My good friend, with whom I enjoy spending time on the water, refuses to get a fishing license. Of course, I keep telling him that if a game warden stops us and he doesn't have a license, he'll lose his tackle and get a citation.

But what about me? I'm legal. Am I in any jeopardy or facing some kind of legal liability if someone in my boat isn't licensed?

Look at it this way. If you are checked by a game warden and your buddy tells the warden he knew he was fishing without a license, the GW may want to check everything on your boat. To me it's not worth it and I would tell your buddy to take a hike. If he wants to fish with you, then he needs to pony up the money and get a license.

why wouldnt you just buy him a fishing license, and save you and him any problems in the future. its like $26 or $28 bucks. you know you will get stopped eventually

or this would work, assuming that yall are fishing out of your boat.

IMO, your friend should respect you enough to have a license if he is going to fish out of your boat. If the GW stops you and he does not have a license then that gives them probable cause to search your boat. And that's wasting your time and theirs. I think it's a respect issue. If it is your boat, then people that are in your boat abide by your rules, PERIOD!

Y'all are all correct, and I kinda knew it up front. But I wanted some feedback from the Forum.

Buying him a fishing license is out. It goes against my grain... too much like being a co-dependent rescuing a drunk or a flake from the consequences of his own behavior. I'm into personal responsibility and not being a knight in shining armor.

Of course, to get a fishing license, you have to submit a driver's license or some other state-issued ID. And if I dragged him down to Academy and told him I'm paying for the license, he'd be so embarrassed he'd go ahead and pay for it himself.

I guess I'll have to tell him he needs to get legal before he goes out with me again, because I'm not willing to risk the consequences.

nobody will ever fish in my boat without a license. I check if I dont know whether or not they have one. its a responsibility that shouldnt be avoided- you pay to play, or you dont play.

Save your bass - just buy another license.

I agree, this is the way to play it - all the time.

This is a fishing buddy? Not in my book. I guess it is ok if he keeps undersized fish or over the limit - whatever - it is breaking the law and he's not contributing his fair share to conservation, which is providing him an opportunity to partake in our country's great bounty.

I saw some people busted at the caynon lake tailrace 2 had thier license 2 did not. The 2 that had them had over the alloted trout for 2 fisherman I think they had 13 total. They had to release 1 or 2 that could survive and gave the other 1 or 2 away or they would have been busted for over limit.

Just do like the Illegal Aliens do in USA when they get pulled over by a cop.

Give a fake address and a fake name, and let him issue him a ticket.

This kind of stuff is almost a peeve of mine. If anyone does not want to do things the legal way, they don't have a right to do it. Look at it this way, it is outright poaching and nothing less. Won't happen out of my boat. I have taken my wife and kids out in the past, and my wife did not want to spend the money for a license because she does not really fish often at all. I would not let her pick up a pole. Fishing today is for the ones that support the sport. No license, no fishing.

No license no fishing.

If you know he doesn't have a license, why would you go/take him fishing with you in the first place?

I will not knowingly fish with anyone who does not have a license...