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http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/Question:
Do I have to have a license to take a piece of string and some liver and fish for crawdads for fun? I don't want to keep them. I don't want to eat them. I don't want to use them for bait. I just want to catch them.
Answer:
Yes, a fishing license is required even if you don't keep them. It's the same premise as "catch and release" fishing for trout.