Say it aint so about Passports in June

[BP Swing]

I was told by a very reliable charter captain that come June 09, anglers from the US will need a passport or enhanced Drivers license if crossing into Canadian waters to fish even if the anchor never goes down or you never touch land. On top of that you will need to call customs when you return to the launch or you get in big trouble as Homeland Security is watching with all the cameras setup especially at the Niagara River.

Lets say, you are fishing the Niagara Bar and you launch at Youngstown. You fish the green can, maybe venture a little west into Canadian water. At that point you better have a Canadian License, Passport or enhanced ID, and be ready to call customs when you get back to the launch. This is flat out rediculous if this is true. Talk about hassling sportsman. Where are the congressmen...do they even care? Somebody say it aint so. BP

[Shade]

Sorry, but it is true. You may even have some problems after 6/9 with an inhanced drivers license. It is not just for fishermen, if you drive or fly into Canada rules apply.

Shade

[fishfearme]

This just stinks

How am I going to smuggle in my Back Bacon and Labatts

[times two]

For flying, the passport rules are already in force. For June 1, for road travel

you either need a passport or the enhance license. This is an American rule, coming

back in, not for going over....

John

[tree top flyer]

Do you know if this rule is true for all destinations out of the US come June?It will be a pain but i just want to point out a reason why I ended up getting a passport last year. in a way besides fishing its a good idea 2 have passports with the flying rule in effect. Say your wife makes you go on a cruise and your outside jamaica and get into a accident of some sort. Its my understanding they cant fly you back 2 the states cause you have no passport and third world hospitals i cant imagine are that great. Then again Canada has free health care witch might work in a persons favor

[jimski2]

Everyone one your boat needs enhanced ID. You only need it to return to USA and if you do not have it, you will have to jump through a lot of hoops.

[BP Swing]

So to fish Canadian waters this year or next it will cost about $150 bucks including $9 outdoors card, $40 something license, $100 passport. Is there any end to this madness?

[jimski2]

This is the first year in 25 years that I did not buy a Canadian fishing license.

[rustyrat]

Come on guys, we have known about this for over a year. As soon as I heard about the new regs, I got a passport(last year). Problem solved. This county has had very lax rules for going to canada and Mexico. With the way the world is now, I don't find it suprising at all. In order to go to any other country in the world, you need a passport.

either get a passport or the enhanced border card or don't go.

RR

[BP Swing]

So Rusty Rat,

Yeah we've known about it for a long time but did you know you had to call customs when you got back to US soil & have a passport just to fish on Lake Ontario over the Canadian line even if you dont touch Canadian soil??????

[rustyrat]

Yes I did. I have the niagara customs on speed dial on my cell. I think its quite a hassle for the charter capts though. They are going to have a heck of a time enforcing the call customs rule and from what I can remember what i read, I thought that was a dead issue. They haven't even installed the video phones yet.

RR

[rustyrat]

Guys I am going to put up a separate post. I just got off the phone with the boder patrol in youngs town. Very important if you plan to fish Canadian waters for the LOC.

RR