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Fishing Canadian waters

Scalloper 1
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Scalloper 1

Scalloper 1

Posted
Posted

So what are the regulations about fishing the Canadian side of Lake O? If your fishing the Niagara Bar are you allowed to fish over the line? Here in Maine we were always told we can fish the main lake on the Canadian side of a lake but we should not go into coves on step on land.

Flanman

Flanman

Posted
Posted
So what are the regulations about fishing the Canadian side of Lake O? If your fishing the Niagara Bar are you allowed to fish over the line? Here in Maine we were always told we can fish the main lake on the Canadian side of a lake but we should not go into coves on step on land.

Fishing on their side of the fence is not a great idea. Our licenses have no bearing on that side of the line. Personally, I think it’s stupid but not my call.

Flanman


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Sk8man

Sk8man

Posted
Posted (edited)

It isn't worth messing because since the 9/11 stuff they have been VERY conscious about the line and the borders. No sense risking getting your boat and equipment confiscated. The covid stuff has just heightened the concerns.

Edited by Sk8man
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fcboats

fcboats

Posted
Posted

Not 100% accurate.  US anglers are fine as long as they do not plan on docking in Canada.  

 

All that is required is a CAN fishing license.  Similar applies to CAN anglers who wish to fish in US waters - they require a US license.

 

No baiting of birds are allowed in CAN waters.  

fishy26

fishy26

Posted
Posted

Not trying to argue fcboats but I'm a DHS employee. Existing rule is you can fish in Canadian waters without reporting to Canadian customs as long as you had a Canadian license and didn't set foot on Canadian soil. New covid rules rules don't allow any crossing of international lines by either country 

  • Like 6
ErieBuck

ErieBuck

Posted
Posted

I was fishing near the Canadian border on lake erie yesterday.  A US Customs boat rolled up on us like we were criminals.  They asked if we had crossed into Canada, looked the boat up and down and then took off.  

chinook35

chinook35

Posted
Posted
Not 100% accurate.  US anglers are fine as long as they do not plan on docking in Canada.  
 
All that is required is a CAN fishing license.  Similar applies to CAN anglers who wish to fish in US waters - they require a US license.
 
No baiting of birds are allowed in CAN waters.  

Wrong. Until the restrictions are repealed border crossings are illegal by any means. And they are watching


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Grady95

Grady95

Posted
Posted

Boy, I'd be REAL careful if I were you.  Just came back from a week on The St Lawrence, where I grew up.  I have witnessed the deterioration of the relationship over the past several years, having nothing to do with the pandemic.  "The Incident" that really started this happened a few years ago in the Gananoque Narrows by Wellesley Island.  Canadian Border Patrol descended on a walleye fishermen in the narrows, confiscated his boat and all his gear, extorted a big ransom payment and created an international incident.  This happened right in front of my friend's cottage while they were on their deck watching and listening to the whole thing.  Since then, Ontario Border Patrol has been making fishing boats feel very unwelcome to say the least.

I called Ontario a few weeks ago to renew my Sportsman's Card and get a new yearly provincial non-resident license as I have done for ages.  I was told I shouldn't bother right now because even if we did start the process, I would not even be able to get the license because you must cross the border now to get it.  (No more runs being done by TI Bait Shop)  

While I was up last week, all the people I spoke with from residents to marina owners to people at the bait shop ALL said the same thing: Don't risk going into Ontario waters, period.  They are looking, they do want to make an issue of each and every one of us violating the rules.

I fish from Clayton up to about Blind Bay just past Singer Castle and have for over 60 years.  Some of my favorite spots are in Ontario waters.  Used to be, their guys would pull up beside my boat, I would show them my paperwork, they would ask what was in the livewell, and most times, I would wind up getting good updated info from them about where they were seeing other boats they checked have good luck.  It was always cordial, even pleasant to speak with the guys.  Not any more.  As long as the political climate remains hostile (for no good reason I can find), they are going to continue to arrest, confiscate, detain and make examples of US sportfisherman.  We're low hanging fruit.  They can score big PR points with very little investment beating up on us like this.  We as fishermen have done nothing to deserve this but we're being used as pawns now.

I hate politics.  Wish people would just keep their opinions to themselves and stop labeling others as enemy combatants.  We have coexisted with our Canadian neighbors up there for generations.  Our "leaders" (leader) sure did a hell of a job destroying that.  Anyway, my advice?  Don't push your luck right now.  You don't have the paperwork, you can't get it, and they absolutely will come after you.

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Sk8man

Sk8man

Posted
Posted

I guess I can rest my case after that :lol:

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fcboats

fcboats

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks for the clarification.  My response was based on what was identified in 2020 and I was unaware of the COVID restrictions extended to boats and fishing water of each country. 

 

Strange that there were CDN's able to fish US waters this spring without incident.

 

And for whatever reason, I know that the 1000 Islands St. Lawrence area has been a bit of a hot point in the past several years for anglers.  I was aware of confiscations due to angling in CDN waters without the proper angling licenses in the past but not with proper paperwork.  Strange.

 

 

Edited by fcboats
Grady95

Grady95

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, fcboats said:

Thanks for the clarification.  My response was based on what was identified in 2020 and I was unaware of the COVID restrictions for border crossing.

 

Good on you buddy! 

BTW: if you do go up to The River, be aware of the water levels.  River is down almost 2 feet already and from what I hear, they're going to draw it down some more very soon.  Duck Cove has about maybe 2 feet of water, Goose Bay about the same, Blind Bay, most residents have their boats on trailers, almost nothing is docked and there's probably 1.5 feet of water.  I was able to get the big boat into Goose Bay, but had to use the 17' Whaler with the motor tilted way up to get to friends/families cottages.

So just be real careful.  Whoever has businesses doing lower unit and prop reconditioning is probably doing VERY well this year financially.

  • Like 1
David Podlesnik

David Podlesnik

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, fishy26 said:

I witnessed them booting out Canadian boats on our side in the lower Niagara...unfortunately the walleye in erie are on the line

Plenty of walleye from 50' out to the border.

Helter Skelter

Helter Skelter

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Grady95 said:

 We have coexisted with our Canadian neighbors up there for generations.  Our "leaders" (leader) sure did a hell of a job destroying that.  Anyway, my advice?  Don't push your luck right now.  You don't have the paperwork, you can't get it, and they absolutely will come after you.

 

You are correct. The previous leader managed to kill a century worth of good will. 

 

Canadian's don't look at the Americans as partners or friends any longer. 

 

I'm not sure how many decades it will take to fix that (or if it ever will be fixed). 

Scalloper 1

Scalloper 1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
12 hours ago, Helter Skelter said:

 

You are correct. The previous leader managed to kill a century worth of good will. 

 

Canadian's don't look at the Americans as partners or friends any longer. 

 

I'm not sure how many decades it will take to fix that (or if it ever will be fixed). 

You are a complete idiot for making a statement like that....

  • Like 1
1900Tyee

1900Tyee

Posted
Posted

It is my understanding that the incident Grady95 mentioned is what finally led to both countries cooperatively changing the rules regarding boat travel in and out of USA/Canadian water.  After that incident you no longer needed to call or check in with customs providing you do not go ashore, anchor or “make significant contact” with another vessel.

 

The countries really screwed things up with Covid though.  Instead of leaving things alone…they went back to the old rule of not being able to cross into Canadian water.  So…they are stopping everyone…and they should have just left the rule alone in my opinion and there would be a lot less confusion.

 

I have been stopped AT LEAST once every year for the last 20 years or so.  Most recently (and immediately before the Covid changes) the Canadian authorities stopped me in American waters.  The agent told me that there is now some mutual patrol agreement between USA and Canada…where both sides patrol both sides…. But I never bothered to look into it; not that I really care actually.  I mean, the lights come on and you stop!

 

For whatever its worth, I have found the authorities to be very nice; and I don’t want my kids to get nervous.  I usually ask them about their boat, their equipment, their guns…etc and things go really smoothly.

 

Moving forward I understand after August 9th (as I type I have to confirm that) they are resuming travel if vaccinated.  But, I’m not sure how they will adjudicated that when it comes to crossing in and out by water.

 

I’ll figure that out very soon as I troll Canadian water almost exclusively for Musky and I have been dying to get out there…my boys and I got a real nice 54” female a few November’s ago!

 

Have fun and be safe!

chinook35

chinook35

Posted
Posted
It is my understanding that the incident Grady95 mentioned is what finally led to both countries cooperatively changing the rules regarding boat travel in and out of USA/Canadian water.  After that incident you no longer needed to call or check in with customs providing you do not go ashore, anchor or “make significant contact” with another vessel.
 
The countries really screwed things up with Covid though.  Instead of leaving things alone…they went back to the old rule of not being able to cross into Canadian water.  So…they are stopping everyone…and they should have just left the rule alone in my opinion and there would be a lot less confusion.
 
I have been stopped AT LEAST once every year for the last 20 years or so.  Most recently (and immediately before the Covid changes) the Canadian authorities stopped me in American waters.  The agent told me that there is now some mutual patrol agreement between USA and Canada…where both sides patrol both sides…. But I never bothered to look into it; not that I really care actually.  I mean, the lights come on and you stop!
 
For whatever its worth, I have found the authorities to be very nice; and I don’t want my kids to get nervous.  I usually ask them about their boat, their equipment, their guns…etc and things go really smoothly.
 
Moving forward I understand after August 9th (as I type I have to confirm that) they are resuming travel if vaccinated.  But, I’m not sure how they will adjudicated that when it comes to crossing in and out by water.
 
I’ll figure that out very soon as I troll Canadian water almost exclusively for Musky and I have been dying to get out there…my boys and I got a real nice 54” female a few November’s ago!
 
Have fun and be safe!

That Aug 9 date is going to cause a lot of confusion. Canada and the US are NOT on the same page for border openings. You can cross from the US to Canada if you are vaccinated and have the Canadian app on your phone to prove it. BUT , once in Canada , you have to stay there till at least Aug 21 , when the US is supposed to open the border. This is a huge mess and I would stay way away from the international boundary until it is cleared up. If you stray into Canadian waters you risk seizure of your boat and equipment. Not worth the risk


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JDK

JDK

Posted
Posted (edited)

The lakes that Scalloper1 (and I) are most familiar with allow you to fish both sides of the border provided that you do not go into the coves on the Canadian side.  You can fish the main portion of the lake with either a Maine or New Brunswick license.  The same is true on rivers along the international border between New Brunswick and Maine.    I was checked 2 winters ago and was definitely over the line by US Border Patrol and Canadian authorities without any issue.  In fact just this past winter, the  Canadians were more interested in learning how to use a flasher and jig for togue.  And yes, Trump was President.

 

It is not the case on boundary waters between Maine and Quebec and apparently between New York and Ontario..  

Edited by JDK
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1900Tyee

1900Tyee

Posted
Posted

I did a quick search to see if there was any hot off the press information.

 

Chinook35 is right on the August 9th date confusion.  The US has different timetables in mind.  So, they are not in sync.

 

Also, those dates are specific to land/air travel only.  The information I read is clearing indicating that travel by water is still prohibited.  That’s totally backwards for any fisherman who only want to float in their boat!

David Podlesnik

David Podlesnik

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, Helter Skelter said:

 

You are correct. The previous leader managed to kill a century worth of good will. 

 

Canadian's don't look at the Americans as partners or friends any longer. 

 

I'm not sure how many decades it will take to fix that (or if it ever will be fixed). 

45 had nothing and I mean absolutely nothing to do with the border being closed. It's because of C19 and a Global elitist named Trudeau who is punishing the entire outdoor industry in CA. You must be totally ignorant concerning politics. Study up and grow up.

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