Watch out for the DFG guy.
 

Yani and I were checked out by the a DFG official last night as we landed around 9pm. We went thru the usual drill, Yani went first. DFG wanted to see my license, my front and back hatch of my kayak. thank god he skipped the cavity check:reddy:
The only thing i had left over was some bait which i threw on the sand to feed the birds. The DFG guy reprimanded me and said I shouldn't waste bait, since Yani confessed he likes to eat it and I should have given it to him. I have had yani's cooked bait- its good!!!

so just to make sure I don't get nailed for anything lame, cause thats my luck

we have to have:
1) our license
2) a pfd on board
3) nothing illegal

am I missing anything?

Oh you sure will be Nick...
It's called your United States Constitutional Fourth Amendment rights..
Somehow they go down the toilet once these F&G clowns get their woop-de-do badge..Be ready for the Fourth Reich..

Should have a net, even if stowed, in case they really want to be a pain

and
 

and a whistle

If you're out at night on the kayak you need some type of light.

Good to carry one because sometimes its dark when you land.

Maybe some of you were just having a little fun but I doubt the DFG cares about whistles or even PFDs. I am not sure about the net however. I know that is a requirement on some inland waters. Anyone know for sure about the ocean?

Since this is not Arizona, I guess we will not have to be able to prove that we are legal residents. Sometimes I wonder exactly how I would prove that I am legal. A drivers license and credit cards would not do it because anyone can get those. The only thing I can think of that would work for sure is a passport.

Note to self... next time I go to visit my son in Arizona, be sure to pack the passport.

Bob

I'm happy to get checked by the DFG. Makes me feel like I got my money's worth out of my license. lol.

If you ever have the time, schedule a ride-along with a DFG warden. You'll quickly see why they may be a bit "pessimistic" when they approach you. I got a ticket once for shooting ducks in a poorly marked restricted area on Baldwin Lake in Big Bear and decided I should go on a ride along with the very cop that wrote me the ticket. I quickly realized the BS that they put up with. 90% of the boaters we stopped at random on Big Bear Lake did not have a fishing license. We were lucky if they weren't drunk as well. Then came the excuses...blah blah blah, standard stuff.

If a Warden asks you to open up your hatch, you don't have to. You can ask them to get a warrant. If its not in plain view, you're covered under search and seizure constitutional rights. But why bother? I'll gladly open up my hatch for the guys that are keeping the idiots out of the water that are scooping up 18" WSB and kill everything else in site. I'll gladly take out my fishing license to show that I paid into our fisheries so that Game Wardens can crack down on those that don't. I've been good to those guys and have received some great info that resulted in me shooting more birds and catching more fish. I dunno, maybe I'm weird, but since getting a ticket and going on a ride along I have a bunch more respect for those guys. But I get it that they can sometimes come off a bit harsh.

totally agree with sapdawg. dfg field agents are the good guys.

most definitely!!! lady up in malibu is very cool. got checked a couple of times, no problem. she isn't power trippy at all. quite the opposite. in fact, I've never had a bad experience with them, ever.

and remember, the warden's association is on record opposed to the MLPA. they've even said there's no way they can or will enforce it. honestly, dfg and us are on the same side. they're good people, doing a tough ass job. we oughta be as cool with them as we can.

here here i am always happy to see the dfg guys out and about poachers beware i still wear my license in plain sight and mebbe its a bit mean but i love watching them run up on a bucketeer at the bay and whip out that ticket book for no license and undersized fish

I'm of the mindset that I have nothing to hide and anyone is welcome to check my vessel. As long as you're following the rules then all it costs you is about 3 min's out of your life. BTW i got stopped by a pretty hot dfg chick last week at the dana launch ramp. Would be cool if there were more of them around :)

The LJ DFG are good folks, doing their Jobs for the most part. They catch "idiots" every season for taking shorts and 1 too many WSB's.

Cardiff State beach park rangers that hide in the bushes and try to pull an "ahhh ha!" on you assuming you've done something wrong are another story...

Same thing here. Our recent run-ins with the DFG guys have been nothing but positive including getting stopped by a warden in the Apple Valley region when we were chasing Chukar with "Geoffkoop". The warden spent 10 minutes with us chewing the fat, giving us a few suggestions for birds and telling us his opinion on the MLPA. Overall, I think the vast majority of these guys are hunters and fisherman, just like us.

Yeah, I never mind when they check me. I see so many people walk away with undersized catches and over limit. Im not doing anything wrong so I dont care if they check everything.

Though, if you are caught, they can take all your gear on site. So... keep it legal.

net and ruler. I always forget those :(

/bing

DFG are just doing their job, I respect that. Plus keeping the fear of getting caught taking shorties or too many of any one species is a good thing.

Diving off of Reef Point, I came up with DFG waiting, they asked if I had speared anything I said yes, as the fish was flopping around in my catch bag. They saw it was very much legal, commented on how nice a fish it was and wished me a good day.

note to self, net and ruler..I forget those also

the DFG shorty is my fav!!!

Game wardens are cool, and like the others said they are on our side 100%. Sure they can be a little bossy at first but that's because they deal with guys like the balboa pier duche multiple times a day.

Know the laws, follow them, and be respectful, you might just make a new friend who's job it is to collect all the info that you want to know.

In my experience, especially at the launch in LJ, is that the wardens don't really care about life jackets, lights, booze, dope, exc... unless you start acting like an asshat. I have been asked about a net and measuring devise, but never written up for not having a net.The guys to really watch out for at night are the rookie SDPD guys who will try to arrest you for "driving on the beach". But again, show respect, get respect....

And Wade.....come on buddy, don't tell me you still believe in that so called "constitution" and "bill of rights" do you??? :biggrinjester: Ruger Mini-14's ranch riffles with removable clips are pretty cheap these days, I just picked a new one up from Turners for around 700 and it accepts lots of different hi-cap mags from other riffles. Definently easier to believe in than a 150 year old trampled piece of parchment. Get um while you still can!!!

I totally agree.

I have sharpied a ruler on both sides of my kayak with marks at 13-22-28"

I think they should crackdown on all guys fishing on the breakwall in NPH.they have no licence and keep everything regardless of size-season-etc.You all know who I am talking about...