Should there be fishing courses to get a fishing licence??

Originally Posted by huntin'fool

If I have questions, I phone the fish cop shop. They always help me out.

A mandatory course is a ridiculous idea.

An optional course for people who want to learn more about fishing, is a good idea. Similar in style to the first time hunters course. All good ideas, but who's gonna do it?? The same old guys who do everything in our fish and game club????

Hey Camogirl, why dont you join your local fish and game club and propose this idea. Advertise it alot and I bet you get interest.

sorry i re-read that ...u have a good point! but as you probably know.. it should be mandatory for the people out there who dont follow regulations!

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Okay, you may need to know that because of the waters that you fish in.....good for you. I don't fish waters with bull trout in them so why should I have to know this?

You live in AB, within 1-2 hours of bull trout waters. If you don't know what a bull trout looks like or cant be bothered to figure it out your pretty close minded.

But then again as your signature says "I know a little about allot and allot about a little. " The fact that you cannot even spell "a lot" right says quite a bit about you.

[dan1]

I vote "No".

I think if anything we need to see Fish and Wildlife out on the lakes, rivers or in the bush enforcing the laws. I think that there are probably countless unethical fishermen out there who do not know the regulations or follow the limits. This is where the focus needs to be. What's the point of a course when there's no one to enforce it anyways.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Buck Krazy

To "hunterdave" Just because I hunt whitetails, does that mean I do not need to know what a mule deer looks like, or because I hunt sharpies I dont need to know what a hen pheasant looks like?? Or a person who only fishes stocked trout, they should still know what a bull trout or walleye look like!! Same goes for the boating exam.

So, some kid that goes fishing down at the local trout pond stocked with rainbow needs to go on a course to know the difference between species of trout before he can fish........Why?

[another fisherman]

To many people go fishing not havin a clue about the rules and regs and we all see people breaking rules and regs.Some people are just stupid poachers that are hurting our fisheries but I believe some people are just uninformed a course would be great.It would also teach people how to release fish properly which lets face it alot of people dont know how.

Originally Posted by HunterDave

So, some kid that goes fishing down at the local trout pond stocked with rainbow needs to go on a course to know the difference between species of trout before he can fish........Why?

Maybe so he does not do something illegal. More and more lakes have size restrictions, bait bans, closures, etc. Should the same kid be allowed to go out and shoot whatever moves in the woods?

[BGSH]

Obviously there should be a course to get a fishing licence... there is a course for every other licence out there.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by hunter49

You live in AB, within 1-2 hours of bull trout waters. If you don't know what a bull trout looks like or cant be bothered to figure it out your pretty close minded.

But then again as your signature says "I know a little about allot and allot about a little. " The fact that you cannot even spell "a lot" right says quite a bit about you.

Whatever waters I fish in it is my responsibility to be able to identify the fish in them. I don't need the government to make me take a course to make sure that I do. If I break the rules and get caught then I pay the fine and/or do the time. Pretty simple eh?

BTW You might want to make a public apology to BUCKMASTER7MMMAG for stating "What the heck are you talking about? You obviously don't even know the rules yourself." about him saying that they should lower limits from 15 to 10............I'll let you figure out why smart guy..........or maybe someone can enlighten you.

I was willing to let that go as well as your comment about "new Canadians" but your comment about my sig line seems to indicate that you may have a malfunction.

Originally Posted by HunterDave

BTW You might want to make a public apology to BUCKMASTER7MMMAG for stating "What the heck are you talking about? You obviously don't even know the rules yourself." about him saying that they should lower limits from 15 to 10............I'll let you figure out why smart guy..........or maybe someone can enlighten you.

Province-wide maximum possession – All fish kept from any lake or stream, from any Watershed Unit, count as part of the province-wide maximum possession that must not be exceeded. The maximum number of fish you may have, including fish at your home and fish caught under a special harvest licence, for each game fish species or group of species is listed below:

* Trout and Arctic Grayling – 5 in total, combined of:

0 bull trout (native to Alberta);
2 Northern Dolly Varden (stocked in Chester Lake only);
1 golden trout;
2 Arctic grayling;
3 lake trout;
5 cutthroat trout;
5 rainbow trout;
5 brown trout;
5 brook trout.

* Mountain Whitefish – 5 in total.
* Walleye and Sauger – 3 in combined total.
* Northern Pike – 3 in total.
* Yellow Perch – 15 in total.
* Lake Whitefish and Cisco (Tullibee) – 10 in combined total.
* Goldeye and Mooneye – 10 in combined total.
* Burbot (Ling) – 10 in total.
* Lake Sturgeon – 0

[Kevwood]

I don't disagree with you that there are some things that anglers should know and quite often do not...Mandatory? No....Optional, Sure....Fish Identification and release procedure,catch limits, how to tie a proper knot! It could be interesting/fun for anyone that chooses to pay for it. I think the hunter education course is mandatory for the reason that you can potentially harm yourself and others without firearms education...the worst your gonna see fishing is a hook in the finger and now that we're barbless it's not that big of a deal...

[burbotman14]

I agree with this to a certain extent. This course should not be mandatory but optional. One area that should be covered is how to handle fish. I see too many people taking way to long fumbling with their fish out of water, holding fish improperly, or dropping fish on the ice or on the bottom of the boat from 3-4 feet up. Obviously sometimes this cannot be avoided as fish naturally flop out of water, but holding the fish properly and taking the hook out efficiently will lessen fish stress and drastically reduce the percentage of fish that die after being released. The regulation guide is fairly straight forward with exception of a few things, so anyone caught poaching is either too clueless or lazy to read the regs, or simply don't care about them in my opinion.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by hunter49

* Yellow Perch – 15 in total.

Anyway, I'm done with you.........go play in the traffic.

[BGSH]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Anyway, I'm done with you.........go play in the traffic.

Hunter Dave, relaxe we all love debates from both sides. Debates are good for the brain

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Anyway, I'm done with you.........go play in the traffic.

Alright, so when he said 15 fish limit possession down to 10 I was suppose to guess he meant perch. Unfortunately the perch possession limit has absolutely nothing to do with whether there should be a test for new fishermen/women in AB.
Once again with the name calling, every time you post your true colors come out. I still get a laugh out of your signature line. I guess the old saying..."Ya cant fix stupid" still holds true.

[Dewey Cox]

It blows my mind that people would want more licences and regulations. There are already regulations in place. It doesn't matter if someone knows they are breaking the law or not, the crime is still being committed. There needs to be more enforcement. That's what changes behavior, not adding extra regulations to also not be followed.

[BGSH]

lol, there should be a show called... when threads gone bad part 1,2 and 3

[BGSH]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

It blows my mind that people would want more licences and regulations. There are already regulations in place. It doesn't matter if someone knows they are breaking the law or not, the crime is still being committed. There needs to be more enforcement. That's what changes behavior, not adding extra regulations to also not be followed.

what are ya smoking because you should send it this way, probably a nice cigar, anyways there are all ready regs in place yes but who follows them, so many people dont follow the regs properly, a fishing course to get your licence would be great, why not it cant hurt someone, there are courses for all other licences you have to take in order to get your licence.

[claystone]

I was raised out west and was taught to identify species by my father who was an outfitter. unfortunately nowdays not everyone can say that or can say they know their species. Once fishing at Goldeye I was apraoched by some fishermen in a boat when they saw me catching bows from the pier, they asked if they could see the goldeyes i caught!! If there are adults fishing without a clue what are they teaching their kids?

[fishpro]

Originally Posted by BGSH

lol, there should be a show called... when threads gone bad part 1,2 and 3

Well I can think of two members of this forum whose posts would probably be in every episode!

[Shmag]

Originally Posted by camogirl

Maybe that otta teach people some common sence, :

COMMON SENSE CAN NOT BE TAUGHT. Everything that needs to be known is in the fishing regs, does everyone read them...NOPE.

Do you own a boat??? Did you take the boating exam ??? What did you learn from that ??? I did and learned all about the buoy markers that we dont use in alberta...

Want a healthy population of fish...lobby that healthy spawner fish get released not protected for 7-10 yrs and when they are able to spawn they can be taken to the freezer...just my opinion

[horsetrader]

Look at it really You take a driving test people still speed, run red light, drive with no insurance.... You take a hunting test people still poach, still shoot the wrong game,hunt in the wrong place at the wrong time, You take a boat operators test no need to even explain it's a joke What makes you think it will change because its a fishing test......!!!!!

[pikergolf]

I think it's a good idea, normally I'm not in agreement with more "GOV.", but..We are licensed anyway, and an on line course every two years would not be to intrusive. The biggest benefit I can see is that we would in effect telling people, we value this resource. We value it enough, that we think it's worth making sure all Albertans understand the regulations and respect our resource. I think a lot of peoples attitudes would change if they understood how fragile our resource is in this province, it's easy to loss sight off when your hammering big post spawn fish in the early season. Someone that doesn't get out much thinks the fish are unlimited. The hardcore poachers, it probably won't have much effect on, other than to make them uncomfortable knowing people are being taught, that their "the poachers" action can be detrimental to a fishery. Who knows who will turn them in.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by magnummike

More regulations = more FREEDOM lost...

Want more regs ....move here to Ontario......it's sickenning here...
very corrupt too....

They have limited coyotes to 2 per hunter/year....need hunting card $30.00, small game licence $22.00 and $10.00 coyote tags each..2 limit...
for residents!!!

fishing licence cost me $74.00 for the year!!!
moose is $50.00....pay first then apply for lottery with 7% success rate..(calculated at 1 tag every 33 years)..if you don't draw a tag they keep your money....!!...thank suckers...

you are allowed 1 walleye over 18"

Game wardens take fishing licence revenues and secretly stock their own secret lakes while sending you on wild goose chases to empty lakes that are supposed to be stocked....


This is what has become of regulations in Ontario....

Move up north, it's not nearly like that.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

I think a course for understanding the regs would not be all bad. Just look at how often people post stuff on this forum not knowing that they either broke the regs or are planning on it...

I think the reg's should be re-formatted so that they are not nearly so complex.

[horsetrader]

Originally Posted by magnummike

More regulations = more FREEDOM lost...

Want more regs ....move here to Ontario......it's sickenning here...
very corrupt too....

They have limited coyotes to 2 per hunter/year....need hunting card $30.00, small game licence $22.00 and $10.00 coyote tags each..2 limit...
for residents!!!

fishing licence cost me $74.00 for the year!!!
moose is $50.00....pay first then apply for lottery with 7% success rate..(calculated at 1 tag every 33 years)..if you don't draw a tag they keep your money....!!...thank suckers...

you are allowed 1 walleye over 18"

Game wardens take fishing licence revenues and secretly stock their own secret lakes while sending you on wild goose chases to empty lakes that are supposed to be stocked....


This is what has become of regulations in Ontario....

2012 Fees

Product Availability
Products
Ontario Residents
Buy Online*
Automated
Telephone
Licensing Line **
1-800-288-1155

Licence Issuers at this link *
Outdoors Card $ 9.68
Three-year Sport Fishing Licence Tag $ 83.29
Three-year Conservation Fishing Licence Tag $ 47.70
One-year Sport Fishing Licence Tag $ 27.76
One-year Conservation Fishing Licence Tag $ 15.90
One-day Sport Fishing Licence $ 12.67

[fish gunner]

use the new test to generate funds for more enforcement. and children should be except under a certain age.

[BeeGuy]

I don't want any more regulations than there already are.

How much for a fishing course? $50? Well that would increase my yearly fishing permits by 300%.

Ever fished in BC?????
Well, if we want to follow their model.

All streams with cutthroats would require a $40 Cutthroat Stream Tag.
All Streams with Bulls would require a $25 Bull Trout Conservation Stamp.
K-Lakes would require a Stamp with a tag system for Rainbows over 50cm.

Bow River would require a Bow River conservation Stamp. $50.

Trophy Pike >100cm would require a Trophy Pike Tag. 1 per person per season and once your tag is filled you can no longer fish Trophy Pike Waters. Tag is $85 +GST.

What am I missing?

Hmmm,

Sturgeon Fishing in the Bow, Oldman, SSR, Red Deer, NSR etc would require a Sturgeon Conservation Stamp $50 with no bait fishing allowed if you dont have the stamp.

Oh yeah, and on top of that, Everything in ES1 and ES2 is "Classified Waters" which requires a $20 CW Tag for residents, and a $40/day license for non-residents which must be renewed daily.


Sounds great. This will increase enforcement by SRD.

[uglyelk]

I just turned 58....this fall will be my 50th year of hunting, I've been fishing longer. Never had a course to do either and don't want one! If you need some help, read a book, or go out with someone that knows something. If you think the only way to learn is to take a course, then go for it, but please don't be a hypocrite and try and force one on the rest of us.

It wasn't that long ago that I had to write a challenge exam to get a pal. Thought the exam was a joke, but I had to take it because I could no longer purchase ammo without one. I had managed to go through life without an FAC or a PAL. But suddenly I couldn't even but a box of 22's. Kind of a pain in the butt when you own lots of firearms and you can no longer feed them. My ownership of firearms predates most of the silly rules.

Now if I'd been a native guy I could have an elder make his mark on my application and I would have received a PAL for free. Unfortunately I'm a white guy and my elder’s endorsement is not valid. I had to take the course or challenge the test. Under Bill C 68 only first nation’s elders are skilled enough to vouch for their youth.

My grandfather spent 6 years in Europe in WW1, he returned to Canada and returned to his trap line and carried a firearm pretty much daily. He taught me to shoot and hunt fish and trap. Apparently he was not qualified to vouch for me I had to pay to take a stupid test.

My 4 uncles grew up in a subsistence hunting family. Between them they have 39 years military service, 21 years of it in WW2 in Europe. Two of them returned to trap lines. Apparently they were not qualified to vouch for me I had to pay to take a stupid test.

My father grew up in a subsistence hunting family. He went to war like his brothers he re enlisted after the war. He has 38 years military service. He taught me to shoot hunt and fish. Apparently he was not qualified to vouch for me I had to pay to take a stupid test.

So several lifetimes of bush experience and 83 years of military experience and training but it’s not good enough to teach or vouch for my skills. Only old native folks have that skill according to bill C 68. What ever bonehead crafted this house of cards believes that only first nations have a right to hunt and as hunters they skill with firearms and they will train their children. Apparently non first nation’s people are not capable of teaching our children. Am I the only one that can see a constitutional challenge under the charter of rights and freedoms here?

Back to me, I was trained to hunt fish and shoot by the government trained family members I have mentioned. They had decades of government funded training but they are perceived as not good enough to vouch for someone. Is it just me or does anyone else find it strange that the government does not recognise their own training programs?

When I was twelve I completed the dominion marksman program at CFB 3 Wing Germany and earned a gold medal in all disciplines. At 16 I entered the militia and spent four summers and one day a week training. Apparently this training was also no good as I had to take the stupid government test.

I think the firearms test is a joke, it does not test if someone is safe with a firearm it measures weather or not someone can regurgitate some acronyms. You young folks who think you’ve learned something because you can pass this test need to give your head a shake.

Now you want to create some equally useless fish test. Why not just get in the government lobotomy line and fall silent?

Actually fishing regs even come with pictures of fish if you can’t figure it out without a course and a test you might need a new past time. Please stop all the social engineering to address your shortcomings; I’m sick of everyone else’s issue having to be mine. WTF do you have to do in this country to be left in peace?

Hey I'm a trained chef. I don't think untrained people should be allowed to purchase food! They don't know what they are doing, they are not safe , they don't have a government issued certificate. Yeah that's it, take the government test or forgo your right to eat!

So your response to my food training idea....pretty much my response to your fish training idea.

Originally Posted by fishpro

Well I can think of two members of this forum whose posts would probably be in every episode!

post gone wrong indeed! haha

No need for blow outs! its my opinion, and its a debate! some people agree, some obviously don't!

But just because you may know and "respect" the regulations... does that mean everyone does.
There are some people it should be forced on , atleast new fishers for 16 and above... and they should definitely have a course for those that want to take it! i would go .. why not its a learning curve..and maybe a chance to save fish for many years to come!