[drumin80]

Has anyone ever been asked to show a license while wade fishing? I have been stopped many times on the boat but never while wade fishing I have a license but i didn't think about a shoreline license whenever I take friends wade fishing (who are residents). Just wondering since they are free I wouldn't think they wouldn't fine you but I know they would...seems a little odd to me. I know you still need a license if you fish from a boat.

 

[OTTE*DA*WORM]

If you have a fishing license to fish from a boat, then you dont need the shoreline lisence. The Shoreline license is only for those who dont fish in a boat. It is still free, but at some point the shoreline license will be $7. And YES, they will give you a FINE for not having the 'FREE' shoreline license.

 

[Yaksquatch]

The shore license was put in place to protect FL shore/wade anglers from the $20+ shore license the Feds wanted to impose on us a few years ago. At the time, FL was the only remaining state that did not impose a license for saltwater fishing from shore. As long as FL requires it's residents to possess a license while fishing from shore, the Feds can't do anything about it even if the license itself is free.

Also, the shore license allows FWC to know the number of Floridians fishing and helps with their estimate of how much money is contributed to the state of FL by recreational anglers. This is very important when the Feds decide who gets what fisheries allocations, Ex: commercial vs. recreational limits. If the Feds think they can get more taxes from commercial fishermen, that's who they give the bigger quota too. If they realize they can get more taxes from recreational fishermen, they'll give us a bigger quota.

Good luck,
Alex