What we’ve allowed here is intimidation. You’ve seen it. The officer stares you down, then pulls up and starts poking around like you’re already in the wrong.
You ask, why did you stop me officer
They answer, no reason, you looked like you might be doing something wrong
That’s not safety. That’s harassment. And it wrecks your whole day. You’re finally out fishing, maybe chasing a short bite window or just trying to enjoy the water with your family, and now you’ve got to tie up and let someone go through your boat like it's a crime scene. All while you’re being asked for your papers.
And nobody talks about the cost of this nonsense. Running those boats, paying the officers, outfitting them. It’s a fortune. And for what? I get the NYSDEC violation reports. Almost every major bust happens on land, not out on the water. If they want to find the real lawbreakers, post up at the dock. You’ll catch more violators and stop wasting the time of regular folks who just want to fish.
Imagine if every cop on the highway pulled over every car just to see if your license was valid. That’s exactly what this is. Stop and frisk on the water.
Florida got it right. Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a law stopping it. FWC can no longer pull you over for no reason. Their job is to support anglers, not hunt us down like we’re criminals.
And to my friends here at NYAngler who think enforcement is too light, maybe it’s not about needing more of it. Maybe it’s about using it better.
This has gone on long enough. Let us fish in peace.
