Win Card

[Bowcane]

So to further my Southland adventure the other day, I get down there and start fishing and the CO shows up. Asks for my licence, show it to him, everything is cool (he didn't notice I forgot to sign it, fixed that quick). Looks at the fly, thats cool. Then he asks to see the WIN card. Well its at home as I though all I needed was the paper licence I say to him. So he says that I should carry it as well, lets me off with a warning and leaves after talking about the fishing. I cant find in the regs where it says I have to carry it, just skimming through them. Whats up?

[rehsifylf]

Thats just wrong. Your WIN is on your license - so there is no need to have the card. Like my wallet isn't 'Castanza'd up" enough that I need to carry around yet another plastic card. I don't think this guy knew what he was speaking of, cause a WIN is only required to purchase a license (i.e. you don't even have to have a WIN Card as long as you have the number for on-line purchases).

 

If you go to purchase a license for the first time, they give you a WIN immediatley, but you won't get your card for 6 weeks. Does this guy imply that you have to wait 6 weeks to fish.

 

Did you get his name/number? Not that its a big deal, but there should be no 'warning' here. If he said, its a good idea to have it with you, thats fine. I think he is the one thats needs to be issued a warning.

 

As I had a quick look at the regs - I just noticed that you can buy alberta licenses on-line now. I missed that news.

[bigbowtrout]

Maybe he needed the card to cut his blow as clearly he was on something

[ladystrange]

that is the strangest thing i've heard in awhile. with the win # on the license who cares...not like either is photo id.

 

mine is always in the truck but the last thing i want to do is trek back for it. i guess i'll ask the next CO i run into

[maxwell]

ive bin checked half dozen times this year and each tim ethey ask for a WIN card.. i told em i never heard of that and whatnot and htey dont hassel me jstu say bring it next time.. bin a different dude each time too so its not like its jsut one guy asking the question.. btu i havnt found it in teh regs.. not like i looked super hard and like rehisflylf said the numbe ris on teh liscence and i pointed it out too teh one dude and he told me the same line"jstu have it next time" so i dont get it.. if u have a liscence u have a win card but why do u halfto show it?

[toolman]

The regs say that all anglers must carry their licenses (plural), at all times. It might mean that both your WIN card and Fishing License, together, are your licenses. Another grey area in the regs that needs clarification.

[AndyW]

All you need is your license- you could not buy your license if you did not have a WIN #. What about the guy who buys his license and win at the same time, the card is not even in the mail for a week or so after the purchase. Seems some of the CO's like to give "warnings" for whatever???I had a verbal warning for posessing barbed hooks- in my fly box. We agreed to disagree as she was certain I was walking a fine line posessing flys with barbs. I challenged her to charge me. I did not get charged.

 

* The vast majority of CO's do a great job, but there are a few that need to use some common sense..... Go harass the dude in the lawn chair bottom fishing, more chance for a ticket to be written....

[TerryH]

..............Then he asks to see the WIN card. Well its at home as I though all I needed was the paper licence I say to him. So he says that I should carry it as well, .................

That's absolute nonsense. As others have pointed out, you can't buy a license if you don't have a paid up WIN number. Furthermore, you don't even need to have the card when you buy your license. The vendor can do a search to get your number, and if it's paid up, you can then purchase a license. In addition, it's possible that you buy your license on a given day and have your WIN card expire the next day. The license is still vailid, but you'll need to renew the WIN card before you can buy a license the next year. So what would the CO have done if you showed him an expired WIN card?

 

It's too bad these things happen, because the last thing we need is confusion about fishing regulations being generated by the very people who are charged with enforcing regulations. Terry

[jimbow]

kinda like a discussion on hunting board recently regarding sunday hunting. the "authorities" are (were) telling people that only game birds could be hunted on sunday but that didn't include pheasants or migratory birds. blatantly wrong.

 

i think the rule is fight the power.

[cdock]

The regs say that all anglers must carry their licenses (plural), at all times. It might mean that both your WIN card and Fishing License, together, are your licenses. Another grey area in the regs that needs clarification.

 

A WIN card is not a license in any way, shape, or form. It's simply an identification number, as you all know, and does not give you the right to do anything but purchase hunting and fishing licenses. Don't forget you need a walleye harvest license to keep a walleye from select lakes and you need a license to hold a fish derby. So there are possibly more than one license required depending on the circumstances. But referring to the WIN is a definate NO. It isn't a license.

[AndyW]

If there are any CO's that read this I would be interested on their take?