Citations

June 4, 2009

Question: I got a citation from a DFG game warden recently for fishing without a license. I had a fishing pole but I didn’t have a line in the water. Can the game warden really give me a ticket when I wasn’t literally fishing? (Janice B.)

Answer: Yes, you can get a ticket for fishing without a license if a warden made previous observations of you fishing, even if you don’t have a line in the water when the warden approaches you.

If you feel you were cited unfairly, you have every right to look at how the law is written and take your case to court. Fish and Game Code Section 7145 discusses license requirements, Section 15 defines “angling” and Section 86 defines “take.”