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SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

Greetings!

I hope you had a very rewarding open water season and we were able to help you GET OUT! We are looking forward to some serious HARDWATER fishing very soon...

However, it is with great concern that I write to you today. I do not consider myself to be a politically active person beyond exercising the privilege to vote. The recent actions by the Legislature of the State of Connecticut have made dramatic changes to your ability to enjoy your sport of recreational fishing.
All licenses and fees for sportsmen have been unfairly doubled and tripled in cost for 2010.
CT now has the most expensive sporting license structure of any northeast state.
"Bag limits" continue to decrease
"Keeper" sizes have increased
Season lengths have been shortened
Stocking is in jeopardy
There is something you can do. Your investment can be as small as a phone call. Please see the remainder of this e-mail for some easy options that you can do to help correct
misguided laws and regulations.

Thank you for taking the time to make a difference.
Gary Brummett, Owner

Call the Governor or a legislator!!!
Fed up with the bull-loney?

Call Governor Rell and tell her, now.

Governor M. Jodi Rell direct Toll-Free number
1-800-406-1527

Tell her that....
The license increases for hunting, fishing and trapping
have unfairly affected you.

That the state stands to LOOSE revenue due to the increases
That CT is now the most expensive place to hunt and fish in New England, but we don't offer the best outdoor opportunities any longer.

Leave a message with a staffer, but ask to have your call returned.
Be polite but direct.
If everyone does a small thing, the legislators will hear us.
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Sleep...Eat...Fish!!!!! Then do it all over again.

Bluegill Terminator · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 538 Location: Plainville

I was looking online and for a inland fishing and small game hunting combo it cost $56 Evil or Very Mad

. WTF. I'll pay it because I love to fish but the DEP better have enough money now to open up Bantam Lake again, check all the rivers before opening day to catch the poachers, and they better be checking people for their licenses more often. I'm 19 years old and fished many popular lakes and in my 3 years of holding a license I've been checked 2 times. Once at the Thames river in winter, and once on Bantam Lake during the Fall. For all the fishing I do and only been checked 2 times, it almost seems like I should just skip out next year and put that money in my gas tank. It's not like there are any DEP guys that go to Batterson to see if anybody has there fishing licenses, or the Pequabeck River in Bristol. Total BS thats all I have to say about this increase.

TurtleKiss · Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT

billybass · Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 315

I have been fishing for 15 years with a licence and been checked once on opening day on the farmington river....Once in 15years ,,,,ya they really dont get around much,,,,the new priceing is BS Twisted Evil

....

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:12 am Post subject:

I have never been asked to show my fishing license, ever. Been fishing my whole life, I am 34 Twisted Evil

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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

I'm as ticked off about the increase in license costs as everybody else, but the fact of the matter is, there just aren't enough Game warden's or Encon police employed with the state to go around, and they can't be everywhere. So anytime you suspect someone of not having a license or performing some sort of violation, have the DEP Violations Hotline phone # on your cell phone speed dial and call them up. I have used it on Sunday's during bass tournaments, and gotten Encon police to com out to the lake and gotten results within 2 hours. Sometimes they catch them sometimes they don't, but they won't catch them - if you don't call at all.

DEP Violations Hotline # 1-800-842-4357
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

billybass · Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 315

ya slimecoat , I do have the card in my wallet ,and never used it ,this year will be different for sure........its easier to make the call on illegal activity , but to assume they dont have a licence gets tricky...but you know out of 50 guys on a lake ....10 of them probaly are not legit.... Its really annoying when prices go up but yet you dont get more bang for your buck,,,,,,,,but instead shorten seasons,putting stocking in jeopardy,bag limits decreaseing....basically in a nutshell Pay more Loose more....WTF

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi ALL!

Yeah! Bad enough that Ct. Lic. fees have doubled.

Was all over the news last night that our Pres. of these United States is thinking of futher caving in to the tree huging eco groups with MORE fishing restrictions (via Excecutive Order), which will impact not only commercial but all recreational fishermen and all the hundred of thousands of related jobs that support fishing.

Well so much for his thoughts on helping the economy!
Talks a good game out of one side of his mouth and says/does another.

Guess I'd have to definitly side with the politician that said ("You Lie!") at his 1st State of the Union Address Exclamation

I fought and bled for this country and to protect our rights under the US Constitution as a free nation and this !@# - of a Seacook is trying to turn us into a socialist country. Evil or Very Mad

GOD Help our Kids and Grandkids Exclamation

SeaDog1

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ploplopfizzfizz · Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 629 Location: Branford

I got checked 4 times last year in Clinton. I am just lucky I guess.

As a matter of fact I caught a nice 4lb Sea Bass the last time the game warden grabbed onto my boat.

The fees are a joke and I have left numerous messages without a response. I can actually go hunt in Pennsylvania for much less then what CT. is charging.
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The King of Long Island Sound.

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:35 pm Post subject:

I would like to get checked at least once, it will make me feel better about the 50 bux I just spent on my fresh/salt combo license.
_________________
Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

Fish On! · Joined: 24 Dec 2009 Posts: 68 Location: Northeast, CT

I got checked once, the one year I didn't have a license. I got a ticket and the DEP officer told me to get a license and send a copy of it in with the ticket and plead not guilty. I did what he said and it got thrown out.