2013 California Licenses

[Fly Guy Dave]

It's rather hard to make a solid or fair comparison since when I buy out of state licenses, I always have to pay the non-resident prices. As I recall, Nevada and Wyoming are around $20 a day, regardless, and the last time I got an Idaho or Montana license, it was around $40 to $50 for a ten day license. Colorado was pretty reasonable, around $8 a day, and Arizona, New Mexico and Utah are all around $30 to $40 for a seven day. But B.C. is by FAR the most, as I spent a ton of cash to fish some of their premier rivers. Alberta makes you buy a "WIN" card ($5 last time I got one) and THEN you could buy a license after that, at $23.50 a day. OUCH!

[Terry Thomas]

Washington: Freshwater $29.50, Saltwater $30.05, Shellfish/seaweed $16.30.

[DLJeff]

License fees are easier to swallow if you are assured that money goes back into the fish & game coffers. It really, really pisses me off when that money goes into the general fund so the vote-hungry politicians can toss it away on wasteful projects, some of which are even harmful to the fisheries that generated those funds in the first place.

[Walter]

License fees are easier to swallow if you are assured that money goes back into the fish & game coffers. It really, really pisses me off when that money goes into the general fund so the vote-hungry politicians can toss it away on wasteful projects, some of which are even harmful to the fisheries that generated those funds in the first place.

Bingo! Some of you may remember the demise of the Bay Delta Enhancement Stamp. I do not turn in my Steelhead Card anymore. I have never received a ticket. If the funds go into the general fund I wonder if someone went to court over the STH Card, it would be defeated the same way the DBE Stamp was.

Can anyone tell me what REALLY happens to the revenue generated specifically by the Steelead Punch Card?

And for the record I am all for the card as an enforecement device, on the river.

[DLJeff]

Of course it's get's even more devious. Even when the license fees are dedicated to the fish & game department, the politicians watch the totals. When the license fees generate more money than they expected, they simply reduce the amount of money the DFG gets from the general fund. So the DFG budget stays flat and the general fund increases. That's what they did with the lotto money that was legally dedicated to education. The education budgets stayed flat and the politicians got the equivalent lotto money to fritter away.

[Frank Alessio]

I am happy I purchased a Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License a few years ago... And it is still good if I move out of california...

[Bob Loblaw]

The CA fishing license is the best dollar for dollar purchase I make each year. I grew up in Ireland where all the decent fishing water was private and very exclusive and expensive. Public fisheries are little more than drainage ditches. $45 to be able to fish world class water like the McCloud, Hat Creek, The Pitt, the Owens, Walker, Carson and hundreds more like them is a monster bargain. One of the greatest things about this country are the beautifully preserved wild places and the public access to them. I'd happily pay $500 for my license.

[jersey]

Non resident fees Wyoming $14 per day, Utah $12 (and a "handling fee" of $2 to print it out) Alaska was $115 for a week. Cheaper than the movies and way better scenery!

[Mike O]

http://www.takemefishing.org/home/

Drop down menu by state at the top of the page

If I had an actual computer in Idaho, I would make a chart

[East Bay Ed]

Bob, I understand what you're saying. It is beautiful and a joy to get out and fish, but I would never gladly pay $500 to have access.
East Bay Ed

The CA fishing license is the best dollar for dollar purchase I make each year. I grew up in Ireland where all the decent fishing water was private and very exclusive and expensive. Public fisheries are little more than drainage ditches. $45 to be able to fish world class water like the McCloud, Hat Creek, The Pitt, the Owens, Walker, Carson and hundreds more like them is a monster bargain. One of the greatest things about this country are the beautifully preserved wild places and the public access to them. I'd happily pay $500 for my license.