Your losing it kid! Nothing wrong with hand lines.

Handlines are listed as a legal method under Angling in the definitions section of the CT DEP Fishing Guide.


"AN GLIN G Fishing with hook and line, which must be personally
attended. No more than two lines, with or without rods, may be used
at one time. Each line may have any combination of hooks, flies or lures,
of which a maximum of three hooks may be baited."

Fishing license = tax. Hunting license = tax. CT duck stamp " now Migratory Game hunting "permit" = tax, HIP permit original $2.00 admin fee, now $4.00 = tax. Where will it end! Enough is enough! I can not get out of this state quick enough!!!!!!!!

Handlines are actually a lot of fun!! I used to handline as a kid all the time.

Michael - Now that you've been properly "bashed", let me add that I understand your frustration. You have shelled out all this $$$ to comply with CT licensing requirements, you play by the rules and it irks you to see people who ignore them and consistently get away with it. When I was a little fisherguy (just after the earth's crust cooled), my Dad taught my brother and I to fish with a handline before he got us rods and reels. The folks fishing with handlines are not breaking the law by fishing that way, although many may not have licenses.
This thread had some great advice - do not approach people and ask if they have licenses, if you see something call the TIP line - try and shrug your shoulders and enjoy life despite the jerks you meet along the way, life's too short to let someone ruin your day. Be grateful that you live in the U.S. (OK, maybe not so grateful that you live in CT.. then again, they don't have blues everywhere!) Tight lines and GBAATTWDH