Itelco brought up a point that I think bears more investigation.

I have not had a game warden in my boat to check my catch! EVER!!!

I've never had an enforcement person meet me at the launch and ask to see my catch!

I've had fish checkers ask their ?s

Hunting season is another thing! I am just interested in fishing, for this thing.

Have you been checked?

Did they come in your boat?

Did they ask to see your catch?

Did they open your coolers?




herm

I've been checked by the patrol at some of the boat launches/take outs on the Skykomish, especially Sultan. They've asked if we have caught anything and when we say yes they've politely asked to see the fish. No problem.

Herm

Most of the time the game wardens are just like traffic cops! They tend to be at the places where there are masses of people and lots of violations occurring. It just increases their chances of catching a lot more violators just by the shear number of people who are fishing.

Just look at places like the "Meat hole" at the Lewis River or the Barrier Dam or the Blue Creek boat ramp on the Cowlitz River. They make the state a lot more money at places like that then they would at far off places that are not used very often.

Herm, you may not "known it", but you have most likely been checked a lot more times then you may think! Many times the gamers are watching you through their scopes with the old camera attached. The problem that you are probably having is; you aren't breaking any game laws, so the boys aren't a knocking at your door! It's a whole lot easier for them to hide out and glass you then it is for them to pull up in their truck and walk over and check you out.

That's how I see most wardens working!

And I see a lot!!

Cowlitzfisherman

I've been checked on the water out of Edmonds durring silver season and on possesion when it was open for silvers but not kings. They asked to see my license, fish and I had to pull up my gear to show that I was fishing barbless. Saw a guy in a boat near me reach out with a knife and cut his own line when he saw them check my gear, must have figured a ticket for barbs would cost more than putting on a new legal set up. Fish cops saw him cut the line, so when he was checked I noticed they boarded his boat and were on it for awhile. Don't know if he got a ticket for anything.
The enforcement guys have always been very nice and polite with me.

I was checked twice last year by WDFW. First time was lake Washington sockeye season just outside the mount lake cut I was heading back after a day of fishing. They pulled along side my boat and stopped me. They checked everyones license and then asked me to open the ice chest to show them my fish. They thanked me and said goodbye. The next time was fishing point dalco for blackmouth. They again pulled up along side. Asked to check our hooks to make sure they were barbless and look at our licenses. Then opened up the fish boxes and ice chest. Again passing with flying colors he told me how much he liked my boat and to have a good day. I have been checked maybe 10 times in the past 25 years by WDFW and they have allways been nice and considerate. I have also been asked by fish checkers many more times than that to look at my fish. I never have a problem showing off the days catch. It was kind of funny last year at Alkia when the fish checker asked if I had any luck fishing for silvers and I said yes. He asked me to take the ice chest out of the boat and open it up witch I did. I think he was suprised to see we had four silvers for four fishing that day. He told me he had counted 46 other boats with 4 total fish.

I have been checked during the C&R on the Sauk by officers in a driftboat. They checked licenses and hook barbs is all.

The only time I have ever been checked on the Sky was last April at Ben Howard when I was giving a spey casting lesson. Once he saw all I had was yarn, he didn't even ask for licenses.

The last time I was at La Push, every boat out on tabletop was checked. They would just pull up beside, and tell us that they were coming aboard.
They did this and checked out all my compartments and coolers and then told us to have a nice day. There was a guy that was fishing next to us that was not so fortunate though. They got him for having four butts on board with only two guys, tried to tell the fish cops that it was his possesion limit,,,,,,that won't quite cut it with the gamies.
Later, Ng

Steve,

Love the new Avatar.

Hey Dan , lets do it again out at Westport this summer, hopefully the weather will be better than last year. Have a new motor on the boat too, a 150 Evinrude.
Keep in touch.....Ng

I'd love to join you Steve. And I'm just now getting the color back to normal, after turning green with you last time.

Talk to you later.............

I got checked on the columbia back in april but was not boarded. Only been checked twice in my life.

I get checked all the time, but then I fish all the time Last time was crabbing down at Potlatch on a nasty drizzely day, boat came sneaking out of the fog real effectively. Showed them my crabs and showed them I was wearing my license under my raingear which they said was fine. Asked how they had been doing and was told that I was the first boat doing everything legal that they had seen in an hour! The next boat they checked they wound up confiscating gear, crabs, and escorting them to the launch, so they must have really screwed up. They were real professional and real glad to finally be able to leave the ticket book in their pocket with me. Crappy job, I wouldn't want it

Come to Oregon and you'd better have a current lic. in hand. The Oregon State Police do 90% of the game checking ... and they have 'guns and back-up.'

Never could figure out why Washington/Calif. didn't do the same. We've got very few game guys/gals out there but lots of OPS. History, and probably a repeat, but last fall found 6 folks using illegal gear. the first four (all were within a 100 yards of each other) told me to ... well, "piss off." Wrong answer. The other two were a young couple whom I riigged up with fly end tackle, bobbers, etc. (all quite legal).

Called OSP on my cell phone and the officer was there in about 15 minutes ... and wrote about $1,200 worth of tickets.
Yes!!!
fae

Yes I'm checked at least once a year.

Only allow the coast guard to board without protest, so far state and county police have backed off.

Yes OSP has the authority to inspect your catch.

No, if possible will not allow an illegal search.

Ive been checked 3 times in the last two months lake fishing. 2 of the times i was the only one out there. Ive been checked 3 or 4 times on the Sky (Wallace flats, Sultan Launch, Lewis Launch, and once at a remote stretch) Yes, they do go through coolers, bags, and of course check liscences, gear and fish. Ive also been spotted though a scope on the Sauk, and N.F Stilly.

They are definetly out there for those who think otherwise. Most wardens know were all the hiddy holes are and canyon climbs, so its best to comply by the rules at all times, not only for your sake but for the fishes too.

Used to get checked more often when I had my old fiberform. Have only gotten checked once since I got my present more expensive boat. If gamies around and my minority friends are aboard its an automatic check. Profiling at sea

Thanks for the response!

It sounds better than I thought. I was beginning to think there was nowhere near enough enforcement.

Personaly, I'd like to see every boat and fisherman checked at least every third trip!

I'm more concerned with fisheries like the Columbia Sturgeon fisherie and the steelhead and springer salmon fisheries. I think they should just call Manpower and send a doz or so to Hoodsport and the other combat zones!
Major return on the buck spent and let the qualified guys do the important stuff like catchin long liners an gill and drift netters.

Thanks again! Thank you WDFW!




herm

I get checked all the time fishing in the salt. In fact I have ben checked twice since halibut opened up. Probably 5-10 times a year.

It seems like I get checked every time I go out. Especially Sieku! And Herm I know you had to have been checked @ Rivers last year. I was probably checked 3 or 4 times over there. I dont think your question was about BC though.
Robyns

I have been checked in the salt once.It was during the sinclair inlet bubble fishery.

I have never been checked on a river by a game warden.It would take a pretty ambitious warden generally though as I am never to close to a road.

Hey Robyns!

Yep at least every third day! Should have seen him , I had 5 crabs in a bucket and I let him put em back....... what a hoot!

Won't be long now!

We might have a pig roast up there if we do I'll get in touch with ya.



herm

I was pulled over by the Coast Guard yesterday...noticed them following me, and when I got to my fishing hole off Waldron noticed they had their little blue lights on. They were quite polite and only asked four short questions, which I answered (though I was thinking the thoughts in parentheses):

1. How are you doing? Good. (Did I violate some sort of marine speed limit?)

2. Where are you coming from today? Orcas. (Dang VHF unit is acting funky again.)

3. Where is your permanent residence? Orcas. (Why don't you just come aboard and check me and be done with it?)

4. What are you fishing for? Lingcod. ('Coz I got the day off! lol)

They wished me luck, motored a couple hundred yards away, then sat there, probably glassing me. I've been running about in small boats off Orcas for a couple years and never been checked before--didn't mind it at all, but then my registration is current, my gear in order, &c. Kind of nice to know they're out there!

Been checked only once here in Wa. It happened to be the only time I didn't have my liscence in my pocket. We went back to my car to get it. No problem. Up in BC however, been asked by counters each time I've been there.

fishkisser99

It kind of sounds like the coast guard was just following up on their "High Alert" that they have been put on. Apparently they thought they saw something about your boat or your activity that must have gotten their attention. It just sounds like they were doing the job that we are expecting them to do. Any other time, I would be wondering why they may have pulled you over. Remember, this week end we went back on "orange high alert" again.

Anyway, that's what probably has happened.

Cowlitzfisherman

Was springer fishing below Longview amongst about 25 boats. Along comes a OSP Jetcraft with a big red buoy hangin off the side(big give away) he checked only the older boats mainly glass boats and did not check a single newer looking aluminum boat. I guess they were boat profiling. Oh, and ive never been checked, except by a "bioligist".

Count me in on that Pig Roast!!! When are you leaving?
Robyns

I get checked about every time I head to Sekiu, and about 1 in 10 trips elsewhwre. Never had an issue with the folks doing the checking.

I've been checked once at La Push, no problems but another guy on the dock got ticketed for having a limit but no license. Have also been checked in Idaho fishing for steelhead on the Salmon river. It is fairly common for fish and game to set up check points along the road there. They are always very polite.

In Area 13, I can count on being checked at least once a month by the same three officers.
Last July and August, I was checked at least 3 times a week off Nisqually.

I have been "counseled" (I didn't like her tone) once by the officer. My buddy nailed a nice BM off Johnson's Pt last May and we were cleaning the blood off the carpet. The patrol boat came alongside and gave my buddy a warning ticket for not immediately annotating the punch card and I got a butt chewing for being the skipper.. total elasped time was maybe 3 minutes max between catching the fish and them coming alongside...

It has gotten to the point where my stuff is all ready for them and they just asked if I caught anythng...

We were checked Saturday by WDFW outside of Neah Bay. Everybody was cool.

I have been checked 3 times in the last year, but the prior 20 years just once. Last year June 1st on the Sky at the mouth of the Wallace(2 guys in a sled). Once in Dec. on the Pilchuck. The last time on the Skagit in March(2 guys in a drift boat).

I got checked by two gals last winter in Area 11. I was trolling for BM and eating some chilli when they snuck up behind me, then pulled along side causing me to get my downrigger ball and tackle hung up on the bottom. They seemed to have a real attitude issue.... probably the same ones Downriggen is familiar with.

There was a game wardon at the Everett Ramp on February 15th. I even forgot to put my license in the boat and he didn't write me a ticket. He did call in and check my DL# and was able to see that I do have my license.

Was checked a couple of years ago in July over by Kingston, just came along side and asked some questions.

Was boarded at Jeff Head about 10 years ago and got a ticket for not crimping a barbed hook.

I've been checked twice by the large gray zodiac. Once at Sekiu and once at Johns River in Grays Harbor. Neither time was I boarded. Last year however we were 12 miles out of Westport and 2 gamies pull up in a 10 foot zodiac. The seas were so so and they were big eyed! I later saw their mother ship out there with them but no way do you see them scooting through the swells. He comes on board checks the hooks, checks the floor boxes and coolers. We were okay but he closes by asking - Did I miss anything? NO!! Stay legal and fish with peace of mind. Several others around us had him on board for half hour or more. Hate to be the one answering to the dearly beloved for their screwups!!

We were checked at Everett crabbing a week or so ago..The officer was nice and climbed in the boat ...not easy since it was on the trailer and I use a ladder to get in..he looked at all of our 18 crab and measured several. We were all totally legal and polite to him....I appreciated him doing his job as I suspect alot of abuse of the crab rules goes on out there.

I got nailed once years ago at Sekiu for a barbed hook....I had a PIPS container with about 12 leaders all barbless and also about 10 barbless leaders in whole herring on ice ready to deploy. There was an unused rod on board the boat with a barbed hook..a new leader that hadn't been pinched and I got a ticket for that..not within the law but he originally stopped us for not punching a card fast enough....all our fish were over 30# and took 30 minutes or so to bring to the boat. We just netted one and sat on the cooler for less than 30 seconds waiting for the knees to stop knocking together before he appeared out of nowhere...We had 3 fish (all legal then) and had all of them punched ...except the one we just set in the boat...We don't cheat so it was pretty frustrating but I took his ticket and smiled...You shouldn't get a ticket for a hook not even in use but I suspect if I had corrected the officer he would have made my life miserable....Sometimes it seems like they want you to punch your card before bringing the fish on board..I thought it was ok to punch before you started fishing again. When the big King bite was on at Sekiu you didn't have a lot of time to mess around but we always punched the cards....just not in 30 seconds or less.

Got checked three times on the nooch gravel bar and once on the satsop highway launch last winter. All by the same warden. Nice fella.

Why would you let them board your vessel? They don't have the right to (except the cosat guard) so make them stick to the rules.

I have been checked lots of times, always in compliance. Most of them have been super polite but as with anything some of these officers were complete jerks. To them I say, Are you the coast guard? Then I'll see you at the dock.

Last time I was checked I was in the green river canyon. Two Wardens in Kayaks floated up and checked my wife and my gear. Nice guys just doing their job. I was surprised to learn that what I thought were two pleasure boaters were wardens.

Sometimes the checker at Shilshole is a cute gal.

I hear there are some other really cute female wardens out there....what are thier areas of patrol, maybe I should change my fishing habits:)

The last time I was checked was Friday (7/4). I was returning to the Modrow boat launch on the Kalama when a CO drove up in his rig. I had caught a nice chrome summer run. His arrival was a surprise and he was thinking he had an easy target and a citation. Fortunately I remembered to tag the fish on my license. So no tickets for me......

However, he did nail someone parked in the Modrow lot that didn't have a yellow sticker. That's was a $66 parking ticket. Ouch!

Last and only time in the salt was 9 years ago and 1 other time walking out of Blue Creek about 7 years ago. Had them go by and juat chat a few times with no stop to check, one of those times was springers 2 years ago and I discovered that I had the wrong years license with me (it was the first weekend after the 1st of April). Got lucky on that one. Saw them on the water in a sled on the Cow last Saturday for the first time ever!! At Sekiu a few years ago watched em' up an asian family for about a thousand dollars worth!!!
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

I've been checked more times than I can remember. PNP, Meeker, Spokane St, Seacrest, Alan Bar, Possesion, etc, etc, etc...

I've gotten one ticket. On the Sky during the late C&R season the gamie asked for my license at Ben Howard. I searched everywhere, but couldn't find it. So she wrote me a $180 ticket for (1) no fishing license and (2) fishing w/o a steelhead license. I backtracked to 2-Bit and found it laying on the the ground right where I parked earlier in the morning. Strangely, I C&R'd a downriver brat and a small wild buck minutes within resuming fishing at the same hole I had just pounded. nk

Anyway I ended fighting the ticket. So I took a day off work and went to poacher court in Monroe. There were three of us, one was a guide fishing w/clients while in the driftboat and the other was a local caught thumping a nate in the South Fork. The judge ended up throwing out the guide's ticket due to ambiguity of the regs (it was the first year for this and even the judge admitted he didn't know it had become illegal). The local got the book thrown at him. And for me, once I proved I had a fishing license, the judge found me guilty of fishing w/o it on my person. Then he fined me zero$. As I was signing papers w/ the bailiff I heard the judge yell for him to make a note (to an unnamed rookie female game warden) "for her not to waste my time again!"

Never have been checked...but i have not gone out as much as you guys have though