Reply #14: Fishing without a license is, and should remain, a crime.

[Xithras]

Fishing licenses are essential parts of fisheries management, and the fees generated by those licenses are vital to maintaining our riverine ecosystems in the U.S. Even more importantly, virtually all states regulate the type and size of the fish you can take, the equipment you can use, and the times and dates you can use them in an attempt to protect endangered species and ecosystems. The threat of a revocation of your fishing license, and citations or prosecutions that come along with continued fishing after a revocation, is usually enough to keep most people from violating those regulations.

I fly fish regularly. I probably get stopped by DFG or local patrols and have my license checked once a month or so. I consider that to be a good thing. If you can't follow the law, you have no business being out on the water.