake Pier...aka old ferry launch. It's a pay pier on the Eastern Shore side of the CBBT Bridge. There's the cost to cross as well as a fee to use the pier.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

So, are the pier owerners getting too cheap to pay the inclusive fee? Or is the assembly looking for money? Headboats? Private boats? They still think we REC. people have NO IMPACT, so lets ALL STOP FISHING FOR 3MONTHS. NO GAS FOR THE BOATS, NO TACKLE, ETC. :fishing::--|. Can we bo that? I dought it. IF ALL STATE RECS. GET TOGETHER, WE HAVE A VOICE(SCREAM). As it is, we are a knat in the process.:--|


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## Ociferscott (Apr 24, 2009)

rattler said:


> So, are the pier owerners getting too cheap to pay the inclusive fee? Or is the assembly looking for money? Headboats? Private boats? They still think we REC. people have NO IMPACT, so lets ALL STOP FISHING FOR 3MONTHS. NO GAS FOR THE BOATS, NO TACKLE, ETC. Can we bo that? I dought it. IF ALL STATE RECS. GET TOGETHER, WE HAVE A VOICE(SCREAM). As it is, we are a knat in the process.


It's not that the piers won't pay the inclusive fee, it's that they would have to register every person that walks on the pier with the federal program. With individual state licenses, the state will register each person.


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## Ociferscott (Apr 24, 2009)

dbl.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

I would really be suprised if 50% of the people that fish(fresh and salt) buy a liscense anyway. 5 years ago I complained about people keeping undersized or otherwise illegal fish, and was told that they had 2 wardens that covered from here Fredicksburg!! I called all the way to Richmond. They said it was a $$$ issue. I said they could have made $10,000 just at SEA GULL IN A WEEK. I saw 6 "busted" at lesner in less than 2 hours(2 were castnetting spot and small flounder). There is their $$$. As long as they stay away from the $400 boots, and safaris. I hear they can now take the vehicle you came in, the boat, etc. GOOD!!! Michigan does it. I Hope if they really start to " DO THEIR JOBS" that the $$$ doesn't end up in the "GENERAL FUND". They can't register everyone, just like they can't get "ALL" guns registered. They have to rely on the tagging program and people to haunt the docks and ramps for their data. They do these these studies that take years and don't tell them anything most of us all ready know.


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Ya'll forgot the Bill Harbert Fishing Pier in Ocean View (a.k.a. Pretty Lake Pier), which was completed in 2008.

Speaking of fishing licenses, $216,000 of the $291,000 used to build that pier came from VMRC's Recreational Fishing Development Fund. In other words, the money came from the sale of recreational saltwater fishing licenses in Virginia.

http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/vsrfdf/pdf/0606-8App.pdf

Those fishing licenses now help pay for marine police to enforce the regulations, which I don't think is the best thing for us shore-bound anglers.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_vmrc-budget_0207feb06,0,5566039.story


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## Ociferscott (Apr 24, 2009)

Adding a few more:
Croaker Landing Pier in Williamsburg
Messick Point Pier in Poquoson


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## BAYSLA-ER757 (Oct 26, 2009)

well this is BS bcuz all the piers u have to pay are damn near 10 dollars then u have to pay 3 dollars a rod come on thats a 30 dolla day from bait food and drinks hell it might b more then 30... what is the world coming to worms 9 dollars squid 3.75 eels 2 dollars and last but not least peeler almost 3 dollars man i quit fishing


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

The pier at Messick point is actually a boat dock. Although folks are currently allowed to fish on it, that is subject to change.

There is hope (i.e. they are working on a submission package to VMRC) to put a pier much like the one at Gloucester Point on back cove which is across the street from the boat ramp. . . Details to follow.


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## kimh1 (Mar 5, 2007)

Seagull is a free pier but you have to pay the $12 toll to get there.

Hary
:fishing:


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

Instead of fishing in VA this year we all should rally around and fish North Carolina. Show them where the money is really at


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## 757 Fire (Jan 22, 2010)

I looked into this yesturday aswell as talked to two guides and the owner of C tackle. All said that the federal license that is required is free and is actually pretty cool looking. You print out a temp license and they mail you a hard copy one. This federal license is needed to fish off of the piers but the saltwater state license which is $12.50 is not required to fish off the paid piers. Hope this helps alittle confusion.


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