# Game Warden & Fines



## fishininov (Jan 20, 2005)

On sunday, striperswiper and I fished out in that little patch of woods where Lake Whitehurst meets Shore Drive. Here we had caught a small blue cat and got several decent "runs," when two harbor patrol officers came upon us. They (after calling attention to the NO TRESPASSING sign which held our rods from the dirt, lol) wrote us each a citation for both trespassing and fishing without a freshwater license. 
For those of you who have had a fishing ticket, what should be done in preparation for the court date? -responses are appriciated


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## FishinAddiction (May 9, 2006)

fishininov said:


> On sunday, striperswiper and I fished out in that little patch of woods where Lake Whitehurst meets Shore Drive. Here we had caught a small blue cat and got several decent "runs," when two harbor patrol officers came upon us. They (after calling attention to the NO TRESPASSING sign which held our rods from the dirt, lol) wrote us each a citation for both trespassing and fishing without a freshwater license.
> For those of you who have had a fishing ticket, what should be done in preparation for the court date? -responses are appriciated


Well, I would say to go get a fishing license. That's really not going to help but will at least show good faith. Other than that, just be truthful and you should only walk away with fines and court costs.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

fishininov said:


> On sunday, striperswiper and I fished out in that little patch of woods where Lake Whitehurst meets Shore Drive. Here we had caught a small blue cat and got several decent "runs," when two harbor patrol officers came upon us. They (after calling attention to the NO TRESPASSING sign which held our rods from the dirt, lol) wrote us each a citation for both trespassing and fishing without a freshwater license.
> For those of you who have had a fishing ticket, what should be done in preparation for the court date? -responses are appriciated


Maybe also show up with a new set of glasses so you can tell the judge that now you can actually read the No Trespassing Sign.   

I am not trying to rub it in but I hope you both will pay more attention next time. If the same guy catches you again you may not like the consequences.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

If I met you with Andrew in Back bay then cut your hair, it will grow back. If its not you then ignore me...

Oh yeah, the no fishing license will prolly be a fine but you could end up with community service for the tresspassing. When I was younger one of my buddies got to wash the fire engines for a day because of fishing where he wasn't supposed to.


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## Cobia Seeker (Mar 19, 2002)

I just today went to court with my son for trespassing. He is 21 and was his first offense. His was defered for 12 months and had to pay cost of court $66.00. As long as he does not get another trepass the charge will be dropped on this day next year.

Also in court today the same Game Warden had 3 other cases for no fishing license all 3 got a $25.00 + cost $66.00. The Judge told all 3 that if they had gone and got an 07 license the charge would have been dropped and they would have gotten out with just cost of court.

About 10 years ago I got a trepass for fishing where I should not be. I pleaded guilty and was fined $75.00 + cost

It was my expirence then and my view now if you know you were trepassing plead guilty don't argue and you will get off with a light fine if it's your first.

The Judge also told my son today and me back then that a second trepass inside the next 12 months WOULD be a felony.


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*Where I'm from, this is called POACHING....*



fishininov said:


> They (after calling attention to the NO TRESPASSING sign which held our rods from the dirt, lol) wrote us each a citation for both trespassing and fishing without a freshwater license.


The bad thing is, it makes us all look bad! :--|


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## qtigress (May 31, 2006)

Go get a 2007 freshwater license and that part will most likely get thrown out. As for the tresspassing, I was ticketed for the same offense, except I wasn't actually tresspassing, but i did not know this at the time i just figured they knew what they were talking about. I ended up getting 8 hours community service with PETA. That sucked big time. I would advise respectfully requesting that you dont do time at PETA if it is suggested. The PETA people are not very helpful at allowing fisherpeople to finish their hours in a timely manner and the crap you will have to bite your tongue to is not worth it. I would have rathered to shovel poop from dogpens at the pound for 24 hours than do 8 hours with PETA. 

Look remorseful for your actions, speak respectfully and dress business casual, you should be ok. Also have at least $100 so you can pay your fines that day and get them out of the way. They charge a little extra if you don't pay on the day of your court appearance.


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## Cobia Seeker (Mar 19, 2002)

It has no reflection on you or anyone else, AND IT'S NOT POACHING......

It's a mistake that I and some others have made that won't be made again. And thats the name of that tune......


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## rockhead (Nov 6, 2002)

if you are catching catfish you should be smart enough to have a FW license in your pocket. my advice....go to court and take it like a man


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

have fun with the PETA people


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## striperswiper (Nov 30, 2004)

im deffenitaly embarrased :redface: i should have gotton a FW license i will now , if i get cummunity service maybe i can clean the beach up a little it deffently needs it down here :--|


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

long ago 86-or so...had a meeting at 3pm...off azalea garden road...3 piece suit and an hour to kill...brand new ultra lite setup in the car...so i stopped to see how it casts...just walked to the closesed water witha casting plug...2nd or 3rd cast, i get a "i need to see your fishing lisense"...no problem as i fished there often...i knew it was a no fishing area and i was not fishing, just casting...the warden was writing me a ticket and when she found out i was legal she said she had to finish and would explain in court...WELL the BI^$&.lied and said she had seen me catch fish...i got in trouble when i stated "I WANT TO CHARGE THIS BI$&% WITH PURGURY"...just be nice and don't raise ypur voice...


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## wolfva (Nov 17, 2006)

Heh, my pop got popped there to a loooong long time ago, almost the same spot I betcha. Except back then he drove his jeep there and parked between 3 no vehicle/no trespass/no fishing signs <LOL>. Last time he ever took us freshwater fishing <G>.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

I cant get over the fact that you were fishing without a license and trespassing and then fished right next to the signs ?  

Thats just plain "asking for it!"


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

you cant fix stupit


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## gwaud (Apr 14, 2003)

Pay the fine if you have the option and save your dignity. No one is perfect but everyone over 16 need a licence regardless of where you feesh unless it is your property (that should be part of the constitution). Take this as a slap on the hand and vowel to never do it again.

If you can, order you license online and print as many copies as you need. Keep one in every wallet, tacklebox and vehicle. That way you will always be covered and you cannot say you do not have one.


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## fishininov (Jan 20, 2005)

Again thanks for the input, I wasn't realy thinking about what I had done when I posted the thread and I hope it didn't seem like it was a sort of joke. 

My most sincere apolligies to hat80 and those who feel the way he does.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

Hat80 said:


> The bad thing is, it makes us all look bad! :--|


exactly, this kind of stupidity hurts all fishermen.

How about dropping the $18 for a license and not trespass on other people's property? Just a thought...


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## rhorm (Mar 25, 2005)

French said:


> exactly, this kind of stupidity hurts all fishermen.
> 
> How about dropping the $18 for a license and not trespass on other people's property? Just a thought...


dam the guy said he was sorry. geesh.


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## hillbeach (Nov 7, 2006)

To all that fish that spot...I work down that road next to the old ferry landing. They always check that spot night and day so do not fish it...There is a dock down shore drive for shore fisherman and as long as you have a lic. you should be ok.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

Again, if this was someone stealing your fishing rods out of your car down at the OBX, all of you letting this person off the hook would have a completely different tone. BOTH ARE ILLEGAL, BOTH ARE DISRESPECTING PROPERTY, AND BOTH ACTIVITIES IRREPERABLY HARM THE FISHING COMMUNITY. "I am sorry," does not cut it when the violator damn well knows that he is trespassing and fishing w/o a license. 

As someone who has spent years chasing trespassers deer hunting on my parents farm, people who recklessly damaged property and endangered our livestock and neighbors shooting at anything that moved, I have ZERO sympathy. In fact, I wish the warden would have taken the same action they would take for people hunting illegally, CONFISCATE THE WEAPON & THE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION and make the penalty MUCH STIFFER than it already is. The fine for fishing without a license should be at least, bare minimum, the cost of 10 fishing licenses.


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## rockhead (Nov 6, 2002)

I will make a suggestion that has worked really well for me.

For starters, in general I do very little freshwater fishing but I do go at least 1/2 dozen times per year. 

If you go online to 

http://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/horf/

you can buy a combo fw/sw license and print as many copies of the license as you want, and save the license as a PDF to your desktop. then put a copy in your glove box, tackle box, wallet, junk drawer, etc. then you can forget about a fishing license in Virginia for the year. I think it's like $25 OR $27 for the 1 year combo, which isn't squat in my opinion.


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## cockroachjr. (Jul 18, 2005)

definately make more than a few copies once you get legal. I was fishing early morning at Dutch Gap, VA then went home to eat changed my clothes and left my papers in my backpocket. I go back to fish and Game worden tickets me and i tell him what happened. He says to me that I am lying and just trying to B.S. my way out of a ticket. The guy tells me he can't wait to see me in court and if he sees me fishing anywhere else hes gonna bust my a$$. So I get to court and I'm supposed to see the judge first thing in the morning but the wordenmoved my case back to the last case. I gotta miss work all day now  Showed my papers and got out of the fine then told the judge how rude this worden was and that the guy had it out for me. Judge laid that guy out but I could have avoided all that if I had copies


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## ASK4Fish (May 4, 2005)

*Copies of licences...*

are actually un-necessary...with all of the licences being automated, even if you forget your licence, as long as you have picture ID they can check whether you have your licence or not online. that was the purpose of databasing it, to tell who has bought one, and for what, and so on. in fact where i bought mine they told me it was completely un-necessary to carry one at all, and last week a nice harbor patrol officer showed me just how they check ...none the less i still carry mine, it saves them the time of looking it up, but incase you don't have it its there...


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## Cobia Seeker (Mar 19, 2002)

If you do not have it with you a citation can and most likley will be written.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

i believe it says in the rules that you must have it with you...


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Don't know in VA, but in MD, you need the paper "on your person whenever fishing". I got a warning because I put it in one bag, forgot to switch, and was "licenseless". The officer was very polite and nice, called the headquarters to look up my Drivers License, but they were busy; he said not to worry, and that if he were younger and looking to move up in the ranks, he would have given me a ticket. I appologized that he had to fill out the paperwork for the warning, and he replied that they "like paperwork" and smiled  All the MD DNR officers that I have talked to are extremely friendly, and willing to give you a break. He said that the ones that "back talk" and come out with an attitude are the ones he doesn't like. He says everyone makes a mistake, and he likes to give people a second chance. Oh, as a point of information, he said there are some DNR officers that specifically check grocery stores and restaurants that carry live fish to make sure they are all caught under the various regulations and tags are visible. If he had given me a ticket, I deserved it (didn't have my license after all), but I got lucky by meeting a laid back officer.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Yep, it's all about how you deal with them and their attitude at the time. They're only doing a job. A needed job I reckon.


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## Flyersfan (Dec 5, 2003)

I still think the counties need to provide more fishing areas, our sport is more popular now than ever, and were not just a bunch of drunkards, well some are, but we *vote*:beer:


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

true but we are not as organized as say Corporations that own property with water acess and the envoirmental groups. I was reading this in Field and Stream a few months ago.


And in VA to get a combo SW/FW License is 30 bucks at any wal-mart or k-mart. You also have to have it on your person at all times in VA. I even go to the extreme of carrying to a commercial pier/ licensed boat just in case the owners messed up and let theirs expire so I am covered Im not gonna blast you for fishing illegally you have gotten enough of that but i will say teaching my 7 y/o step-daughter has made me more aware to some of the regs we have to follow and there really was no excuse for that but i digress. Good Luck in court and if those PETA pukes harass you too much we should organize a protest in front of their buliding


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