Hey guys was trying to get things in order for the upcoming season. This is gona be the first year fishing the BFL(boater) what licenses and other things as far as paperwork do i need? thanks-skeeterman-
Make sure you have your proof of insurance in the boat ;D.
Going as a boater you will control your own destiny....I would say Canadian for sure, and you can decide as you go if you want Ohio or Walpole....
2 years fishing as a Co I have bought both Ohio and Walpole and never needed them..
Isn't one of the tournaments being held at Sandusky Bay. If so, you need an Ohio license. The other licenses you should have are;
Michigan
Ontario
Walpole
FYI for everyone - if you are purchasing a Canadian lisc. this year, or in the future, you will also need to purchase a Ontario Sportsman card for I believe $9.00 ( good for 3 years ). This will put you into their system, and then by this fall you should be able to purchase your lisc. over the internet. I talked at length with the Conservation Officer from Ontario at the Grand Rapids Show about this. Pain in the rear up front, but will be worth it in the long run.
Word of advice though. If you use a third party to get your lisc., and any of the information is wrong, you are responsible. I plan on going across the border for the first one just to be sure.
not sure where it stands right now but it might be good to have your passport or passport card if you plan on crossing over to the Canadian waters. I have mine and I'm planning on having it on board just in case.
REEL MAN
Just from experience last year, if you go to the ferry in Algonac, you can take the ferry to Canada, and the Conservation Officers come right to the ferry to sell the licenses. There fore, you never step foot on Canadian soil, and therefore, won't need a passport.
"but"....
If you set foot on Canadian soil, you will need one. I plain on getting a Canadian, Michigan, and I already have my Ohio license. I'll have to think about a Walpole license.
And, having been a co-angler in the old Buckeye division that fished Erie, I drew a boater who dindn't know if he was running to Michigan or not. Thankfully, he didn't, but I showed up to the ramp on day 2 of the super tourney and he says to me, "we're running to Michigan". I said, I don't have my license and you were supposed to call me last night if you were going to run to Michigan so I could purchase a license. It was messed up.
I urge everyone to talk at length with their boater. Get an idea what you might need, and buy it. This division's tourneys are mainly on water where you might need 4 licenses. Who wants to sit in the back of the boat and not fish because you don't have a particular license?
Eric
Don't buy the conservation license from Ontario either. Last I knew, you could only creel 2 bass with that license. You want the full non-resident fishing license.
I had an officer from the Ohio Division of Watercraft inspecting boats at our last club meeting and I asked him about fishing in Canadian waters. As long as you do not anchor, land at a Canadian port, or stop within 15' of any vessel, (that is to say that if you come close enough to pass any kind of parcels, he said mostly the drug traffickers) then you do not need to report. In other words, I would have the passcard, or passpprt or what ever you need.
Quote from: cameraguy on March 31, 2009, 10:09:53 AM
Isn't one of the tournaments being held at Sandusky Bay. If so, you need an Ohio license. The other licenses you should have are;
Michigan
Ontario
Walpole
That's right I forgot that I didn't fish Sandusky bay last year...It wasn't on my Radar screen
can anyone tell me why the michigan BFL's have the fewest anglers and have the greatest waters to fish? oh ya? we need 4 different licenses, we travel from northern michigan to sandusky ohio, we fish two different states (ohio/michigan), and two different countries!!!!! maybe the bfl's should listen to the anglers? hello grand river?
i heard the ohio anglers didn't want to spend the extra money fishing michigan or canadien waters......smart anglers?
let michigan travel to ohio?
MARK 1:17
p.s. michigan bfl " the smallmouth trail? "
I fished as a co-angler for many years and purchased all the licenses needed for the MI division. I never asked my boater if I need this or that license. It wasn't his responsibility. Now going as a boater I'm not going to ask if you have the proper license, I'm not a baby sitter, and I won't change my plan because you didn't get a license! I've spent to much time and money to change because you didn't prepare. I don't like sounding gruf but the responsibility is yours not the boater.
Dave V
Thats my concern. Ill have all them. but what if my co doesnt?? do I tell him he cant fish cause hes not got this one?? my main concern would be if i could get in trouble if he doesnt have one. i would hope most know to have all this stuff.
i loved going to the westside to fish the grand river ? now we have to travel to ohio to fish sandusky bay.... booooooo!
i hope the wind doesn't blow?
I love the Grand and I hope we go back next year and forget Sandusky. Large mouth are just as much fun as smallies.
REELMAN
You can get a 3 day in Ohio for like 11$ if you don't fish there much that not a bad deal and you can pick when it's starts. or you can buy a non res for like 40$.
I wonder if launching out of Sandusky but fish entirely in Canada, do you think a person would need an Ohio license?
I dont plan on fishing Ohio waters at all during the Sandusky BFL. I dont want to spend the money for the Ohio license.
What would be the outcome if I got stopped on Ohio waters on the way back to the launch? Would the officer believe me when I told him I didnt catch the fish in Ohio, but I possess them in Ohio.
I hope we dont fish Sandusky ever again.
B
That is a good question??? I was going to say as long as you didn't have rods out you would be good, but I forgot about bringing fish back into Ohio waters for weigh in...HMMMMM
I would not chance it. I would think b/c you are weighing the fish in ohio you still have to have a tag to posses the fish in ohio waters.
The way my season went last year, I wont have to worry about possessing them in Ohio anyway.
B
there is some really good fishing in ohio waters. I spend a lot of time down there in the spring. I cant wait going there in 2 weeks to fish the bass islands.
Gruf?
REEL MAN, I should have explained further that I spoke to my boater the night before and he assured me he would call if I needed the license. He didn't, so I didn't go buy one. Now that the division is mostly Michigan, I obviously have a license for the year, but even then, the old Buckeye didn't even allow fishing in Canadian water. You only needed one or two licenses to fish the divison, and 90% of the guys who ran out of Sandusky didn't run to Michigan. There wasn't any real need to.
I think as a boater, you should be courteous enough to discuss where you're going to fish with your co-angler so he's prepared. I guess I frown on doing anything beyond that, especially in these difficult economic times. I've seen good boaters and bad boaters in my time, and I plan on being a good boater.
Eric
You can always get the Ohio licenses the night before the tournament online and print them off if you need them...(For the Detroit River)
Last year at Sandusky, I ran to Michigan waters. I told my co the plans at the meeting and he did not have a MI licence. It was his first time on Erie in a bassboat. I told him to bring a drop shot rod, rain suit, helmet and his michigan licence. He got 2 of the 4. No rain suit or helment, I am sure it was an interesting 62 mile ride each way for him. He got the licence on line so he was ok. Oh yeah, he had never used a drop shot before. I got my 5 in 20 minutes, he never had a bite. I started showing him how to do it and he proceeded to kick my tail. ::) He weighed 16 lbs for 4 fish and had his limit fish jump off 3 times.
I would never change my plans if a co does not have a licence. If I am making a oddly long run (like MI or PA from Sandusky), I will give them a heads up.
Seth
I bought a helmet this year just in case I'm paired with Seth and his 250 Merc!
I bought all the licenses (Ohio, MI, Canada, Walpole) and am ready where ever my boater decides to fish. Lets do this!
This will be my 6th year as a boater in the BFL's. If you are a co angler it is worth it to get all the licenses. I am a boater and I get all of them. I prefish 3 or more days before each event and have never had to worry about where I was at. Up front you are looking at (non-resident prices) $35 for MI, $40 for OH, $70 for CA, $40 for Walpole. I know $185 for licenses is steep, but it is worth the peace of mind. If you plan on fishing one or all of them do some research and get the licenses you need way beforehand. The only thing you should have to worry about is what you are tying on the night before. If a situation arises where you will start in MI and may or may not go into Walpole according to your boater and you decided not to get a license you will get in trouble sitting or not if you go there and have fish in the livewell. Not only will you get in trouble, but your boater will as well and the $500 he just spent to prefish will be completely wasted. We all know the schedule and have plenty of time to get things around. You draw me and you have everything in order I almost guarantee you will have a good time. Canadian licenses are not available online as of yet to non-residents so I would suggest getting on the phone and getting it now. Mine is in the mail as we speak. They generally tell you it will take up to 6 weeks to get to you. The longest I have ever waited is 3 weeks, but I don't take that chance. Walpole are also not available, but Lakeside Fishing Shop on St Clair has them and will mail them to you within 2 weeks.
Remember, we all do this to have a good time. It is not fun when something stressful happens like this the night before the tourney. Bite the bullett and spend the money, I don't have the money either, but it is worth it to me because this is what I love to do. I have only twice drawn co's that have not had their Canadian License and both of them were up half the night before the tourney trying to get one. Not a good way to start an event. You choose to fish as a coangler, therefore, you choose to take the unknown route. Control the variables you can control and it will make your experience much more enjoyable. God Bless and see you guys at Cheboygan! ;D
BUCKEYE sorry if I made it sound like I didn't tell my co where we plan to start, the possible areas we could go and the style of fishing. I'm very up front with them with the info and what I've found during prefish, I want them to have fun and most of all catch fish (better yet cash a check) I just want the co's to make sure that they are prepared. There were years as a co I bought the Walpoe lic. I never used it.
REEL MAN
Quote from: bshaner on April 13, 2009, 08:45:53 AM
I wonder if launching out of Sandusky but fish entirely in Canada, do you think a person would need an Ohio license?
I dont plan on fishing Ohio waters at all during the Sandusky BFL. I dont want to spend the money for the Ohio license.
What would be the outcome if I got stopped on Ohio waters on the way back to the launch? Would the officer believe me when I told him I didnt catch the fish in Ohio, but I possess them in Ohio.
I hope we dont fish Sandusky ever again.
B
Others mentioned it but in case it still isn't clear, the weigh-in for the Sandusky tournament is in Ohio, of course. You need an Ohio license.
BTW, I love fishing out of Sandusky. There is great fishing in Ohio waters. Plus, the vast amount of productive water presents a great challenge and a great opportunity to explore new areas. I do find it odd though that the "Michigan" Division has a tournament in Ohio.