The cardinal sin.....and solo mission 9-13-07

[bullets_full]

Finished a job in San Diego early this morning so my boss tells me to take the rest of the day off and go fishing. SWEET! I rush home and in a fit of excitement, I grab two poles and a backpack full of tackle and head out to Newport Harbor. I get to this public dock on 15th street and start getting poles in the water as I am noticing a Sherriff's boat coming directly towards me. I notice a DFG officer aboard and he hops off onto the dock.

"Fishing license please"
"Sure, it's right here in my backpack"

So I'm fumbling around in my backpack frantically looking and realize it's not in there. I try and convince the officer that I'm a law abiding citizen but he writes me the ticket anyway. As he's writing,

"Officer, I remember reading a regulation that stated no fishing license is required for salt water if you're fishing off a manmade structure"

He kindly responds that that only applies to manmade structures that protrude out into the ocean and this was a harbor. Then he points to a sign behind me that read in BIG BOLD letters "Fishing license required"

Oh well, I sucked it up and took the ticket. This sucker is getting framed and put on my fishing wall in my garage as reminder:

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture045.jpg

Not wanting to call it a day, I headed over to 42nd st jetty to try it out. Talk about nestalgia, I almost spend every day of summer break there when I was a bodyboarder in high school.

Anyhow, I walk all the way out to the jetty, set up and realize I left the mussels in the truck. Screw it, I jump in (jeans, tennis shoes and all) and rip a handfull of fresh mussels from the rocks below.

The first fish I caught was this croaker after a few casts into the white wash. Cool, no skunk for me today:

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture031.jpg

I quickly call my brother Kalidawg and give him the report as customary when one of us is fishing and the other working.

From then on, it was BSP heaven! I have only caught a few of these suckers in my life as I am not quite the experienced salty dog. But, DAMN, it felt like I was in a school of bluegill! I took a picture of the first 7 and then got tired of it because it was interfering with my fishing time. But seriously, no exaggeration, I caught and released about 30-40 of them in an hour and a half. I only considered 2 of them as keepers though. The rest were all dinks.

I was using 6 lb Cuda line rigged Carolina style with a 1/2 oz egg weight. Time fished 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. High tide peaked today at 11:40. All fish caught on fresh mussels.

Here are the pics of the first 7:
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture032.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture033.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture034.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture035.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture036.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture037.jpg
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp3/Picture038.jpg

Being that my boss is also giving me tomorrow off to go fishing, I'm seriously thinking about going back in the morning for a few hours.

Myself, Kalidawg and little miss will also be at Irvine Lake Saturday from open to close. Say hi if any of ya'll are out there.

-BULLETS

[sullyfish]

Take your license to the hearing/Judge....It may help

A no lic. ticket is close to $1,000 now.... :oops:

[fishmaniac]

Nice report and pics.

Too bad about the ticket though. I feel bad for you since you really do have a license. I always leave my license in my tackle box. Since I NEVER go fishing w/o my tackle box, I always have the license with me.

I also have photocopied (front and back) version of the license which I also keep in a holder w/ neck strap, in my car. This is for the rare occasion I don't have any of my gear but yet want to go fishing while I'm away from home.

[legacy1]

I was at the Opal St. dock on Balboa Island today and the DFG came up in the boat also and busted a guy who had forgeotten his license, he was fishing with his kid..
The sheriff ratted him out, he came by and saw the guy with no visible liscence and came back a few minutes later with warden.

Make sure the license is VISIBLE .
Bummer, hope you can get out of it...

[sansou]

Bullets,

Feel free to PM me if you need help fixing the ticket.


Sansou

[fish4keep]

.

Not wanting to call it a day, I headed over to 42nd st jetty to try it out. -BULLETS

Bummer about the ticket. Best thing is to take in the license when you go to court.

FYI............ all those jetties at NP requires fishing license.......

[one_leg]

Great report! Congratulations!!!!!

One_Leg

[Fish Dog]

Sorry about the ticket. If you take your license to court, and it has a date on it prior to the ticket I think they will substantially reduce the fine. It's still a violation though, you have to have a license "in possession". Also, your lucky you didn't get another ticket at the jetty. There are identical signs, as on the bay piers, posted at the base of all those jetties, "Fishing License Required" in 3 languages. The only place you can fish without a license is a harbor mouth jetty or a ocean front pier. The sand retention jetties in west Newport are license required.

[bigfishlittlefish]

Ouch! Especially since u have a license. Hope the judge'll reduce ur fine.

Thanx 4 the report.

bflf

[Granny Fish]

Guess your getting to be hard core... jump in shoes and all to make bait.... I'm glad you got on some fish and had a good time. Good luck in court! :twisted:

[bullets_full]

Thanks for the comments and advise guys/gals. I'm still considered a little wet behind the ears when it comes to fishing salt.

I guess I was just to eager to get my line in the water than to pay attention to the signs. Anyhow, I realize I was in the wrong and hopefully won't get hit by too heavy of a fine.

I do have a few aces up my sleeve when it comes to court related matters though.

Thanks again

_BULLETS

[spiceguy]

Bullets Bullets Bullets.............Maybe a good idea (for the future)...I keep the carbon copy thing in my wallet, right next to my cdl. I've never needed it but saw a guy avoid a ticket by proving that he at least bought one.
I got popped once about 30yrs ago in N.M.,,,couldn't afford the $8.00 fee. They confiscated my gear until I drove back down to Soccoro & paid the $32.00 fine. Dumb story, but true............
Good luck

[Troutman65]

Bullets , sorry about the ticket. Ouch. Hopefully the fine can be reduced or compleatly waved.

Nice job on getting bait. Congrats to you on your catch.


Troutman65

[troutslayer05]

Nice catch. I just got a ticket for no licence last month. Took my licence to court and got a hefty 100 fine. Now i keep it in my wallet and take it wherever i go.

[bchbum54]

sucks to read that you got a ticket, but im glad thier out there looking for it. too many people out there who dont want to follow the rules and with them out of the picture there will be better fishing

[willis949]

Just so you know the fine will be no where near $1000.00.First of all if you had no fish in your posession the fine is substancially less.They would have asked to see your fish and if you had any shorts they would've taken your gear too.Most likely it will be around $100.00 but with court fees and crap it will go up to $300.00 or so.Hopefully the judge got laid the night before your court date and he will let you go with a warnong!!!

[ghetto dad]

Bullets Bullets Bullets.............Maybe a good idea (for the future)...I keep the carbon copy thing in my wallet, right next to my cdl. I've never needed it but saw a guy avoid a ticket by proving that he at least bought one.
I got popped once about 30yrs ago in N.M.,,,couldn't afford the $8.00 fee. They confiscated my gear until I drove back down to Soccoro & paid the $32.00 fine. Dumb story, but true............
Good luck

FYI, that guy was very lucky he didnt get a ticket......guys, the copy IS NOT A VALID FISHING LICENSE!! I have seen MANY people getting tickets for that (trying to use the carbon), for not DISPLAYING their license above their waist, for having their license in their bag/tackle box RIGHT NEXT TO THEM, and still getting a ticket, etc.....

bullets, sorry about your day bro....i respect you for sticking it out and fishing, i know i wouldnt have......great report and pics man!!!

[trollmiester]

I got one in 1978 in lake isabella did not have it on me. I mailed them 285 dollars.Too far to go to court. I hear if you show the judge a lifetime license,which is a good deal if yoy are young the cost 950 dollars he dismisses the ticket.Just my two cents. Thanx for the oictures and report.

[Beeracuda211]

Damn Trolly, was that B.C. OR A.D.?? LMAO YOU OLDER THAN GRANDPA BOB?? :rofl:

B/C

[Beeracuda211]

Hey Beach Bum, I like your avatar... LOL Damn they are crackin down this year... Sucks for you, but good for them! Glad to see our money is paying off...better luck next time... can't you take in your original license to court and just tell them you accidently left it in the car?? and the officer would not allow you to go get it!!

B/C

[Fish Dog]

Hey Beach Bum, I like your avatar... LOL Damn they are crackin down this year... Sucks for you, but good for them! Glad to see our money is paying off...better luck next time... can't you take in your original license to court and just tell them you accidently left it in the car?? and the officer would not allow you to go get it!!

B/C

Still a violation...it's supposed to be "in possession" and displayed on the upper half of your body...I think the Judge would probably know that if he/she's ever read the law. Don't get me wrong...it would suck if you just left it in the car 50 yards away and they wouldn't let you get it, I'm just saying the Judge isn't going to buy it as a defense.

[Disturbed Fisher]

Sounds like you got the same deal i did.

My friends ticket for not having his license is only about four hundred so you should be good. And yes they should drop it entirely or atleast partially if you bring it with you to the hearing.

[falcor49]

that does suck