DFG's new process for buying a fishing license is a big hassle

http://edhtelegraph.com/detail/167477.html

"DFG's new process for buying a fishing license is a big hassle

By George deVilbiss/Special to Gold Country News Service

Have you gone to your local sporting goods store to purchase a fishing license as a stocking stuffer for Christmas? All fishing licenses expire Dec. 31.

 

I went to store after store. Because of the new fishing license sales program instituted by the Department of Fish and Game, numerous stores quit carrying and selling licenses.

 

The Department of Fish and Game does much good, but once in a while, it makes some awfully stupid decisions. And now, it has a lulu.

 

In past years – up to last year – you could walk into a store, lay down your cash and purchase as many licenses for as many people you wanted. All you had to do was provide a name for each license.

 

Some anglers take a party boat onto ocean water, and the skipper could issue a one-day license to anybody without a current license.

 

Not anymore.

 

There’s now a lengthy computerized process to obtain a license. First and foremost, you have to provide the user’s name and date of birth. Next, you need to provide a state ID, which can be the intended user’s driver’s license or identification card number, passport, green card, military ID or foreign government ID number.

 

If you find a store that sells licenses, you won’t be able to purchase one without having that data.

 

Oh, you can purchase a voucher for each person for whom you hope to obtain a license, but that just means the person then must revisit the store to provide the data you didn’t have.

 

I finally went online, and you can make the complete purchase and have the license mailed to you. The process accepts most credit cards. At the end of the process, you can print a copy of the license, which will be good for use until you receive the real one.

 

To purchase a fishing license online, go to www.dfg.ca.gov and click on “License Sales.” Another couple of clicks will get to the sales portion.

I feel assured the DFG can produce pages of justification for this move.

Hunting and fishing license sales have seriously decreased over the years, and the new, utterly idiotic process will just further alienate the fishing public.

 

California can pretty much guarantee further decreases in license sales – or more people hitting the waterways without going through the hassle of buying a license.

 

Why Folsom Lake is kept at minimum depth in the winter

People often wonder why lakes like Folsom are kept at a particular minimum depth rather than filling as rains allow during the winter. Folsom Lake and Lake Shasta have twice the amount of water than what they had at the same time last year.

 

Today, they’re releasing massive amounts of water to maintain the lake at the minimum depth and allow for the current round of storm rainfall as inflow.

 

But why the minimum depth to begin with?

 

In the mid 1960s, there was a major problem in the hills. The dam at Hell Hole Reservoir gave way, and there was something like a 20-foot wall of water rushing down the canyon, headed straight for Folsom Lake.

 

Knowing all that water was coming down the hill, they opened the gates at Folsom Lake. It was the first time in the American River’s history to hit flood stage. It was unknown whether the dam at Folsom would hold due to the pressure of the onslaught of water.

 

The dam, of course, did hold. But, to ensure there’s always space in the lake for rain inflow in the winter and snow runoff inflow in the spring and early summer, the lake is kept at a minimum level throughout the winter.

 

Current fishing

American River: The traditional opening is Jan. 1, and most anglers who wish to pursue a fresh-run steelhead look forward to the upper stretch of the river re-opening to fishing.

 

However, with the current releases out of Folsom Lake and, concurrently, Nimbus, the river would be much too dangerous to fish. Water clarity is seriously affected, and you couldn’t add enough weight to your line to get and stay anywhere near the bottom, where the steelies are.

 

Sacramento River: Considerable water is coming down the system, from the north out of Shasta with big additions from the Feather and American rivers. When flows become massive, they pick up debris from the shoreline that had been well away from the water line. There can be large rafts of debris to full trees.

 

Regardless how high the rivers rise, it never seems to have any effect on the water levels at the Port of Sacramento. And, if a window opens to allow you to get out, close trips to Lake Amador and Camanche Lake would offer good angling opportunities.

 

To our readers: May you have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and sane New Year.

 

Contact George deVilbiss at [email protected]."

Yeah, I found this out myself yesterday going to pickup new licenses for Sara and I for Christmas.   They actually wanted me to bring a photocopy of her drivers lic. to get a new fishing license for her.   Even though I know everyone in this store by name, and she has been into the store many times with me, not even if I brought her old fishing license with me!  So, in the end, I asked if I returned with a picture (iPhone) of her license could I get her a license?  They agreed, since I dont have a scanner or a printer, I would have had to steal hers in the middle of the night and run to a Kinkos to get it copied.

Yeah I got mine this weekend at Big 5. Even the two teenage girls working the counter said...man this is really stupid, you are supposed to carry this thing?

I was at FW today and they said lots of places stop selling them. They mentioned Hi's was one. WOW

It's not that bad, I just did it online for my father.  He emailed me his driver's license info and it took just a few minutes.  And once people are in the system, you won't need the license info to purchase for them.

I thought it was pretty painless I didn't have to write anything he only asked two questions scanned my CDL and I was good to go, even the report cards are not that bad you can cut them in half after you read the instructions and punch a few holes .

I think having a database of the licenses is a big step forward and will help towards practical enforcement of license laws.

-Brian G

I think having a database of the licenses is a big step forward and will help towards practical enforcement of license laws.

"Database" is the key word. Not sure if it was mentioned yet but the "database" will probably soon exclude anyone who has a "problem" (outstanding traffic ticket, past due child support, dmv hold, etc) from obtaining a license.

http://edhtelegraph.com/detail/167477.html

There’s now a lengthy computerized process to obtain a license. First and foremost, you have to provide the user’s name and date of birth. Next, you need to provide a state ID, which can be the intended user’s driver’s license or identification card number, passport, green card, military ID or foreign government ID number.

Seriously? Wow, I can understand on the Hunting License since this fellas carry deadly weapons and all thats why they needed some screening to do, but on the fishing license? Come on thats way too much hassle... just in my opinion..

Just got mine online.  Took about 5 minutes.

Just got mine online.  Took about 5 minutes.

  Ditto.....   I'M not one who likes change, but this was pretty painless.

I got a voucher in my xmas card, I'll see if I can use it online to finish the process

I think having a database of the licenses is a big step forward and will help towards practical enforcement of license laws.

"Database" is the key word. Not sure if it was mentioned yet but the "database" will probably soon exclude anyone who has a "problem" (outstanding traffic ticket, past due child support, dmv hold, etc) from obtaining a license.

yeah i got a nasty letter from the dfg about not returning my steelhead card, didnt fish steelhead kinda forgot, so i was wondering if i was actually going to get a license this year, with the new computerized system, but within 5 minutes i had 64inches of license in my hand when i walked out the door, already have the 2010 steelhead and sturgeon cards in an envelope ready to mail out, cameron

 

   Any guesses as to how long this new license will be used?  If sales of license's fall any further,or continue to fall, how can they justify it continued use?

just bought mine online, took about 5 min.  Even w/ only having an interim ca drivers license i was able to use my passport id # instead.  figured it would be a hassle but was actually pretty simple... almost bought that ab card, but should probably get gear first

A lot of states either have gone, or are going to this type of licensing. You are right in that the database will aid in preventing people from getting a license, dead beat dads, non residents buying resident licenses etc.  This is a huge step forward in their enforcement. If someone is banned in another state from fishing/hunting, California had no way of knowing prior to issuance before this system. I am all for it. I am not a fan of 64 inches of tape, but hey, you will never have an excuse for having an oversized sturgeon again!