Everytime you open the app it wants to update and sync. Unfortunately when out fishing this makes the app pretty much useless. If you are in an area with poor internet the sync will fail. This keeps you from accessing the features of the app like catch codes and general regs! They need to change it so that you can access the app regardless of sync download status.
With how the department has decided to manage fisheries, with constant emergency orders superseding the published seasons, using this app is invaluable to make sure you are in compliance. The issues with it never functioning properly make that all the more frustrating. Currently it will never load the map, saying you are zoomed out too far to see bodies of water, please zoom in. Zooming in does nothing, changing base maps does nothing. Searching for bodies of water does nothing, nor does restarting the app. I have to uninstall and reinstall the app every single time I want to use it. Before this it would never update the regulations, it would crash during update and if you read the developers response to those previous issues, it was again, uninstall and reinstall. None of these versions have been fit for distribution. Hoping some day this app will begin to be at least semi functional.
This app quickly shows fishing locations and regs quickly. It could be improved by adding the dates they were last stocked as found on the departments website.
I can’t believe this app has ads considering the huge license fees WDFW charges anglers. That is pure greed and they should be ashamed.
The maps lack detail such as clearly named waterways so it is very difficult to know what area you are looking at. The app is confusing and difficult to navigate. Of course, if WDFW didn’t have a 150 page regulation guide modified by arbitrary changes so fishermen never quite know if they are breaking rules, we wouldn’t need an app, would we?
This is a perfect example of byzantine government bureaucracy and waste.
It won’t find badger lake or bear lake. It will find random lakes that I don’t want. I called fish and game for three days with no answer I get our mail box is full and your call can’t be accepted. I put a formal complaint with the governors office and they took the complaint very seriously. Maybe that will put a fire under Washington fish and game. Poor job Washington fish and game you ought to be ashamed of your organization.
I thought this would offer the regs when clicking on each body of water. Instead it just says “statewide rules click here” and then it goes to the same info as googling the WA fishing pamphlet. So basically this is just a map with links to the WDFW site. I came here for simplicity and it’s a little too simple.
With the restrictions on sports fishing do to unmanaged tribal fishing you have succeeded in wiping out crabbing, shrimping and salmon fishing. You have discriminated against the majority for political reasons.
The tribes fish thousand of pots and are left to govern themselves. That never works.
Our state Fish and Game dept is responsible for the depletion of our fishing resource. Take off your blinders look around. Our rivers are plugged with nets. 2020 the tribes took double their shrimp quota what do you think they did with crab and salmon? I know this was a waste of time I don't have a casino to wet your palms. Thanks
I have tried using this app for few years. This could be very useful. The problem is that it has to download/ update the “e-regs” every time I open it. This burns data and as often as not doesn’t work. ( failure message ) I’m back to carrying the paper version and checking for rule changes before I go out.
I recently updated this app and now can no longer access the map. Please fix. Other than this incident, I’ve loved the app.
UPDATE: My issue has been corrected with the most recent iOS update. Revising my rating back to a 5. Thanks to the developers for reaching out to me.
Developer Response
Hello. If you are having trouble accessing the map, we would like to gather some more information to help troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Please send us an email mobileappdev@dfw.wa.gov or send us a feedback message with your contact information from the Provide Feedback feature in the app (left navigation menu). We will reach out directly to schedule a call to troubleshoot further and resolve the issue.
Respectfully,
Jake Shapley, Application Developer, 360-972-5081This app is somewhat useful, but supported by ads? For crying out loud! This is already paid by our taxes! Now ads?
For novice fishermen- forget this app. No pictures of fish to identify, map is riddled with waterways and lakes and hard to pinpoint your actual location.
I have no idea why it’s so highly rated. Total 90’s app.
Developer, here are suggestions to make it 5 stars:
1. Remove ads
2. Make waterways overlay gradient (min/max slider)
3. Include pictures of actual fish species, so it’s easy to identify for novice
4. Identify “all” designated ramps including rivers ( not all currently present)
5. Create pop-ups for general rules or exceptions (instead of clicks to “next” screen)
6. Create geolocation ping to tell users what regs are in their present location
7. Incorporate fishing license info purchase, so it’s “all” in one app - purchases, current license, renewals.
Otherwise this app is a glorified map.
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