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This is my first year fishing Lake Erie. Boat docked at Channel Grove. We have been fishing US waters so far. I have a couple of questions concerning fishing Canadian waters. First, I know I need an Ontario fishing license
1) Is the fishing better in Canadian waters at this time of year? If so, any recommendations to location?
2) Can I report via radio (How? What Channel?) or via phone?
3) Does each person aboard need to have their passport ON-BOARD?
Thanks in advance for your comments
Well I know you don't need a passport unless you are touching ground in Canada. Just a fishing license. The rest I can't help with.
Your supposed to call in via phone and give the info they require for each person on board. I don't believe a passport is required as long as you stay on the water.
Capt Juls should be able to give you the info you need, you may want to touch base with her.
Good Luck
Pelee Island can be good/great, around the wagon wheel. Or depending on wind on either side of the island.
But, I/we stopped fishing Canadian waters around 2005? Dealing with the U.S. border patrol became such an issue on return to U.S. waters. The U.S. border patrol uses radar to watch boats. If you come close enough to another boat( their judgment) you are required to go to Put n Bay to register back into the U.S. Each person on board has to register. Close enough to another boat is the same as touching land since you could have passed something between boats. Even if that other boat was in excess of 20MPH that was 200-300 ft away and we were trolling at 1.5 MPH. Every call/contact with an officer is his/her judgement/understanding of the laws. The fines are very expensive. There are a lot of folks who never have a problem. But if you do have a problem, it will probably be the last time you ever fish Canadian waters again.
heres a link to all the info you need, also note new for 2016 you can pre-register your info via email to shorten your wait time when you call in.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html
Just to let everyone know. They are asking for one of the following documents for crossing over into Canada fishing.
Passport number
Passport card number
Drivers license number and birth certificate number.
Also need the usual Ontario fishing license.
Canadian Phone In # 1-888-226-7277
Also make damn sure nobody on your boat is carrying if you plan on going up there.
I won't go up there if everyone does not have a passport. If for some reason bad weather, breakdown or medical emergency you have to dock at Pele you are screwed. Just my opinion. All the rest about calling in to Canadian customs is right. Know your boat numbers and have boat registration in hand. I write down everybody's name and birthdays. It also helps to know military alphabet when telling them your boat numbers..
We call by Middle Island right before crossing. We still have US cell phone service
Thanks for all the great info. Anything special when returning to U.S. waters
Two more sites:
US Fed: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-...-boat-overview
ODNR - http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/laws/o...al-regulations
Man, I haven't bothered in ages.
It isn't hard (or particularly expensive, given the gas you're going to use going to Canada and back) to get a passport card. Whether it's needed or not who knows, but it's good to have anyhow. So if you DO want/need to put in at Peelee or elsewhere you can.
There's a bit less fishing pressure yes, but otherwise when I did it, I found that it was purely a case of "sometimes the fish are here, sometimes there."