Northwest Fishing Reports

This really burns me up. I went to go buy my new licence.Is their nothing this state wont do for extra money?Next time I see a Warden stuck in the mud and wanting help I'm gonna tell him to call Chris Gregoire.Im through being pleasent to the state.

First the clerk asks me "are you gonna fish a tributary off the Columbia?"I say yes.Ching ching $8.00 extra bucks.The clerk tells me I was late in turning in my crab card even though I called it in first.Ching ching,add another$10.00.The clerk asks me "do you want to fish 2 poles in some lakes. I ask sure how much? He says $24.00 more.I said forget it.I left the store without my new licence .They dont take check or credit card.I said I dont have $79.00 cash on me.He says bring it tomorrow and I'll give it to you.I said Put the licence in $%^&*@#$%^.And I left extremely mad.Anyone wanna buy a boat? Hahaha.Im gonna go back but I'm done crabbing for good. That really burns me up.I'll fish but crabbing is too much.

Does anyone know if you can turn in your catch card (salmon/steelhead/etc.) when you purchase your 2010 license, or do you have to mail it in before you purchase a new one to avoid fines like he got with the crab card?

What is the date the card/s is/are due?

Lee, you have to mail it in but it isn't a requirement for your new license. To date there isn't a fine for not turning in your catch record card and I haven't heard of a person being denied a new license for not turning in previous catch records. PS Crab is the only fishing record that seems to be enforced. Hunting is a different story, they'll hold off a new tag if you don't report.

The due date to turn in catch records is April 30th, but you can buy your new license prior to that date.

racfish, you might just want to target some different species. You do not need a license if you are fishing for common carp, crawfsh, bullfrogs, smelt, or unclassifed marine invertebrates. And once a year you get a weekend to fish for other species for free, unless it is in the Columbia system or needs a catch record card. I think we are all going to feel the State take a bigger bite this year while getting less in return. I really don't see how that is an effective business model, or am I missing something?

I think there are going to be a LOT of anglers paying that $10 crab late fee, er, tax, er, user service charge, er, whatever. Hope they don't go the Ticketmaster route and call it a "convinence fee". That would really be irritating.

This doesn't help with the fees, but if you want pay with a credit card, and avoid store clerks who don't know what the heck they are doing. I have been renewing online for the past several years and had no problems. And once you get registered with a WILDID, all you have to do is input that number (printed on your license) and it pulls up all your info (name, address, etc.) so all you have to do the next year is pick what you want and put a credit card # in..

https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/

G-Man wrote:Lee, you have to mail it in but it isn't a requirement for your new license. To date there isn't a fine for not turning in your catch record card and I haven't heard of a person being denied a new license for not turning in previous catch records. PS Crab is the only fishing record that seems to be enforced. Hunting is a different story, they'll hold off a new tag if you don't report.

The due date to turn in catch records is April 30th, but you can buy your new license prior to that date.

racfish, you might just want to target some different species. You do not need a license if you are fishing for common carp, crawfsh, bullfrogs, smelt, or unclassifed marine invertebrates. And once a year you get a weekend to fish for other species for free, unless it is in the Columbia system or needs a catch record card. I think we are all going to feel the State take a bigger bite this year while getting less in return. I really don't see how that is an effective business model, or am I missing something?

If you get caught with an old lisense you can get a ticket though
me my dad and his friend were fishing for winter steelhead a couple years back and my dads friend had an old catch card and got a ticket for it

Gringo Pescador wrote:This doesn't help with the fees, but if you want pay with a credit card, and avoid store clerks who don't know what the heck they are doing. I have been renewing online for the past several years and had no problems. And once you get registered with a WILDID, all you have to do is input that number (printed on your license) and it pulls up all your info (name, address, etc.) so all you have to do the next year is pick what you want and put a credit card # in..

https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/

Me, too. Already have my in hard copy. Area 11 crab only got one season this past year and I did it online so I am ok on catch card. I paid $84.45 on 2/18.
One can also use a debit card with the Visa/MC emblem on it. It is treated like a credit card and it comes out of checking.

The reason merchants don't want to take debit or credit cards for licenses is that they have to pay a 2-4% fee to the card companies. Thats why most merchants are cash only for licenses. Most of them will take plastic if you buy something else other than a license. A couple of the stores that I frequent were overrun this summer with people that only wanted a license so they could go whack humpies and not purchase anything else. Oh, and they money goes to the state, not the merchant. Most of them wouldn't even sell licenses if they could get away with it. Buy the license online as its easier for everyone.

Bill and I tried going to the WDFW office here yesterday to buy our licences and you can't even buy one in person there. That is just soooo wrong! The lady there said she would love to be able to sell licenses again but they have been told they can't. They even have the machines to do it!!#-o

Gringo Pescador wrote:This doesn't help with the fees, but if you want pay with a credit card, and avoid store clerks who don't know what the heck they are doing. I have been renewing online for the past several years and had no problems. And once you get registered with a WILDID, all you have to do is input that number (printed on your license) and it pulls up all your info (name, address, etc.) so all you have to do the next year is pick what you want and put a credit card # in..

https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/

Hey Gringo...I've been tempted to do this for several years...but I know there were some glitches when this first went online, and I became hesitant to do so. And you never have had a problem?? So you enter the info, pay w/ card, then print your license out from home? Hmmmmm

Man I can almost get my resident fishing license here and an out of state license in Colorado for the $ you guys are paying there:-"

mav186 wrote:

Gringo Pescador wrote:This doesn't help with the fees, but if you want pay with a credit card, and avoid store clerks who don't know what the heck they are doing. I have been renewing online for the past several years and had no problems. And once you get registered with a WILDID, all you have to do is input that number (printed on your license) and it pulls up all your info (name, address, etc.) so all you have to do the next year is pick what you want and put a credit card # in..

https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/

Hey Gringo...I've been tempted to do this for several years...but I know there were some glitches when this first went online, and I became hesitant to do so. And you never have had a problem?? So you enter the info, pay w/ card, then print your license out from home? Hmmmmm

I have done it for 4 years now and have never had a problem. I print off the temporary license (if I need it) until the real one comes in the mail within 7 days. You don't get temporary catch card though. Have to wait for it to come in the mail.

Mav,

You can immediately print out a temporary license that is good for general fishing. The actual license and catch record cards come in the mail later. They have gotten better about sending them and it usually takes only a week or so before you receive everything.

Now that I cooled off and gained my senses back I'll take my $79.00 to the dealer next payday.I'm definately gonna look at online licences in the future.Between Wisha and Wdfw I've had my feel for state agencies.Grrrrrrr......I crab 8.1 and 8.2 almost always. They didnt open those areas to winter crabbing so I didnt go and didnt report. My mistake but still.............After buying licences in Wa State for over 30 years every year youd think they give you a lil leeway(sp).So much for longevity.

mav186 wrote:

Gringo Pescador wrote:This doesn't help with the fees, but if you want pay with a credit card, and avoid store clerks who don't know what the heck they are doing. I have been renewing online for the past several years and had no problems. And once you get registered with a WILDID, all you have to do is input that number (printed on your license) and it pulls up all your info (name, address, etc.) so all you have to do the next year is pick what you want and put a credit card # in..

https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/

Hey Gringo...I've been tempted to do this for several years...but I know there were some glitches when this first went online, and I became hesitant to do so. And you never have had a problem?? So you enter the info, pay w/ card, then print your license out from home? Hmmmmm

Yeah, the 1st year they offered it - it was so messed up I couldn't even get my order processed. But they have done a pretty good job of working the bugs out. Like Toni and G-man said - you can print a temp license that is good until the real one comes in the mail. Catch cards you cannot print, you just have to wait for those. And like Gman said they are getting faster at mailing them out - I think mine came in 5 or 6 days this year (surprised me).

Just ordered mine online from WDFW. The process was very good, didn't even have to fill in most of the data as it was already saved from the previous year.



Note on Licensing Fees: Disabled persons or Veterans rated 30% or more get a discount if you send in the required paperwork. It's a pretty big discount, so don't pass it up if you're elligible.

Awesome...thanks guys for the information, I'm going to give it a go!

I just did mine online, slam dunk!........ along with the $10.00 "Administrative Fee" for "failing to return crab catch record.", which was entered online. The raised fees for the usual is normal and I expect to "pay to play" with no hesitation, it's some of the cheapest entertainment I could hope for. However. Warning Rave They have now crossed the line after charging me more than the cost of a new license and catch records to replace them after losing them last summer and charging me an "Administrative Fee" for faithfully complying with the rules and always donating to whatever they ask, for the last thirty some years. They get no more extra money from me as a result of their greediness! I will how ever take the "Administrative Fee" to mean that they no longer wish to have me return catch records. In the future I will gladly pay $10 to not jump through the hoops to return the records. The WDFG has spoken.

LOL I signed on to WDFW a couple months ago to buy a $6.00 spring bear raffle ticket.

But to do that you need a bear tag. Which comes as a combo with the couger. $24 more.. total now $30.

But wait. I too forgot my crab reporting... +$10, now I'm at $40.

Hey look, life time resident licnese raffle, only $6... oops.

whatever happened, I ended up paying about $55 by the time I was done. I still don't have a new fishing license for 2010-2011 season, and I forgot to pick a GMU hunt for spring bear so that $6 just bought me points for next years raffle, LOL!!


the 2nd pole one is hard to swallow at $24 but i'm going to do it.