Got Checked last week by DEM (few interesting facts)

[TDibiasio]

Last Saturday while fishing on 30 Acre pond in Kingston, I was surprised by a voice outside my shanty stating RI DEM can you open up....  After a brief friendly conversation I showed him my fishing licence and explained the number of lines I had in the water, we talked a bit and then he was on his way to check the other parties on the ice.  I was surprised to get a license check on the ice - I am not sure if I have ever been checked on the ice in my life and only once on  open water that I can remember.

Interesting fact #1 - One of the guys he checked had lost his paper license he bought at walmart.  The DEM officer asked if had purchased it online because if he did he could have looked it up for him to verify proof of license.  But because he did not buy it online it was not possible to look it up.  I guess there are now two good reasons to get your license on-line - #1 you can print multiple copies and keep one in your truck at all times, #2 - if you dont have your license on you DEM can look it up for you to verify proof of license.

Interesting fact #2 - this same guy was able to get out of the license fine by simply going online on his i-phone and purchasing a new license on the DEM website right then and there.  Now I dont know if this DEM officer was just trying to be nice by allowing this guy to do this out on the ice instead of writing him a ticket, but a few other guys were not so lucky as I watched him write both of them ticket.

Just thought I was pass this along as I always wondered if DEM could look up a license for you if you had misplaced your paper copy.

TomD

[thirdgeneration]

A few years ago my father and I were checked on the Ice up in Northern RI.  I had my license on me but my father had forgotten his at home.  The DEM officer gave my father a ticket but noted that the ticket would be erased if he mailed proof of his license back to DEM with the ticket. 

[Brendog9]

I grew up in MA and now live in RI. Never been checked in either state. I get checked every year in NH.

[BobWhite]

Guy next to me on opening day a few years back bought his at Dicks but left it at home the DEM officer called Dicks to verify.

[CHEPIGUY]

never been checked. wouldnt bother me if i was to though

[Mark Barlow]

 I have never been checked in RI, but I have been checked in MA quite a few times. Most of the time it was on trout or pike stocked waters.

[twisted tilts]

DEM was on Wordens this past sunday as I and several others were checked. Did not see anyone leaving the ice, so I am sure everyone was fine. This was the first time that I have ever seen a warden on the ice.