New License and Limits for Saltwater Fly Fishing
Most of the Eastern United States along the Coast has implemented saltwater license requirements for both residents and non-residents. Every state also revises their slot, size, and bag limits every year and some states twice a year. Since I love to take my fly rod and a bunch of saltwater fishing flies and go to the coast, I will direct this mainly to fly fisherman.
I will talk about the Florida and North Carolina regulations but I would recommend that if you are going saltwater fly fishing you check the regulations in the state that you will be fishing.
January 1, 2007 North Carolina enacted regulations that require both residents and non-residents to purchase and possess a saltwater fishing license. Also, North Carolina updates the size limits, slot limits and numbers of saltwater fish species that you can keep annually and these vary every year because of increasing and decreasing populations of certain species. These regulations can also be acquired at a local coastal bait shop. The fines for violating some of these regulations in North Carolina can result in fines up to $10,000. I advise you to have your license and understand the species, size and numbers of fish you keep in N.C. You can find all of these regulations on line by going to the N.C. Fish and Wildlife website.
In Florida the regulations are very similar. You can purchase a non-resident saltwater fishing license for $17.00 for three days and for $30.00 for a seven day license. Most states license fees are much less for non-resident licenses and considerably less for resident licenses. You can also fine all the information you will need by going to the Florida Fish and Wildlife website.
To understand how important it is to be familiar with species, limits, and sizes, here are a few examples that you can keep when fly fishing.
Tarpon: one per day.
Redfish, Channel Bass, Puppy Drum: length, 18” to 27”, bag limit one per person.
Spotted trout: length, 12”, bag limit 10 per day per person.
These are just a few of the limits that N.C. has put on saltwater species of fish that you can keep each day. All states have similar regulations.
Remember when you saltwater fly fishing to have your saltwater fishing flies and license with you and obey the regulations.
Clear water and tight lines,
Brian
Tags: redfish, saltwater fishing flies, tarpon
