Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division – License Manual
Revised: 9/24
WIRE BASKET
Valid: Sept 1 – Aug 31
Resident – Non-Resident
Alabama Game, Fish and Wildlife Law; Article 6; beginning with 9-11-190
and Regulation 220-2-.46(3,) 221-2-.70, and 22-2-.04L, see attached.
PRIVILEGE:
• Required for residents/non-residents of all ages.
• One license per basket required to catch non-game fish in public freshwaters.
RESTRICTIONS:
• Holder of commercial fishing license is prohibited from using wire baskets.
• Illegal to sell fish caught in baskets.
• Not all counties allow use of wire baskets.
• See regulation for list of counties that allow Wire Baskets and the numbers
of baskets allowed in each county (attached).
• Baskets must be marked with name and license number of operator.
• Maximum number of baskets per person is four (4) statewide.
NOTE:
• Not limited to county of residence for Alabama residents.
COST:
• Issued in all Counties, except Coffee County Probate Office* .......$2.00 each
• Issued at the Coffee County Probate Office* .................................$6.00 each
*Coffee County Probate Office has additional privilege tax
HOW TO PURCHASE YOUR LICENSE:
• Visit your local Probate Office or License Commissioner
• Visit one of our District Offices
• Visit the Montgomery Office (See address below)
• Mail a completed application (download at www.outdooralabama.com/license-information) to:
Dept. of Conservation, Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries, Attn: License Sales
o PO Box 301456, Montgomery, AL 36130-1456
o 64 N Union St., Ste. 567, Montgomery, AL 36104 (overnight/express)
Wire Basket - Page 1
Wire Basket - Page 2
Revised: 09/21
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
WILDLIFE AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES DIVISION
WIRE BASKET LICENSE
Valid: Sept 1 – Aug 31
Resident – Non-Resident
LICENSE HOLDER: All information is required. PRINT OR TYPE ONLY INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE RETURNED
Name: ____________________________________________ CID #: __________
*Social Security #:____-___-____ Driver’s License State and #: ___ ____________
Date of Birth: ______________ Email: __________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
City: _________________ County: ______________ State: _____ Zip: ________
Phone: Hm _________________ Wk _________________ Cl _______________
Wire Baskets can only be used in approved counties
1
# of License ______ x $2.00 per Basket = $ ________ Total Cost
Coffee County Only
# of License ______ x $6.00 per Basket = $ ________ Total Cost
Note: Wire Basket license can be purchased at any County Probate or License Commissioner for the standard price.
Licenses purchased from Coffee County Probate Office include a privilege tax.
List each county the Wire Basket(s) will be used in ___________________________________
See regulation for list of counties that allow Wire Baskets
and the numbers of baskets allowed in each county
Submit: (1) completed application, (2) check or money order, and (3) copy of driver’s license to:
Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Div., Attn:
License Sales, PO Box 301456, Montgomery, AL 36130-1456, or by walk-in or express mail
requests: 64 N Union Street, Ste 567, 36104. Questions: (334) 242-3465 or
[email protected].
License can also be issued by select WFF District Offices or County Probate Office/License Commissioners.
Applicant’s Signature: ______________________________ Date: _____________
Check [ ] to be excluded from list sold by DCNR. If blank, you will be included.
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
License Number: _____________________________________ Amount Received: _________ Date Issued: ______________
*DCNR IS NOW REQUIRED BY SECTION 30-3-194(A) CODE OF ALABAMA 1975
TO COLLECT
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ON ALL RECREATIONAL LICENSES BEING ISSUED/RENEWED.
Sex:
Male
Female
Wt.
Ht.:
Eyes:
Hair:
Race:
Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division – License Manual
Revised: 9/24
Wire Basket - Page 3
Section 9-11-83 COMMERCIAL OR NONGAME FISH DESIGNATED.
The following shall be considered commercial fish or nongame fish: drum, buffalo, channel catfish and all members of the
catfish family and the spotted sucker and all members of the sucker family, including the species known as red horse and
black horse.
Section 9-11-190 CATCHING OF NONGAME FISH FROM PUBLIC WATERS BY USE
OF WIRE BASKETS — WHEN, WHERE AND HOW PERMITTED.
The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and
regulations authorizing the taking, catching or killing of nongame fish from the public waters of this state by the use of
wire baskets having a mesh of one inch or more; provided, however, that the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural
Resources shall only promulgate such a regulation upon the written petition of all of the state representatives and state
senators from the county or counties in which said regulation or regulations shall be effective.
Petitions from state representatives and state senators as provided for above shall specify whether the wire baskets they
desire shall have a mesh of one inch or two inches. No regulation shall be promulgated allowing the use of wire baskets in
Lewis M. Smith reservoir on the Sipsey fork of the Warrior River unless the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural
Resources receives a petition from all of the state representatives and state senators from the counties which border on said
reservoir.
Section 9-11-191 CATCHING OF NONGAME FISH FROM PUBLIC WATERS BY USE
OF WIRE BASKETS — LICENSE — REQUIRED; ISSUANCE;
FEES; DISPOSITION OF FEES.
Any person desiring a license to fish with such wire basket in areas where they may be legalized by regulation as provided
for in this article may apply to the probate judge or other appropriate licensing authority in any county of this state affected
by the provisions of this article and shall pay a privilege license tax of $1.00 for each wire basket he proposes to fish.
Judges of probate, license commissioners or other persons authorized and designated to issue fishing licenses shall be
entitled to a fee of $.25 for each license so issued, which fee shall be in addition to the amount designated in this article as
the cost of such license; provided, that all fees collected by any probate judge or license commissioner who is paid a salary
for the performance of his duties shall be paid by him into the county treasury to the credit of the appropriate fund.
The revenue derived from the sale of the license provided for in this section shall be remitted to the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources on the first day of each month by the issuing officer and shall be covered into the
State Treasury to the credit of the Game and Fish Fund.
Section 9-11-192 LICENSES NOT TO BE SOLD TO PERSONS HOLDING
COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSES, ETC.; SALE OR OFFER FOR
SALE OF FISH BY LICENSEES, ETC.
The licenses provided for in this article shall not be sold to any person holding a commercial fishing license or engaged in
the business of commercial fishing, and it shall be unlawful for any person holding a wire basket license or using a wire
basket under the provisions of this article to sell or offer for sale any fish within or without this state. It is the specific
intent of this article to allow the use of wire baskets to catch fish for personal consumption only.
Section 9-11-193 OBTAINING MORE THAN FOUR LICENSES OR FISHING WITH
MORE THAN FOUR BASKETS.
It shall be illegal for any person to obtain more than four such licenses or fish with more than four such baskets.
Section 9-11-194 MARKING OF BASKETS.
Any basket or baskets that may become legal for use in the waters of this state under the provisions of this article shall be
clearly marked with the name of the licensee operating, using and owning said basket and the license number of said
basket.
Section 9-11-195 DESTRUCTION OF UNMARKED BASKETS.
All wire baskets not marked in accordance with the provisions of section 9-11-194 shall be destroyed upon discovery by
any officer, agent or employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division – License Manual
Revised: 9/24
Wire Basket - Page 4
Section 9-11-196 NONGAME FISH ONLY TO BE TAKEN, ETC., WITH BASKETS;
RETURN OF GAME FISH TAKEN TO WATERS.
Only nongame fish may be taken, captured or killed by means of any basket that may become legal for use in this state
under the provisions of this article. All game fish taken in such baskets shall immediately be returned to the waters from
whence taken with the least possible harm.
Section 9-11-197 TAKING OF FISH FROM BASKETS, ETC., BY UNLICENSED
PERSONS.
It shall be illegal for any person to raise, inspect or take fish from any wire basket that may be legalized under the
provisions of this article unless such person shall hold in his name and have in his possession the license for the particular
basket he is raising, inspecting or from which he is taking fish. Nothing in this section shall prevent the raising of such
baskets for inspection by any officer, agent or employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Section 9-11-198 PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE;
REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
Any person who violates the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be
punished as prescribed by law; provided, that the minimum fine shall be not less than $25.00, and in addition to such
punishment the court trying the case shall revoke all basket licenses issued or to be issued to such person for a period of
three years from the date of such conviction.
Regulation 222-2-.46(3) BY LICENSED WIRE BASKET FISHERMEN –
Any person who possesses a valid wire basket license shall fish such baskets in compliance with Code of Ala. 1975,
Section 9-11-190 through Section 9-11-198.
(a) In the following counties a maximum of four (4) wire baskets with a mesh of one (1) inch or larger:
Autauga
Coosa
Henry
Russell
Barbour
Covington
Lamar
St. Clair
Bibb
Crenshaw
Lee
Sumter
Butler
Dale
Lowndes
Talladega
Calhoun
Dallas
Marengo
Tallapoosa
Chambers
Escambia
Marion
Tuscaloosa
Chilton
Fayette
Monroe
Walker (except Lewis M. Smith Reservoir)
Choctaw
Franklin
Perry
Washington
Clarke
Geneva
Pickens
Wilcox
Cleburne
Greene
Pike
Coffee
Hale
Randolph
(b) In Elmore County a maximum of three (3) wire baskets with a mesh of one (1) inch or larger may be fished
provided that only one (1) wire basket may be fished in Lake Jordan and only two (2) wire baskets may be fished in Lake
Martin. Wire baskets may not be used in any other areas of Elmore County except as listed above.
Regulation 220-2-.70 USE OF WIRE BASKETS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
Any person properly licensed under the provisions of Act No. 83-482, Acts of Alabama, Regular Session, 1983, is hereby
authorized to take, catch or kill non-game fish from the public waters of Jefferson County (except in municipal parks) by
the use of wire baskets having a mesh of one (1) inch or larger. Persons are restricted to four (4) such licenses per person
and are restricted to the use of four (4) wire baskets per person and the use of said baskets shall be governed strictly in
accordance with the provisions of Act No. 83-482, Acts of Alabama, Regular Session 1983.
Regulation 220-2-.04L WIRE BASKET FISHING REGULATION - SHELBY COUNTY
Any person who possesses a valid wire basket license may fish such baskets in Shelby County under the provisions as set
out by the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 9-11-190 through Section 9-11-198; provided, however, that such baskets shall
have a wire mesh of two (2) inches.
This regulation shall become effective at 6:00 a.m. on the 36th day following filing of same with the Legislative Reference
Service.