Fishing license question

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  • aray

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 6, 2010
    5,294
    MD -> KY
    My wife and I bought our first boat last year, which we used just for boating. While I was in Bass Pro this afternoon, for the upcoming 2019 season I went ahead and purchased a 365 Bay & Coastal Fishing Boat license. However the guy at Bass Pro wasn't sure whether that just covered my guests and me while actually in the Chesapeake Bay, or whether it also covered fishing while in the rivers / tributaries feeding into the bay, e.g. the Severn, South, and other rivers. The question in his mind was "are these tidal or not?" so he was unable to advise me with certainty. So I went ahead and just purchased the license above, knowing I could go back in and add additional licenses later.

    I know this is a newbie question, but when it comes to fishing bay-area waters ... I AM a newbie! What say you, the experts?

    Thanks.
     

    aray

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 6, 2010
    5,294
    MD -> KY
    Not planning to fish freshwater lakes. But the large rivers feeding into the bay are brackish. Sorta half and half, eh?
     

    spicedcrab

    Active Member
    Feb 10, 2013
    171
    you are covered with that license for fishing as far as you can get that boat into any river and creek that is connected to the Maryland part of the bay. I use the same lic on my boat.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Read and heed what Inigoes posted. Tidal waters are described as "where the tide ceases to ebb and flow" but in reality they go by those landmarks, not what's navigable.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Up to the landmarks as posted in the linked regulations .

    But the landmarks are usually farther upstream than lay people would assocate with being tidal ( ie generous to holders of tidal licenses ) .
     

    govwontletmebuycoolguns

    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 3, 2010
    3,879
    DPRM
    Note that anyone fishing from your boat under that license has to have their Saltwater Angler Registry card (which is free). The water popo do check everyone fishing for it when they do their courtesy stops.
     

    aray

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 6, 2010
    5,294
    MD -> KY
    Thanks. Based on Inigoes' input I realized I needed a non-tidal license for myself, and since there didn't seem to be a boat license for that I was forced to create a DNR Compass account for my wife and buy her an individual non-tidal fishing license as well. When I did that I added the free Saltwater Angler Registry onto her license.

    I'll tell my other guests who join me about the SAR. But what happens if they don't get one despite my admonition? Who's responsible? Me as the boat owner, or them as the fishermen/women?

    Thanks.
     

    ChannelCat

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Thanks. Based on Inigoes' input I realized I needed a non-tidal license for myself, and since there didn't seem to be a boat license for that I was forced to create a DNR Compass account for my wife and buy her an individual non-tidal fishing license as well. When I did that I added the free Saltwater Angler Registry onto her license.

    I'll tell my other guests who join me about the SAR. But what happens if they don't get one despite my admonition? Who's responsible? Me as the boat owner, or them as the fishermen/women?

    Thanks.

    Correct. There is no such animal in Maryland as a non-tidal boat fishing license.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,728
    Socialist State of Maryland
    One of the few good things about Maryland is that, after you turn 65, your hunting and fishing licenses only cost $5 and the fishing license covers fresh and tidal waters. I don't know if they have a reduction for the boat license.
     

    aray

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 6, 2010
    5,294
    MD -> KY
    My boat fishing and crabbing stickers arrived in the mail today! Can't wait for it to warm up a bit so I can get our pontoon boat back on the bay.

    Gotta get some new gear too. Last time I fished seriously was as a teenager in Florida in freshwater lakes from the banks for perch and large mouth bass. I'll have to get schooled on Bay fishing, and on the rivers feeding into it, then buy the appropriate gear to match. Looking forward to it!
     

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