Phew! I just got my fishing license today! I almost forgot, click, sign-in, click, pay, click, print. Ok now I am legal. It’s no big deal to get your fishing license in hand almost instantly. Gee the Internet sure is grand!

I remember in the old days, when I was kid, buying a fishing license was an annual event for those that needed them. Sometime after Christmas I would tag along with Grandad to the Western Auto store so he could get his fishing license. Grandad and the guy behind the counter, George, would talk about all the great fish they caught  last year.  As the fish stories continued and we were standing nearly knee deep in scales and fish guts out would come the old wooden King Edward Cigar box from under the counter. It contained all the Indiana hunting, fishing and trapping license booklets, an ink pen, and some money. George would fill out the license with Grandad’s details and tear it from the booklet.  This year the licenses were printed on green paper. I assumed they changed the color of the license paper each year to confuse us but surely they had a good reason for doing it. The good reasoning must have gotten lost on the internet somewhere. I guess I could have printed mine on colored paper but then everyone would be confused.

I would listen intently as Grandad would read aloud what was written on the license front and back to be sure it was all correct and then he would say, “Better add a trout stamp to the back here George, just in case.” George would then get an official trout stamp from the old cigar box and lick it, then stick it on the back of Grandad’s license, “That’ll be two dollars more, sign across the front of the stamp please” George would say. Grandad would sign the front of the license and the stamp on the back. Cash money was all that was accepted for licenses and Grandad handed George the correct amount in one dollar bills.  The cash went in the cigar box with the license booklets and ink pen and it was stored back under the counter. The annual ritual of getting fishing license was done for another year and George waved as we exited the store.

Ah the memories that come back as the annual ritual of buying fishing licenses is renewed again, somehow it’s just not as much fun as it once was. I miss Grandad, the Western Auto,  cigar boxes, and heck I even miss the cigar smell on Old George.

So now I am looking at my new Indiana Hunting and Fishing License and I am reading it out loud, ” 2016 Res Hunt, 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp, Senior Fish For-Life”. Wait a minute that can’t be, how did they know I was a Senior. Sure enough there it was printed on cheap white printer paper, Senior Fish For-Life. I gasped for air a little but then it dawned on me, I never have to buy Indiana Fishing License ever again. Great! No more click,click,click, print.  Sign and date it, and I fish for LIFE.  I continue to read the license and I realize, there’s no trout stamp, I printed it out and right there in black and white it says 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp but there’s no stamp. Where did the stamp go and if there is no stamp, why does it say stamp? I’m confused, did the stamp get lost in the internet too? As I place the folded piece of white paper in my wallet I think how sad this annual ritual has become, but at least I am legal now, for LIFE. Oh and isn’t the internet grand!

Don’t forget your 2016 Indiana Fishing License, the ones you have now expired yesterday. Go to the INDNR website to purchase yours today click, click, click, print and be sure to include the Trout/Salmon Stamp, just in case.

Fish Report: Fly Fishing around Lake Monroe is a little slow right now due to high water. Right now the Lake is about 6ft high, water temperatures are in the low to mid 50’s . Fish are active in small ponds and even the creeks now. Wipers are slow to show this year, no reports of any caught on flies yet. Crappies remain the best bet on Monroe for fly casting.

April HFF Meeting: The April Hff Meeting will be on April 19th at Bobby’s Colorado Steakhouse and will feature Kernal Kevin and the Annual HFF Auction of Stuff. Bring stuff, bring money, as Tim would say. Supper at 6PM and Meeting at 7PM.