How do you carry your licenses?

I have licenses for WA, OR and CA. Including Angling licenses, Shellfish permits, salmon tags, catch area lists and three OR invasive species permits it's quite a pile of paper. Also need to carry a pen to record salmon, steelhead, etc. and it all has to be easy to reach while fishing and waterproof.

I put them into separate plastic cases (OR & WA), then in a ziplock bag, then in a "waterproof" case that I keep in my PFD. Whenever I decide to take a swim to practice self rescues or just cool off the darn things wind up wet. The paper they're made of and the ink they use does not hold up to moisture.

What's your system?





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I keep most of my water sensitive stuff including keys/personal electronics and the actual license in an otterbox that I keep in a camel back that I strap to the back of my boat.  My catch report cards I keep with 2 or 3 pens (one never seems to be working) in a ziplock "waterproof" bag that's stored in the same backpack in a somewhat more accessible location.  I haven't been checked yet by enforcement to vouch for how well the system works, but I like to keep the docs that I theoretically will need to access on the water separate from the ones that don't need to be marked.

I keep them in my wallet, which goes in a dry bag, in the crotch hatch


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My OR license is printed on reasonably good, water proof paper.....I wear that around my neck in a Berkley leash/plastic envelope that seals like a zip lock bag.
The rest of my paperwork is inside a heavy duty zip lock bag, I store inside the large twist and seal hatch cover, right in front of my seat on the PA-14.....the underneath side of the hatch cover has a webbed nylon, mesh "pocket" for storage.....the hatch is really  handy and water proof too.....I just need to remember to grab my tag if I go "non-kayak fishing".....

I used to just pin it to my PFD until it got ripped off on a surf landing and I watched it sink. Now I wear one of these under my drysuit and can pull it up when needed. It just just a couple of bucks at bi-mart.

http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Kayak-fishing-license-lanyard/dp/B00884L2N4/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1378923186&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=Berkley+fishing+license+holder

In my wallet in a 5liter dry bag in my Center hatch


-Rodney-

Thanks for the ideas guys, have any of you "tested" your system with an extended swim? I've taken a few plunges to practice and play in the water wearing my PFD and every time the licenses get wet and need to be dried out. After a few of these the writing on some is hard to read.

On the bright side, my LifeProof case has worked perfectly, nary a drop of water in it.

Noah, have you tested those Kayak lanyard thingys for immersion-worthyness? They don't look like they'd hold up to a swim for long. Also, knowing my memory, I only want a system that I can't forget which is why it's always in my PFD.

Mine just looks like that, it's actually a Berkeley one , I think. My old one worked great while under water but I haven't tested the new one yet.

Funny story. After it sank at PC last year I had to go buy a new one, along with all the tags. I was not too happy about it but I needed it to fish the next weekend. When I got home and checked the mail that afternoon there was a package from bend. Someone had found my license on the beach and mailed it back! Too bad I couldn't return the second one it was also totally dry.

Well, went online at Amazon.com found a bunch of "waterproof" containers for fishing licenses etc.

All were pretty cheap so I bought three different types. Now I have my pen, licenses and catch cards in one container, my 3 invasive species permits in three separate containers & one left over for my car key, credit cards, cash etc. 


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Well, went online at Amazon.com found a bunch of "waterproof" containers for fishing licenses etc.

All were pretty cheap so I bought three different types. Now I have my pen, licenses and catch cards in one container, my 3 invasive species permits in three separate containers & one left over for my car key, credit cards, cash etc. 


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I have the Dry Pak for the iphone.  It works pretty good, I Haven't had any issues with it as of yet. 

I usually have my licences kept in a walmart bought (Outdoor Products) dry box placed in the front hatch. I should probably leash that thing inside there in the likely event that the hatch gets ripped open in the surf. 

Why do people need a waterproof container for their license?  Are WA licenses printed on paper?  I may be in the minority but I have not seen a OR paper license in so long I would have to dig through one of my kicker boxes to find one.  As far as a pressure vessel (submersible) for electronics, I bought an otter box awhile ago and tested it by sinking it in ~80 f.o.w. to see if it leaked after 10 min.  Not even a hint of moisture.

I keep mine in a 3x6 inch finsport that also holds tackle.  Pens don't work when writing on wet surfaces.

yep. still on " paper"

yep. still on " paper"

No they aren't.
WA licences are on some type of plastic type paper. I carry mine in the little plastic pouch they come with in my PFD and mine survived a 45 min swim.

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 and mine survived a 45 min swim.

Not to hijack this thread but what the heck were you doing in the water for 45min FG?!?!?

-Spot-