I dont want to sound like a b**** but .....

[G8R_LIFE87]

I haven't been fishing in about 8months. I thought I was going to die from the lack of sun burns, salty winds, sounds of boat motors, and the fish taking the bait off my hook and not understanding what was going on. lol. The last time I went fishing I was getting really fed up with the people on the bridges keeping undersized fish. When this happens I call and report it to the answering machine FWC has. I just dont understand why FWC doesnt patrol the bridges in the keys as often as possible (It seems like theyre never there !) when they know the weekend is going to bring a lot of people down there to fish and they don't even follow the regulations. The permit for onshore fishing is FREEEE, half of them don't have it. I'm at work venting right now because I'm going back to the keys to fish next week and I just started to reminisce about last time I was down there, then I thought of what it was I was dreading about the trips.

Anywho, I'm glad to be back on the website/forum, I was kicked out for lack of activity and had to make a new account. lol. But it paid off, I have a new career and it's paying pretty well. If anyone fishes during the week, mainly Wednesday or Thursday, please let me know, I would like to join up with you and just soak the experience all in once again.

[fishnfool73]

While I agree with your rant FWC is spread thin and understaffed. I watched them scope out the guys fishing the bridge while they were on a boat using binos. Once the boat reported the guys poaching undersize the undercover guys swooped in and caught the poachers with their coolers.

[G8R_LIFE87]

No disrespect to FWC because I'm also in law enforcement and we're all spread pretty thin. I thought since I'm always seeing their cars and trucks on the streets, that they just had time on their hands. Thanks for the story though, it eased my mind a bit. No doubt that they do their job and do it well, I just thought that they had more numbers out there. It's too bad they're not hiring. I would love to join.

[fishnfool73]

I would love to jon FWC but no way I could take that pay cut. The state sucks when it comes to that as well as benifits. One of the reasons they stay so short people leave as fast as they can for greener pastures.

[G8R_LIFE87]

.... And that's why I work for the county. lol

[Xpierrat]

The shoreline lic was because of a threat of loss of some federal funding if a state did not have one.... feds wanted an accurate count ya sure......... so the shoreline came into existence.... there was such a uproar over the NEW licence that the state just made it free.... still have to have one to keep the feds happy but at no or minimal cost......

Least that was what I understood.......

[crashmister]

The shoreline lic was because of a threat of loss of some federal funding if a state did not have one.... feds wanted an accurate count ya sure......... so the shoreline came into existence.... there was such a uproar over the NEW licence that the state just made it free.... still have to have one to keep the feds happy but at no or minimal cost......

Least that was what I understood.......

Lot's of stories around it Rick.
The federal License is really more of a registration than a license. It's not required anywhere, nor is it valid as a license anywhere.

Starting in 2010, The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) requires all anglers fishing in federal waters or for anadromous species to obtain a federal registration. The fee charged is anticipated to fall between $15 and $25 per angler, is authorized to commence in 2011, and will be deposited into the National Treasury. A provision in the MSA exempts states that have an adequate saltwater licensing system. The shoreline exemption, which kept Florida’s licensing system from being qualified for the federal angler registry, has now been removed.
The state tried to charge at first but somebody realised there was no requirement by the fed to pay the state for this license. The state saw money and acted accordingly. Thus every dime for the new licenses was going into the general fund instead of FWC. Miffed, FWC along with the "CCR" (Coastal Conservation Association) Lobbied to end the fee. They won. Which in turn pissed off certain politicions that were eyeing that money. They decided to teach FWC a lesson and proposed ending all license fee's in the state and cutting FWC's budget by a like amount. Considering the proposal never made it out of the budget committee, I don't think FWC was real worried.

[Swordslayer71]

You shouldn't feel like you're sounding like a b..., as everyone that sees poaching/lawbreaking should report it. Poachers are scum and without them the fisheries would be much stronger.Might I add if you do, do so covertly. For two reasons, one so they don't dump the fish or run before the law can get there, and two, so they don't threaten/harm you, no fish is worth getting beat up for.

[G8R_LIFE87]

Thanks for the tip swordslayer. Im not too worried about getting beat up because I never go alone. I have my glock 17 that I take with me everywhere I go, and I never go fishing alone. Its just sad to see whats going on with the poaching and over fishing and people not abiding by the regulation sizes. . FWC just needs to send out more undercover playing no games. lol