CDFW License vs Hooked Field App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CDFW License
Manage your California fishing and hunting licenses, preference points, and access permits. This official app allows you to view and store all your important wildlife documents in one convenient place.
- View fishing licenses
- View hunting licenses
- Store preference points
- Access permits
- Manage drawing applications
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CDFW License App is the official license management App for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Utilize this app to view and store all your CDFW fishing and hunting licenses, preference points, access permits, and drawing applications.
Hooked Field App
This app is designed for kayak anglers to manage tournaments and track catches. It offers real-time leaderboards, flexible scoring formats, and location mapping for personal fishing records. Connect with your fishing community and organize events directly from the water.
- Live tournament creation
- Flexible scoring formats
- Real-time leaderboards
- Catch location mapping
- Club and community features
- Catch Photo/Video Release support
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HOOKED is the fishing app built for anglers who keep score. Whether you're competing in an organized tournament or starting a QuickCast with friends, HOOKED puts the action in your hands. Submit catches, follow the leaderboard, and see the results as they happen. QUICKCAST: A TOURNAMENT IN YOUR POCKET Create a live challenge for up to 6 anglers. Choose your species, scoring format, and release rules, then invite your crew. HOOKED keeps the catches and leaderboard together from the first cast to the final result. FLEXIBLE TOURNAMENT FORMATS Fish the format your event calls for. HOOKED supports length-based scoring, multi-species points, Catch Photo Release, and Catch Video Release. LIVE LEADERBOARDS Follow the standings during tournaments and challenges. See where you stand, who's moving up, and what you need to catch next. CATCH LOCATION MAPPING Log your catches on a personal map and build a record of where the fish are biting. Your spots stay yours. CLUBS & COMMUNITY Connect with your fishing club, follow friends' catches, and talk with your crew in public or private channels. From a friendly challenge to a major tournament, HOOKED brings anglers together around the next catch. Download free. Get on the water. Get HOOKED.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hooked Field App at 100% against CDFW License's 35%. Hooked Field App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.8) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months). CDFW License's advantage is ratings volume (98 vs 5) and chart position (#201 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hooked Field App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDFW License has 98 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of CDFW License's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hooked Field App's.
CDFW License ships an update every 5 months, Hooked Field App every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CDFW License | Hooked Field App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (98 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 35.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 98 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #201 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 77 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | RA Outdoors, LLC, d/b/a Aspira | STIX Outdoors LLC |
Customer experience
CDFW License
Hooked Field App
Bugs and requests
CDFW License
Reported bugs
6 issues- Error 403 when trying to buy
- Cannot associate ID info (DL, passport)
- App autofilled random password
- Login fails in app but works on website
- App says no active licenses when user has them
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- Invalid email/password error
Requested features
15 requests- Add Apple Wallet support
- Consolidate info dumps for efficiency
- Allow account creation directly in app
- Retain login credentials
- Add lobster reporting functionality
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- Specify location and harvest method
- Tailored regulations with fish search and ID guide
- Add interactive MPA map
- Add widget for high/low tides
- Allow purchasing and renewing licenses through the app
- Add tidal charts and lunar phases
- Tag harvest via the app
- Add hunting licenses
- Add fishing regulation map
- Make report cards virtual
Hooked Field App
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CDFW License
No in-app purchases
Hooked Field App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CDFW License free?
Is Hooked Field App free?
Which has better reviews, CDFW License or Hooked Field App?
Do CDFW License or Hooked Field App have ads?
Which is updated more often, CDFW License or Hooked Field App?
Other comparisons
