newport wedge jetty

[Lightline]

Was fishing Newport Wedge Jetty several days ago and was stopped by a police officer as I was standing their watching people surf.

I had my fishing rod in my hand and he comes up and ask me if he can see my fishing license. I said sure but I don’t see why he had to because you don’t need a fishing license to fish on this jetty.

He said yes you do. And since you have a fishing license you shouldn’t worry about it. I said yeah ok…???

I think the donut lover was making an excuse to stop by the jetty to see the surfers. Because he just stood there and enjoyed the scene.

Correct me if I’m wrong guys but to my understanding of the F&G regs, you do not need a fishing license to fish at the Newport Jetty Wedge right?

[Redkorn]

Ya you do....only on the pier do you not need one....Jettys and rocks you will need one. He was really not doing his job but he was with in he right to. But he should have better things to do then acting in place of a game warden.

[HESBROS]

Ya you do....only on the pier do you not need one....Jettys and rocks you will need one. He was really not doing his job but he was with in he right to. But he should have better things to do then acting in place of a game warden.

How do you figure he was not doing his job? It is every peace officer's job in CA to enforce all the CA State Laws, including the Fish and Game Code. All should be happy that there are police officers out there that take the time to enforce the F&G Code with the lack of DFG Wardens. I wish more would do it! I follow the regs so I dont have anything to fear. Only those that break the law or dont follow the regs complain about wardens or officers enforcing the law or checking for licenses.

If he is what I will call the the little "round" NBPD officer, he has checked me at the 15th St. Public Dock on the harbor side. He is a nice guy, and he is also a fisherman, ehich gives him more incentive to enforce the regs!

Just my 2 cents.

[HESBROS]

Oh yeah, and checking for a license can also add up to bigger things, just like a traffic stop!

[PUDD MASTER BAITER]

Imagine if every person ine law enforcement , did the same thing .our fisheres would be better off. With 50yrs of fishing under my belt, ive found that people who dont buy a license ,dont follow dfg reg. Which means they keep every fish they catch ,even if its not legal size. So dont get upset if even a lifeguard ask to see your license its all good ,for our favorite pastime..

[joebass]

Imagine if every person ine law enforcement , did the same thing .our fisheres would be better off. With 50yrs of fishing under my belt, ive found that people who dont buy a license ,dont follow dfg reg. Which means they keep every fish they catch ,even if its not legal size. So dont get upset if even a lifeguard ask to see your license its all good ,for our favorite pastime..

well put.fish legal!!!!!!!!

[fish4keep]

Ya you do....only on the pier do you not need one....Jettys and rocks you will need one. He was really not doing his job but he was with in he right to. But he should have better things to do then acting in place of a game warden.

If your fishing in NPH expect to be checked by NP PD, NP Animal Control, Lifeguard, Harbor Patrol, and DFG. They ALL have the right/power to and should up hold the law.

Depends on where you were fishing on the jetty. You don't need one on a jetty per fish and game regulations, however, the definition of a jetty is rocks having water on both sides. The way the Wedge jetty is built there is rock rip-rap on the harbor side from the last house on Channel until the actual "jetty" starts where you have ocean on one side and harbor on the other side.

This goes for any other no license jetty (ex: 72nd jetty). If you fish on the rocks by the lifeguard station, you will need a license....

[HESBROS]

Were you on the Jetty oe the sand while you were watching the surfers?

[VineAssist]

Thank god they checked!!!! I have fished and surfed that area for years and watched countless short calicos, sand bass, and even garabaldi being taken from that area. I wish they would post a fricken officer there permenatly.
Not all of the above is as bad as the lobster poaching that goes on here!! I have dove at the wedge and seen the lobsters there. Pretty hard to get to for the most part. But the dam poachers (not hop netters or divers) get them big and small and take every dam one of them out in back packs and such.
Also it would break up the little squabbles between the boogie crew and skimmers. What is with skimmers anyway?
As for the jetty YOU DO need a liscence. The only thing I do believe you do not need a liscence for are the Piers and Public Docks located throught Newport Harbor. When I worked at Longfin Tackle I saw a guy get a ticket for no liscence, several short bass, short halibut and several garabaldi? The guy was a newbie but ignorance is no excuse for the law? And he was fishing Newport Jetty.
Moral of story: Just pay the $50 for the fishing liscence and go fish! Your butt is covered (unless you go over limits, fish off limits etc..) so no worries on tickets.

[Fish Dog]

As for the jetty YOU DO need a liscence. The only thing I do believe you do not need a liscence for are the Piers and Public Docks located throught Newport Harbor.

Ok, let's mislead everyone so they'll get tickets...I guess I'll have to quote the regs...again...

from page 3 of the reg book...

license Provisions
Anyone 16 years and older must have a fishing license to take any kind of fish, mollusk, invertebrate, amphibian or crustacean in California, except for persons fishing from a public pier in ocean or bay waters. A license is required to take reptiles, except for rattlesnakes.
A sport fishing license is valid for a calendar year. Additional stamps and cards are required to fish in certain areas or to target certain species. Anglers who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as anglers who are under 16 years of age, anglers who will be fishing from a public pier in ocean or bay waters and anglers who will be fishing on Free Fishing Days, are required to have report cards to fish for: abalone, spiny lobster and sturgeon.

Now...the trick is you have to look at the definition, under the regulations, of what a "pier" is...page 25 & 26 of the reg book...

Title 14 Section 1.88 California Code of Regulations
Public Pier. A public pier is a publicly owned man-made structure that has the following characteristics: is connected, above the mean high tide, to the main coastline or to the landmass of a named and charted natural island; has unrestricted free access for the general public; and has been built or currently functions for the primary purpose of allowing angling access to ocean waters.
Additionally, publicly owned jetties or breakwaters that are connected to land, as described above, that have free unrestricted access for the general public and whose purpose it is to form the most seaward protective boundary of an ocean harbor are public piers. Jetties, breakwaters, promenades, sea walls, moles, docks, linings, barriers and other structures that are not the most seaward protective boundary of an ocean harbor, are not public piers.

So, by that definition harbor mouth jetties, such as the Wedge or CDM jetty (because their purpose is to form the...

most seaward protective boundary of an ocean harbor)

fall under the definition of a public pier and therefore no need for a license. As for the public dock throughout the harbor, you do need one on those because they are not connected, above the mean high tide, to the main coastline so they do not fall under the definition of a public pier and you do need a license. In fact, due to the possible confusion between the license provisions and the Title 14 Section 1.88 definition the City of Newport Beach posted signs on each of these bay front piers, in three languages, stating that a fishing license is required.

So, short answer, no license on Harbor Mouth jetties and ocean front piers. License required everywhere else.

Even shorter answer...just go buy the damn license and don't worry about it.