Question about non-fisherman on the boat

I’m taking my nephew and his girlfriend out on the boat. He and I will be fishing but she won’t be. If a game warden stops by I don’t want any problems. How do we prove she isn’t fishing? We will be fishing for white bass and crappie so we will have quite a few rods with us. Am I worrying about nothing?

Up to the GW to prove she is. Most GWs will take her word unless he sees her handling a rod. I don't see GWs on lake often enough to really worry about it.

Not sure their age but everyone on the boat MUST have a fishing license if you are fishing. I’ve witnesses a ticket for this very thing

I've been checked by the game warden with non-fishermen in the boat and was not a problem. Of course the non-fishermen were my wife and her sister, had it been men that could have been an issue.

It was a woman I saw ticketed for this very thing. Ray Roberts was the lake

Ray Roberts was the lake we were checked on as well by a female warden. Guess it depends on the Game Warden and how reasonable he/she is. That said, I don't believe non-fishermen are required by law to have a fishing license.

My wife tags along sometimes and she doesn't fish. I have never had an issue. I guess they see the look on her face and know she isn't fishing.
I just wish a game warden would patrol Grapevine every now and then, but I haven't seen one this year other than the drowned man they found out of there a few weeks ago.

It’s $30.00, I would recommend her having it. She may even want to join in and fish at some point. I can tell you on PK they have issued tickets for this. For that reason, my wife has hers.

Not True!

If she doesn't have a pole in her hand then there is no way they can give a ticket. If they do, you can fight it as the GW is going off of assumptions. It's like a cop stopping you and giving you a ticket because you looked like you were about to speed. No proof....

Game wardens do what they want

The reason we don't see many Game Wardens is they are so understaffed just not enough to go around.
Johnny

Most wardens I'm sure will see you before you even know it's a warden and usually ask the folks they see fishing. Just don't let her handle any rods at anytime and you should be fine! Good luck

I had non-fishers on boat and when told they were not fishing, Conroe GW said" no problem, as long as he did not see a rod in their hands". He did add not to sneak in even one fish, and that he uses binocs and spotting scope to keep a long distance watch. Had no issues with"riders".

I have never heard of getting a ticket to somebody not fishing... I would think game warden would have to see you fishing to give you a ticket. Innocent until proven guilty. I’ve never read Anything to suggest if you were fishing and your wife wasn’t she could get in trouble. Sounds like an a-hole of a gw and has zero justification for doing that.

$11 gets you a one day fishing license, y'all may get into em good and she may want to know what's it all about

Yes get a DAY license. Cheap way to make sure there will be no problems. Example: I worked with an engineer at a company that wanted to go fishing. He said his wife wanted to go along but would not fish. I insisted that if she came with us in my boat that she MUST have a license. Day pass would be good. He did not like this but got his wife a day pass. She decided she would fish after all since she watched us hauling in so many fish she had to join in. A little later she gave her husband a big hug and said thanks. She had so much fun catching fish that this would be a day to remember.

I spoke to Game Warden in Williamson County who said boat riders were fine but the number of rods in the boat needed to equal the number of licenses. I could not bring two rods and have an unlicensed rider then claim when I came back to the dock that the riders were not fishing.

^^^^^^^^^
This

From what I've seen, sometimes bank fishermen, boats at the ramp/parking lot, campground, etc. are the areas that can get hit with "random" checks. Out on the water, they are watching before they approach another vessel.

If she doesn't fish, she doesn't need a fishing license. I think it's crazy to spend your time and money, even if it's $11, buying something you won't use...

If I did get a ticket for that, I'd fight it, but that's just me.

Here is another fun way to look at it: 1 day license is $11. Approximate odds of being stopped by a game warden is say, 1 in 30 trips to the lake (just my guess on how often I get checked). Odds of that Game warden writing you a ticket for something you didn't do, maybe 1 in 5 (ballpark, hopefully not even that high). So maybe every 1 out of 150 times you take her out you get a $200 ticket (which I would fight anyway, but let's say you don't have time to deal with the government). Also, I don't know the ticket amount, guessing here. But at that rate, you're spending $1.33 on average for every time you go out fishing with her, vs the $11 license...

Game wardens have the most authoritaty. Good luck fighting them.

lol, I prolly have at least 15 rods in my boat at any given time....

Another thing to ponder... Have you ever hung a good fish and asked someone else in the boat to net it for you?

That’s exactly what I heard the game warden that gave the ticket say. More than one rod more than one person fishing.

they can and a judge can overrule them

I apply the second sentence to everything. It is the reason I spent 6 months and countless emails and phone calls fighting with AT&T to cut off my landline.

I'm curious about this same topic but in relation to bank fishing. I do a lot of catfishing on the bank and have multiple rod holders spread out. My GF has a fishing license so no worries there but sometimes we have friends come just to hang out and not fish.

Also, don't know when you're going, but just got an email from TPWD...

The first Saturday of every June is free fishing day. No lisence required

Why not just get her a fishing license any way and let her fish too because fishing is fun and she might decide she wants to fish if she sees y'all catch many fish and having fun . plus you won't have that problem any more besides they don't cost much their only around 30 bucks vs risking paying alot more for a fine if the game warden checks yall

+1 Pretty small investment to possibly introduce her to a world of enjoyment ..........

Where and what is the Texas rule that defines what actions constitute fishing?

Doesn't need a license. Not allowed to handle fishing equipment. If they see her passing a fishing rod to someone else she will get a ticket.

Do kids need a license at what age

Found it. Kids under 17 don’t need one

This from fishinglicense.org

Do all people on a recreational fishing boat need to have a license?
You do not need to possess a permit to fish unless you are actively fishing. If you are in a group of people on board a fishing vessel out on the water, but you are not partaking in any fishing activities (such as netting fish and removing them from hooks), you do not need to have a fishing license. However, if you will be partaking in any part of the fishing process, you may be asked by officers to provide a fishing license, since you are technically engaging in fishing activities.

I would get her a day license. It's awfully tempting to let her reel in one or two if you get into a lot of fish. At $11 for a day license, it's a drop in the bucket when you look at expenses for a day on the water.

Listen up!!!
I have never put this on a public forum but here it goes.

A man ties up to the dock in front of his house and starts to clean fish. His wife walks down to the dock with a book and goes out on the lake to read in the boat.
While drifting across the lake a game warden stops by and ask her for her fishing license. She tells him she does not have one.
The game warden explains that he is writing her a ticket. She reply’s but I am not fishing! The game warden tells her you have all the equipment and could start at any time.
The Woman tells the game warden she will file sexual harassment charges against him if he writes her a ticket!
The game warden tells the lady that I have been nothing but a gentleman and you can’t possibly do that.
The lady explains to him that he has all the equipment and could start anytime!

Biy a license to prevent misunderstandings! Lol

Lol

No need for a license if the people on your boat aren’t fishing. We deal with this a lot.

Just like someone riding in the backseat of your car… They don’t need a drivers license.

Not true You only need a license if you are fishing you can be in a boat without a fishing license and other people fishing as long as you do not have a rod in your and