Being Approached OTW by DFW

I've probably been approached OTW in the ocean 6 or 7 times, and felt like they got too close a few times. We don't have engines running so they should maintain a reasonable distance and just yell. You can hear everything OTW in a kayak, it's so quiet usually. Always a good interaction w/the guys onboard, but sometimes they get a little too close for comfort, especially when it's not in neutral and you're in the kelp...that could be dangerous.

I heard that someone got approached once and was asked to show the DFW the fish. Oops. The stringer was gone. Came untied. hehehehe Ive had two on the kayak and both were funny and pleasant. Same guys, a year apart. They remembered me because I released a big cab while they watched the first time to their amazement. They remembered me from that the second time.

you sure it wasn't because of the donkey ;D

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Had fish and game come up and do everything but board us at the Rockwall, blazed right at us at a fairly high rate of speed (we were on a tandem) pulled right up against us..we had to grab on to their boat and float along with them while the looked at our licenses and questioned us...professional but definitely no need to make physical contact with us while OTW

80% of the time they have been great.  Once the guy was a certifiable a hole who deserved to get his butt fired.  One other time, their zodiac pushed me into a huge kelp mass where I snagged up but it was not intentional.

I got checked Saturday. They were cordial enough, and handled their boat well.

They only needed to verify our licenses if we had fish aboard (which I did).

I was diving out of Van Damme with my then girlfriend.  We had paddled to the south to explore new spots.  It was a fruitless adventure as the cliffs were pretty barren.  The conditions started out nice but they deteriorated and my girlfriend started getting queasy so we decided to paddle back.  It got sloppier by the minute and before we can make it to the big island to hide from the swell, a DFG inflatable with two young wardens stopped us in open water.  It was real sloppy then then so I paddled up to put hand on my girlfriend's kayak to steady her.  One of them yells at me to not touch her kayak.  Asked if we got any abalone, told them no but they decided to open the hatches to her kayak just to check.  All the while she was dry heaving.  I asked if we could conduct the search behind the island.  One of them said no. 

After they were done checking her kayak, they started on mine.  All the while my girlfirend had to bob around in the slop.  They then asked where our abalones were.  Told them we didn't take any and we headed back in due to girlfreind getting seasick.  Then just just motored off without a word. 

One year in Monterey Bay, I was approached by the DFG's gray boat and check otw 3 out of 5 trips while kayak fishing for salmon.  Was it racial profiling?, the bright kayak?, who knows.  But, I'll have to say that all of the encounters were very friendly and nothing unsafe about it.  I felt like I got my money's worth out of my fishing license that year.

I used to get checked all the time in the salt.That was some time ago and they seemed to be playing cat n mouse with me.I always had everything in order and they were professional.I keep my licence pinned so that it is visable,no big deal."I know authority,authority always wins"JCM.   just a tip...