The couple said the fishing trip turned into a legal problem they did not expect. According to the Reddit post, they were cited in North Dakota for fishing without a license, and the tickets were misdemeanors. That immediately made the situation feel bigger than a simple fine.
The original Reddit post can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1kvi15b/misdemeanor_for_fishing_without_license/
The distance made everything worse. They lived about 12 hours away, which meant this was not a courthouse they could easily visit on a lunch break. A ticket that might already be stressful for a local person became a travel problem, a scheduling problem, and possibly a criminal-record problem.
Fishing without a license may sound minor compared with more serious offenses, but wildlife violations can still carry real consequences. A misdemeanor is not just a warning. Depending on the state and the exact charge, it can involve fines, court appearances, possible records, and future licensing headaches.
The couple wanted to know what to do next. That is the uncomfortable part about getting cited far from home. You may not know the local court process, whether you can pay by mail, whether you must appear, whether an attorney can appear for you, or whether there is a way to reduce the charge.
The practical issue was simple: they needed to handle it correctly without making a 12-hour trip unless absolutely necessary. Ignoring it was not an option. Wildlife tickets can turn into warrants or bigger fines if missed. But showing up in person could mean missing work, spending money on travel, and returning to a state they had only been visiting.
The post also showed how easy it is for outdoor recreation to become complicated when rules vary by state. A person may know the fishing rules where they live, then travel somewhere else and assume the process is similar. But license requirements, residency rules, short-term permits, youth exemptions, tribal waters, private water rules, and court classifications can all differ.
Whether the couple misunderstood the law, forgot to buy licenses, or thought someone else had handled it, the result was the same. They were now dealing with misdemeanor tickets in another state and trying to figure out how to respond without making the problem worse.
Commenters told them to contact the court listed on the citation right away. Several said the first question should be whether a personal appearance was required or whether the matter could be handled by mail, online payment, or through an attorney.
Others suggested calling the prosecutor’s office or court clerk to ask whether proof of later-purchased licenses, payment of fines, or a plea agreement could resolve the issue. Commenters warned them not to assume, though. They needed the answer from the court handling the case.
Some people said that because the ticket was a misdemeanor, it might be worth talking to a North Dakota attorney. Even if the facts seemed simple, a local lawyer could explain whether the charge could be reduced, dismissed, or handled without the couple traveling back.
A few commenters focused on the long-term risk. They said it was tempting to treat fishing tickets as no big deal, but a misdemeanor should be handled carefully. Paying a fine can sometimes count as a guilty plea, and the couple needed to understand what that meant before choosing the fastest option.
The post ended with the couple facing a lesson a lot of traveling outdoorsmen learn the hard way. A fishing license may seem like a small detail before the first cast. Once a citation is written in a state 12 hours from home, it becomes the detail that controls everything that happens next.
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