Fly Fishing For Beginners | Fly Fishing Legally

I have discussed several different fly fishing gear related topics. Today, I'll shift gears just a bit and cover the legal necessities of fly fishing. Those of you visiting the site that are experienced fly fisherman will probably find this a waste of time, however the focus of this site is for the beginning fly fisherman. Many that visit this site have probably never fished a day in their life, let alone try fly fishing.
OK, enough of the chit chat, back to my topic fishing legal requirements.

The first thing you will need to purchase before fishing for the first time is a fishing license. The penalties for getting caught fishing without one are costly. Much like hunting without a license, it is considered a form of poaching and can result in fines or jail time depending on the severity of the offense, and how stringent the laws are in your area. In addition to a typical fishing license, most states, maybe all of them I'm not sure, will require you to purchase a trout stamp if you plan on fishing for trout. Some national parks, private lands and possibly state run facilities may not require the trout stamp. Before fishing please read all the rules and regulations for the area you will be fishing.

In these rules and regulations you will find other requirements that must also be followed. Usually there are limits on the size, number and types of fish you can keep. These limits are often statewide but each individual stream, river or lake you fish may have additional size and catch limits for that particular location. In my area there are also time restrictions as well. There is an opening day for all trout fishing and further restrictions on certain stream and lakes involved in restocking programs. Fishing in general on some of the streams I fish are restricted during certain hunting season and other times of the year. Again read the rules and regulations for your area.

Trespassing is another legal concern you should be consider. Never cross into private waters or land without the owners permission. I personally have the owners sign a permission slip so that if stopped by the DRN I have proof that I'm allowed to fish that particular location. DNR officers can often times be worse than regular law enforcement officers, I'm not sure why this is. If you happen to be a DNR officer please don't take offense. I have just seen my fair share of nasty ones. :) Fortunately for me every time I have been asked I have all the required licenses. Hopefully I have got my point across, I would hate for anyone new to the sport of fly fishing to violate the rules and ruin their fishing experience. If you take care to fish legally and teach others the same your new hobby will be a great enjoyment for you.