Just noticed a note on Whitakers Site saying the State will NOT be selling licenses for about 2 weeks starting Dec 26. Seems the site will be down for a while.
 Anyone coming up fishing during that time will need to get a tag before that.

Heard about this a bit ago.
Here is an article
http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2013/12/dec_announces_temporary_blacko.html#incart_river
 
Also remember that 2/1 the new pricing as well as one year from date of purchase goes into effect
 

I always check the New York State DEC website at least weekly. The press release section gives updated info on what's going on.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/press.html
Don't know how or if the decrease in fee will affect me as it was ritual to buy the yearly super sportsman in Aug when hunting permits came available .
We had to buy a seprate marine stamp for a few years and it ( the fee ) got revoked . Still must get a stamp but its free.

I like the year to date fishing license. The set times e pertain dates for a year round sport made no sense. The only down fall might be forgetting the experation dates. For myself I will continue to buy my super sportsman when hunting permits become available . Hope I don't get a dummy ticket..

I was able to contact my guide today (on the third try) and he informed me of this computer downtime.  I don't know if he was just going to let me drive all the way to Pulaski from Cincinnati next week and then tell me about the license issue upon my arrival.  

I'm fortunate to not have to worry expiration dates, etc.  I purchased my lifetime super sportsman license over twenty years ago.  I get my new license and tags mailed to me in early July each year.  It was well worth the expense given the fact that the license prices have more than doubled over the years and its good for the rest of my life even if I move out of state.

Even with the new rates the outa Staters really pay. Used to get the SS tags for about $250. Now am back to only fishing.
 Have often thought about just giving my address up there and going native- but would likely be the guy who gets caught- lol.
 
 Chartist- glad the post helped someone here.

Trev. You own property and pay taxes. I know it's supposed to be a residence but as a tax payer I have no issue with a resident license . If it were me, I'd buy the NYS resident license. Just one of those dummy regulations IMO

I hope the Oblundercare website people aren't doing the updates!

I seem to recall issues with the company that originally instituted the DECALS system so it would not be a surprise if there were glitches with the new company's format.

My son-in-law worked on the graphics for the NYS affordable care site. The nightmares he told me about in the months leading up to it's not so auspicious beginning would make me suspicious of any new programs. The blackout period is not a very good sign. The marine license thing has been confusing, but every northeastern state seems to be going through the  same thing. It's the federal mandates that are causing it, I think. Last year I had three salt licenses- NY, Ma, and NH. Mass and NH were 10 bucks. NY, as HT said, is free.
I was checked once in Ma.  after walking in a road that's usually gated. There was a Federal game warden that had driven in, as it was on a National Wildlife Refuge. Of course, I was wet wading and had left my wallet in the car. He called my name in on his radio and it checked out!  I don't think he could have ticketed me, as I hadn't fished yet, but at least I didn't have to make the long walk twice and miss the tide. I think CO's might be a little lenient to out of staters in the 2 weeks. It would be a good tourist plug to waive it for that time.