how close is close enough

[Mizayikaa]

Last year at G-town. Snow and slush sucked so I packed down a spot to fish. The far hole in the packed down area is mine. The closer hole was drilled by a woman that just walked right up to me and drilled that hole as well as 20 more all around me 🤡🔫

Looks like she was trying to sink you. Good thing she didn't have a chainsaw.

[Noon]

Looks like she was trying to sink you. Good thing she didn't have a chainsaw.

lol

[walleymcjigger]

Was she good looking? That might change how I would feel about it lol

[Noon]

LMAO you wont see a warden out on the ice in MT.

Ive also been checked on the ice around Helena

[lspower]

I must fish where they dont go(I dont stand next to shore anywhere I go),havnt been checked on the ice in 40 years.I have been visited by the part time(non warden) guys collecting fish data twice.Where did you get checkd by a warden on the ice?

[Noon]

I must fish where they dont go(I dont stand next to shore anywhere I go),havnt been checked on the ice in 40 years.I have been visited by the part time(non warden) guys collecting fish data twice.Where did you get checkd by a warden on the ice?

Last year i was checked on Holter. He drove up on a quad. Was windy and single digit day too

[BonesJonesMT]

Got checked last year on Gtown

[coldcreekchris]

Got checked last year on Gtown

yep...g town is definitely one of the most likely places to be checked...I haven't seen any citation data..but suspect it is a needed form of income for granite county....a few years back I left my license in a different vehicle....and got popped at g town for fishing without license in possession...fine was around $125 if I remember...….

[Lsranger406]

I get checked every year on gtown. Been checked once on Harper's. Also been checked in the summer on seeley. Maybe I look like I'm doing something wrong. Or maybe I'm just that lucky to get to chat with the wardens every year.

[missoulafish]

cant think of a place I havent been checked. Did we decide that having a picture of your license on your phone is adequate proof of licensing?

[JohnMcN1]

Maybe you guys wouldn’t be checked if y’all didn’t look so sketchy. 🤣
Never been checked on the hard water.

[JohnMcN1]

Speaking of wardens at Gtown, do they write sitations for no asl on shelters?

[coldcreekchris]

Maybe you guys wouldn’t be checked if y’all didn’t look so sketchy. 🤣
Never been checked on the hard water.

its not like i'm out there shotgunning beers..pulling bongs and shooting dice....seriously tho..wardens can be fun to talk to and a wealth of info in certain areas.....

[PoleJerker]

Exactly

[coldcreekchris]

Speaking of wardens at Gtown, do they write sitations for no asl on shelters?
[/quote a couple times I didn't have one on and they said they could give a ticket but they didn't..heard the same from other people..haven't heard of them writing citations for that...but I suppose they could....

[Noon]

Speaking of wardens at Gtown, do they write sitations for no asl on shelters?

a couple times I didn't have one on and they said they could give a ticket but they didn't..heard the same from other people..haven't heard of them writing citations for that...but I suppose they could....

sounds like if you are decent to the warden, you wont have any issue with it. But I would bet that if you give them a hard time they wouldn't have a problem tacking it on as another fine.

[lspower]

Maybe you guys wouldn’t be checked if y’all didn’t look so sketchy. 🤣
Never been checked on the hard water.

LMAO maybe I dont look very talkative.

[RuralMT]

Did we decide that having a picture of your license on your phone is adequate proof of licensing?

Take it for what it's worth, but a picture on my phone sufficed for the Flathead County warden last year on Lower Stillwater.  He didn't even issue a warning which surprised me, considering he took the time to measure my largest fish and make sure I wasn't violating the 10 over 10 rule.  I was expecting the anal-retentive sort of warden after that but was pleasantly surprised...real nice guy.

[oldschoolben]

It's funny how some of these threads start off as one topic and totally goes a different way and topic   

[SpitzoMT]

Last year at G-town. Snow and slush sucked so I packed down a spot to fish. The far hole in the packed down area is mine. The closer hole was drilled by a woman that just walked right up to me and drilled that hole as well as 20 more all around me 🤡🔫

Inquiring IS minds want to know.....Was she at least easy on the eyes ?? LOL

[Htech77]

Was fishing East fork Res. up above georgetown years ago. only ones on the ice about 300 yards down from the campground( and only rd i believe). Heard some snowmobiles and about 30 minutes later a voice from outside. warden walked through the woods and dipped out right on top of us. we were legal but thats dedication.

[Wenger]

Back in the day on Devils Lake each March the perch would pack into shallow areas to spawn, the walleyes and pike would follow them in and there would be an acre or two of folks all fishing side by side yanking in jumbos all having and great time.  That was some great ice fishing but a rather unique situation.  What I find funny are pictures of MN ice tourneys where all the holes are pre drilled a few feet apart and a couple thousand people surround a few fish!   

Here in MT, especially on Peck where guys run miles of tip ups on every point they can run to, it gets weird when they think a single tip up on a point lays claim to the whole area.  I do not hesitate to set up my hut and rigs a respectful distance away, say 100 ft or so.  I prefer to camp on the ice and fish smaller areas vs the ATV fishing.

[Theshad]

Here on Champlain you can have 15 lines a piece, on popular bays during the derby there are tip ups everywhere, so close you really have to look to see if its your flag or some one else's. fished that mess one year, now try to find more secluded areas during that weekend. I'm usually polite if someone sets up a little close...the guys I fish with not so much.

[jriepe]

I think its situational for sure. Like even though there is a giant empty lake I never look too funny at people when they set up on top of me at hyalite but if someone did the same thing at CF I might have words with them. As for wardens checking licenses only happened once at CF for us about 10 minutes after the biologist came by for the creel survey.

[vicster]

The only time I've ever really crowded someone's gear was on on a res up on the high line when some local guys had a set up tip-ups lined out over a huge main lake point/bar.  There were tip ups for their kids, wives ect and the came out and checked them in the morning and then evening and were gone the rest of the day. I don't know how long they left them in but I sounded like the set had been out at least a week.  I ran some holes and jigged them in their set (tip ups where about 30 yds apart for 400 yds on both sides of point).  I did talk to them and they were solid guys, they didn't care as long as I wan't messing with their gear and ended up having a couple beers with them.  It would have been a issue if they were not cool, as I would have fished it anyway under those circumstances.   

[Quantoson]

Speaking of wardens at Gtown, do they write sitations for no asl on shelters?

WESTERN DISTRICT PAGE 25
Identification: Identification must be painted on or otherwise affixed to all unattended
shelters in legible, 2-inch letters plainly visible at a distance of 100 feet.  Identification
must include the owner’s name and address, name and phone number, or 9/10-digit
ALS number. Attended shelters at Brown’s Lake  and Georgetown Lake must also be
identified.

CENTRAL DISTRICT PAGE 53
Identification:  Identification must be painted on or otherwise affixed to all unattended
shelters in legible, 2-inch letters plainly visible at a distance of 100 feet. Identification
must include the owner’s name and address, name and phone number, or 9/10-digit
ALS number.  Attended shelters at Clark Canyon Reservoir, Deadman’s Basin,
Hauser Reservoir, Lake Francis and Lake Helena must also be identified.

EASTERN DISTRICT PAGE 81
Identification: Identification must be painted on or otherwise affixed to all unattended
shelters in legible, 2-inch letters plainly visible at a distance of 100 feet.  Identification
must include the owner’s name and address, name and phone number, or 9/10-digit
ALS number. Attended shelters at Bearpaw Lake and Beaver Creek Reservoir must
also be identified.

[Born Late]

The only time I've ever really crowded someone's gear was on on a res up on the high line when some local guys had a set up tip-ups lined out over a huge main lake point/bar.

I’d love to see FWP address unattended/set lines and follow the lead of other states. Common sense isn’t working in MT.

Re: IDs on shelters, I’d vote for requiring them on all shelters or on no shelters. The current hodgepodge requirement makes no sense.

[3300]

how do you get a 9/10-digit ALS number?

[mtoutdoorsman]

ALS should be printed  at the top of any FWP license
Normally it is your date of birth with number behind it "xx/xx/xxxx-xx"

[Quantoson]

I’d love to see FWP address unattended/set lines and follow the lead of other states. Common sense isn’t working in MT.

WESTERN DISTRICT PAGE 26
Setlines: Setlines (unattended lines) are not allowed in the Western Fishing District.

CENTRAL DISTRICT PAGE 53
Setlines
• Setlines may be used only on waters specified in District Exceptions.
• Setlines must be checked by the fisherman at least once every 24 hours.
• The angler’s name and phone number or name and 9/10-digit ALS# must be attached
to each setline.
• Setlines shall not be attached to jugs or other floating devices.

EASTERN DISTRICT PAGE 81
Setlines
• Number of lines is the same as for Hook and Line Limits. Setlines may be used in all 
waters unless prohibited in the District Exceptions to Standard Regulations.
• Setlines (unattended lines) must be checked by the owner at least once every 24 hours.
• The angler’s name and phone number or name and 9/10-digit ALS# must be attached 
to each setline.
• Setlines shall not be attached to jugs or other floating devices.