I know we have some big time fishermen and govies on this site. Does one normally need a fishing licence when fishing on private property. I'm sure it varies from state to state. I looked through the Colorado regs but nothing sticks out. I'm not opposed to buying one, but my father will be stepping foot of his commercial flight and into my skywagon for a trip up to Marble. Really don't want to go out of the way to buy a licence for him if it is not required.

I would not take any chances, finds are usually several time more than a license.
check here for license fees
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/SeasonDatesAndFees/
look resaonable to me.
good luck

Yes, you do as far as I know, at least in Oregon.

It's the land that is private, not the water, which is why you can drift(not wade) a natural waterway in a boat through private property and not be trespassing.

In the 60's my dad was snagging salmon out of a stream on Prince of Wales Island in AK. When he gets back to the pick-up with his catch he is greeted by the local game cop, who has been watching his gathering techniques.
The officer tells dad if had thrown ONE fish back he would have been cited, and sent him on his merry way.
Unfortunately times have changed since then.
I know in Oregon you can purchase a license for another person that is not in the state.

Can he buy one online before the trip?

Here in North Dakota we can buy all hunting and fishing licenses online.

Bill

In most states the answer depends on if the water is also private. For example, at the cabin in Montana we have two lakes on private property that are fed by water rights we own and we stock the fish. In this case I don't need a license and anyone we say can fish them can without a license. Now, if I walk 1/4 mile north or south and fish Deer Creek or Chicken Creek or the west fork of the Bitterroot I need a license even though the rivers and creek run through private land. Difference here is we don't own the water or the fish in the rivers and creeks...we do in the lakes.

Yes, you need a fishing license in the state of CO, even to fish on private property.

gb

Darinh wrote:In most states the answer depends on if the water is also private. For example, at the cabin in Montana we have two lakes on private property that are fed by water rights we own and we stock the fish. In this case I don't need a license and anyone we say can fish them can without a license. Now, if I walk 1/4 mile north or south and fish Deer Creek or Chicken Creek or the west fork of the Bitterroot I need a license even though the rivers and creek run through private land. Difference here is we don't own the water or the fish in the rivers and creeks...we do in the lakes.

No such thing as owning water in Montana. The state owns all water, above and below ground. You wouldn't need water rights if you could own water. Even though you may have rights to all the water in the pond/lake/etc the water, as it sits in that pond is by definition public. The public may not have access to it but it is nonetheless public. A woman I work with who grew up on a ranch in north central MT has that ranch still in the family. There is a reservoir that is wholly on their land and they own all the water right to that water. They have allowed Fish, Wildlife and Parks to maintain a road so people can fish, boat and hunt but if they want to drain it dry that is their right. And there is only one circumstance where you do not need a fishing license in Montana. That is if you have a privately owned pond you stock with fish for that purpose. You need a permit from the state and they will tell you what fish you are allowed to stock. There is a nominal fee for this permit but those you allow to fish do not need a license. This applies virtually nowhere in the state. Here's the relevant passage from the state regs:

Private Fish Ponds – License Requirements, $10 Fee for 10 years
A person who owns or lawfully controls a private fish pond may obtain a license from FWP to stock
the pond with fish. Only lawfully purchased fish may be planted. Contact your local FWP office for
more information and an application or download the application from the FWP Web site. No fishing
license is required to fish on licensed, privately stocked fish ponds. Fishing license requirements
apply to all other ponds and/or waters on private land.

Flat Country Pilot wrote:Can he buy one online before the trip?

Here in North Dakota we can buy all hunting and fishing licenses online.

Bill

Great idea, as it turns out you can buy in advance for the days you want. Problem solved

Cheers,

Bill

bmurrish wrote:

Flat Country Pilot wrote:Can he buy one online before the trip?

Here in North Dakota we can buy all hunting and fishing licenses online.

Bill

Great idea, as it turns out you can buy in advance for the days you want. Problem solved

Cheers,

Bill

Idaho is the same way. You select what days you want to fish and then print out the license. If you don't have a printer handy just write down the number they give you. That is your license.

No such thing as owning water in Montana. The state owns all water, above and below ground. You wouldn't need water rights if you could own water.

You're correct. I think I made it clear by stating we own the water rights in the first sentence. Missed the "rights" part at the end but this is what I meant.

They have allowed Fish, Wildlife and Parks to maintain a road so people can fish, boat and hunt but if they want to drain it dry that is their right. And there is only one circumstance where you do not need a fishing license in Montana. That is if you have a privately owned pond you stock with fish for that purpose. You need a permit from the state and they will tell you what fish you are allowed to stock.

Ours are not reservoirs or lakes (should not have used that term) but man-made ponds (by us) and we do not maintain or allow the FWP or anyone else to maintain access to them. We do allow the Forest Service to utilize them for fire water and they used them like crazy during the 2001 fires. But you are right, we can only plant fish that are permitted by the FWP and we do not need a license to fish them. I think I made this point clear also when I said that the two creeks and one river that flow through our land would require a license to fish.

Dang, you guys are good. Any recommendation on a mid-september fly on the Crystal River in Colorado? I was thinking a nice caddis or midge.

Small Tail Caddy wrote:In the 60's my dad was snagging salmon out of a stream on Prince of Wales Island in AK. When he gets back to the pick-up with his catch he is greeted by the local game cop, who has been watching his gathering techniques.
The officer tells dad if had thrown ONE fish back he would have been cited, and sent him on his merry way.......

Don't know about elsewhere, but hre in WA snagging is illegal whether you keep them or throw back. Every year the fish cops bust a bunch of people around here who are snagging salmon, usually right under a certain Hwy 101 bridge (not very low profile). Why would the game warden have cited your dad for throwing back snagged fish but keeping them was OK?

Eric

hotrod150 wrote:

Small Tail Caddy wrote:In the 60's my dad was snagging salmon out of a stream on Prince of Wales Island in AK. When he gets back to the pick-up with his catch he is greeted by the local game cop, who has been watching his gathering techniques.
The officer tells dad if had thrown ONE fish back he would have been cited, and sent him on his merry way.......

Don't know about elsewhere, but hre in WA snagging is illegal whether you keep them or throw back. Every year the fish cops bust a bunch of people around here who are snagging salmon, usually right under a certain Hwy 101 bridge (not very low profile). Why would the game warden have cited your dad for throwing back snagged fish but keeping them was OK?

Eric

Eric,
Snagging salmon in any state, now or back then, is probably illegal. The point is that back in the old days an officer could use his own discretion or common sense when to issue a citation. My dad was clearly catching fish to put food on the table, he was not snagging fish for fun and did not waste any.
With a government issued license you can catch salmon by the thousands with nets,and sell them for a profit.
If you are part of an Indian tribe you can net salmon out of a river and sell them on a street corner for a profit...though you and I could not do the same.
I do not advocate that it should be a "free for all" ....but times have changed.
Didn't mean to side track this thread.
I wouldn't take any chances fishing without a licenses today because you WILL get written up.... and read the regs very close to determine what type of bait, hooks, and days that you can fish....and if you are upstream or downstream of any particular bridge... are you fishing in tidewaters or not? East or West of the buoy?