Who Needs A Florida Fishing License? Everglades Bass Fishing Guides

Who Needs A Florida Fishing License Everglades Bass Fishing Guides - You can have your boat and fishing tackle confiscated and end up in court for fishing without a license.

One of the most common questions I get asked is – who needs a fishing license?  Being an everglades bass fishing guide for almost 40 years, John Pate has seen some very bad things happen to people who should have a fishing license and do not.

“It’s a bigger offense than most people think.  You can have you boat and all your fishing gear and tackle taken away  and end up in court.  It’s much easier to just go to Walmart and for less than $20 you’re legal.”

Here are the Florida state laws regarding fishing licenses…

Florida Residents and Visitors need a Florida hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishinglicense unless they are a member of one of the groups of people listed below.

Some of these exemptions apply to “Florida Residents” only. Please be aware of the Florida state residency requirements.

These exemptions may also apply to hunting, saltwater fishing, or freshwater fishing, or all three.

You do not need a recreational hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishing license or a *Florida waterfowl, migratory bird, deer, turkey, snook, spiny lobster, archery season, crossbow season, muzzleloading season permit or management area permit if…

• You are a child under 16 years of age.  (Also exempt from federal duck stamp requirements.)
• You are a Florida resident age 65 or older possessing proof of age and residency or possessing a Resident Senior Citizen Hunting and Fishing Certificate.  Residents age 65 or older may obtain, at no cost, complimentary hunting and fishing certificatesfrom county tax collectors’ offices.
• You hunt or freshwater fish in your county of residence on your homestead or the homestead of your spouse or minor child, or if you are a minor child hunting or freshwater fishing on the homestead of your parent.
• You are a Florida resident certified as totally and permanently disabled and you possess a Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate.
• You are a resident who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, you are not stationed in this state, and you are home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders.
• You are hunting wild hog on private land.

* These exemptions do not apply for the federal duck stamp.

Quota Hunt Permit Exemptions

You do not need a freshwater fishing license if…

• You have been accepted as a client for developmental disabilities services by theDepartment of Children and Family Services.  The department must furnish proof to such clients.
• You are fishing in a fish pond of 20 acres or less which is located entirely within the private property of its owner.  A fish pond is a man-made pond constructed for the primary purpose of fishing, entirely within the property lines of the owner and with no surface water connection to public waters.
• You are fishing in a fish pond of 20 acres or more, whose owner has purchased a fish pond license at a fee of $3 per surface acre.
• You possess a Resident Freshwater Commercial Fishing License.
• You are fishing in the St. Mary’s River or Lake Seminole (but not including tributary creeks in Florida) and have a valid Georgia fishing license.
• You are freshwater fishing during Free Fishing Weekend (the first weekend of April).
• You are a resident who is fishing with live or natural bait, using poles or lines that are not equipped with a fishing-line-retrieval mechanism, and you are fishing for noncommercial purposes in your home county.  However, you must have a valid fishing license to fish by any method in a fish management area.

You do not need a saltwater fishing license or a snook or spiny lobster *permit if…

• You have been accepted as a client for developmental services by the Department of Children and Family Services.  The department must furnish proof to such clients.
• You fish from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter, party boat) that has a valid vessel license.
• You fish from a vessel, the operator of which has a valid vessel license issued in the name of the operator of the vessel.
• You fish for recreational purposes from a pier with a valid pier saltwater fishing license.
• You have a valid saltwater products license.
• You fish for mullet in fresh water and you have a valid Florida freshwater fishing license.
• You are a resident who is saltwater fishing from land or a structure fixed to land who has been determined eligible for the food stamp, temporary cash assistance, or Medicaid Program by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Proof of identification and a benefit issuance or program identification card issued by DCFS or the Agency for Health Care Administration must be on your person when fishing.
• You are a resident who is fishing with live or natural bait, using poles or lines that are not equipped with a fishing-line-retrieval mechanism, and you are fishing for noncommercial purposes in your home county.  However, you must have a valid fishing license to fish by any method in a fish management area.

* These exemptions do not apply to tarpon tags.

National Saltwater Angler Registration

Persons who are listed on the National Saltwater Angler Registry are required to have a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license unless they are a member of one of the exempted groups listed on this page.

Shoreline saltwater fishing license

Residents who are fishing for a saltwater species (other than mullet in fresh water) from land or from a structure fixed to the land are required to have a no-cost saltwater shoreline fishing license unless they have a regular saltwater fishing license or are exempt.

Source:  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.