By the books NO, requirement is a printed license is required. CO can ticket you, then leave it up to the judge to decide. In practice seriously doubt the CO would want to do all that paperwork on such a weak violation. Intent goes a long way in court and in this case there was obviously no intent to cheat.
Goes without saying can't keep an adult spring.
--You are much more forgiving than I on the cheating.. why wait until limit was caught to get another licence. If she wanted to try fishing, why not buy the license before going. It ranks up there with one guy in a boat getting a derby ticket and entering the largest fish rather than all persons on the boat having a ticket. Some derbies now require everyone on the boat to have a ticket or they are disqualified.
--how about waiting to purchase a tag until you catch a keeper... I think CO should conscider a violation ticket but may listen to the explanation with lesser charge of failing to produce a licence rather than fishing without a licence. Especially if no fisher were retained.. which would clearly not be on without the tag and ability to record.
--On the other hand never want to discourage someone new trying the sport so I'm a fence sitter on this one.