In Alabama the court cost is more than the fine most of the time, but sometimes they make people buy a lifetime fishing license. A lifetime fishing license is pretty expensive, I don't know the exact cost. When I have children and they are two years old I am going to buy them a lifetime hunting and fishing license which is expensive, but after 2 years of age it is real expensive, so I think that would be a good gift. I write tickets for this all the time, but I have no ideal what the ticket cost. I have no tolorance for no fishing license. I think if you are fishing on public waters you know you should have a license.

NY state $0 to $250 and/or 15 days. $75 surcharge.

copperstopper123 says ...

i got one for ya, what would you think the fine is for having a unmeaserable fish aboard your vessel on the ocean?   southern calif.

  Seriously? LOL

i never dreamed that i would be written a ticket for this . i caught many fish that day , only legal  fish were kept , end of the day we ran out of bait. brain storm, lets cut up the big bass that was pretty well dried up. sitting in the boat all day in a bag , so we did, fish and game came around , boarded our vessel (whats this)our bait i replied, still easly tell that it was way over 12 inches big time .any way he wrote me a ticket  unmeasureable fish . $165.00 +++++ 20 hrs. community service.  not cool!!!      DANA POINT FISH AND GAME     QUIT IT

damn possum police, i think it's ridiculous having to buy a license to fish. If your doing it professionally and selling them thats one thing but catching them to eat at home it's just wrong. Then they have laws like in Missouri that say you can't fish with artificial bait in certain areas, really, get real.

jbellvpd says ...

damn possum police, i think it's ridiculous having to buy a license to fish. If your doing it professionally and selling them thats one thing but catching them to eat at home it's just wrong. Then they have laws like in Missouri that say you can't fish with artificial bait in certain areas, really, get real.

I can't comment on what it's like in Missouri, but in NY a lot of our fish do not reproduce naturally. It costs the state to run hatcheries to produce fresh water game fish and open and maintain public access fishing sites. Fishing license fees and fines are used to offset some of these expenses. The money goes to the resource.

Also, most game fish in NY cannot be taken commercially. Commercial fishing licenses are issued and the industry is also policed by Environmental Conservation Police. The sportsmen and women in NY agree with game laws and also have input in new laws. Most laws were requested by these groups to protect the resource so that species would remain at a level that legal harvest is possible. Check your state, I'm sure you will find examples of species that have been hunted to  or near to extinction. That's what it's about.