Lake Erie charter fishing to resume in Ohio on Friday with restrictions: Fishing Report - cleveland.com

By D'Arcy Egan, special to The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, OHIO — As Ohio begins to open some businesses again, Lake Erie
fishing guides will be back in operation. The guide operations will be taking customers fishing starting Friday, but only if the guides and their customers diligently follow the COVID-19 protocols mandated by Gov. Mike DeWine.
Those protocols include:

  • Require face masks or covering for all clients and customers;
  • Conduct daily health assessments of employees and employers;
  • Maintain good hygiene, social distancing and hand washing
  • Clean and sanitize workplaces often
  • Maintain social distancing practices of 6-feet between people.


“It will be up to the fishing guides to determine how to do this,” said Director Mary Mertz of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “It will probably mean a reduction in the number of fishermen on boat, in order to maintain social distancing.

“This isn’t a one size fits all rule,” added Mertz. “Business owners will have to analyze their operations and make sure they comply. If a lot of charter captains don’t do that, or if there should be a spike (in COVID-19 positives), we could have to shut down fishing charters for the rest of the summer.”

An Ohio rule that may be lifted soon, said Mertz, is the ban on the sale of non-resident fishing and hunting licenses. Out-of-state anglers and hunters presently can’t buy Ohio licenses. If they already have them, non-residents must self-quarantine for 14 days before fishing or hunting.

“We understand charter fishing will be less profitable when following the protocols,” said Mertz, especially downsizing the number of anglers on a boat to accommodate the social distancing rules. Requiring face masks will be a tenuous rule to enforce, as well."