Canadian MNR Confiscated a boat on the Rainy

[LipRipper!!]

I spoke with some fellow fisherman Saturday evening at the motel in Baudette and they told me they got checked by the MNR and Border patrol in a blue lund, they were all good but asked if anyone has been cited for being across the border without a permit. The MNR and Border Patrol told them that they have confiscated a boat and fined an other guy $ 1,600.00. They did not say for what, but what a bummer!!!! I guess that is what you get for not playing by the rules!!! Anyone else hear anything on this?

[cbrooks]

being across the border without a permit.

Did he not have a passport? What kind of permit do you need? I would hate to make this same mistake this summer.

[LipRipper!!]

As far as I know if you are fishing the rainy river you only need a remote border crossing permit. If you are going into canada you need a passport. But please check the canadian regulations to be sure.

Ripper!!

[Jiggin Machine]

Just got back from 4 days on the Rainy. Talked with one boat that the Blue Lund caught up with and they were fined $600.00. Shortly after that we watched them get another boat and had them corraled for approximately 1 hour. Not sure of fine amount. Stay in the middle of the river.

[JimBuck]

From what I understand is that as long as you are fishing the Minnesota side, all you will need is your Mn. License. To fish on the Ontario side you not only need a remote border crossing pass, but the necessary license to fish Ontario waters. To step foot onto Canadian soil, you will need a remote border pass. If you don't plan on doing so, you won't need one. You can navigate up and down the main channel but cannot stop and drop anchor (or fish) on Canadian water without the proper paperwork in place. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. As always, check with the MNR for proper guidelines.

[Tully]

I have an Ontario license I wonder if I need the Remote Pass?

Tully

[Mike Stark]

you need the romote border crossing pemit.

[Silver Scale]

The way I understand this is if you are fishing on the Canadian side you need a Canadian License and Remote Border water crossing permit. If you have minnows you need to have a receipt that they were bought in Canada. If you go to shore in Canada then you'll need the passport to come back to the US side. Also the things needed in your boat for Canada are different than the US. Fire extinguisher, anchor with 40 feet rope, etc. Check the regs. Proof of boat insurance may also be required.

I would also not have any alcohol or even empty beer cans, etc as you could get fined for those. You really need to be up on the Canadian regs if you are going to cross over and fish that side.

[Eyewitness]

Silver Scale is correct on all counts with exception to the required boating equipment portion. If you bring your boat or use your boat in Canada for a period of 45 days or less you need only provide what the state regs (in this case Minnesota)requires for your vessel and/or fed water regs (which apply in this case because it is a border water and thus considered a Fed water way).

Also, the more stringent of the two limits and allowable slot size would apply should you decide to fish both sides. IMHO there is plenty of productive water to fish on the USA side and having done both it isn't worth the hassle IMHO.

Our most productive spot this weekend was on the border, however well enough within the US boundaries that the boys in the Blue Lund waved at us as they drove by. We were all by ourselves and and surely would have been checked had they thought we were being blatant about pressing our luck. I believe if you stay reasonably within the "grey area" they will not harass you, but rather focus on the folks who really push the envelope. It can certainly be a challenge when the wind is blowing you over there and you're trying to land the fish of a lifetime, however worth the effort to stay "in bounds" to save yourself from a hefty fine....

[Eyewitness]

Lil Ripper it was a pleasure meeting you guys out there Friday. We had some pretty good laughs that day. Shoot me an email at([email protected]) and let's get out on Millacs sometime soon.

After the wind picked up Sat. we left there and went down river to Baudette and had a great evening bite with another 29-1/2" and 30-1/2" to top the day off. Wish I could have stayed another two days!

[Tim_Anderson]

A few years ago, I saw a couple of guys get checked on the Canada side and then get brought to shore. They were there for well over an hour. I later learned that they were fined for a whole bunch of things. No RABC. No Ontario Fishing License. Live Bait. Empty and full beer cans. etc. The fine was somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000. Those were some very sorry dudes. That would not only ruin your trip, but likely your whole lifetime of fishing in Canada. It would be hard to go on a trip without thinking about that for a long long time. That same fine could well be close to double that now.

This year I witnessed the same blue Lund come sweeping into a "herd" of boats, and cut out the one closest to Canada - it was obviously over the line. All the other boats quick like moved back obviously to the Mn. side. These guys were taken to the Canada shore too, and detained for quite a while. Some of you probably witnessed this in the neighborhood of the church a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, I heard later that they were fined $25 per live minnow that they had onboard.

Sometimes I wonder where they dream up these numbers? I heard they do a similar thing with beer cans or bottles, and it is more if they are empty. Overall, it is a much, much stiffer fine than the minnows!

Having said this, I will say I have fished the Canada side now for over 10 years. The people that have checked me have been very friendly and polite. Follow the rules and it is not really a big deal. But screw up, and they are going to make you pay for it.

I got checked one time this year in 16 days of fishing.

[Hibbing]

We all know about the imaginary line down the middle of the river, but what's the story by Adrian's and Riverbend. is the line on the other side of the weed line? Last weekend many boats were within casting distance of the weeds and I was told they were all over the line. Anyone have an opinion/answer?

[Jiggin Machine]

The dividing line is shore to shore. Don't be fooled by the grassy bogs, ie. by Adrians. Years ago the dividing line was the channel and it was the "grey area". With the invention distance binoculars and GPS things have changed.

[EW6]

Where is the dividing line out in 4 mile bay? Going up sturgeon fishing this weekend and was wondering.

[fishorgolf]

Do you have a lakemaster LOTW chip? If so this will show you exactly were the dividing line is.

[Eyewitness]

Actually the dividing line is considered where the high warter marks are on each side. That is why the line seems so close to Canada in one place and not the other. Depends on the shoreline elevation for each side. That being said, I would not push that grey area too much. Better to error on the safe side as you never know what kind of mood the OPP and MNR are in on any given day. The Lakemaster is very close, however wouldn't trust that implicitly either......

[Zaraspooks]

Last fall we got checked in that very spot. After coming in from the lake we decided to make one more stop before calling it a day. Had been fising that area for years on recommendation of a couple of the resorts. The blue Lund pulled in and stopped us. All the other boats were gone in a big hurry. We had no Ontario licenses, minnows not bought in Canada, fish in the livewell, and had all just opened a beer. As he was adding up the fines into the thousands of dollars, it started to rain pretty good. He told us he was cold and tired from a full day on the lake and really didn't want to be out in the rain so he let us off with a warning. We immediately put the boat on the trailer and headed straight to the bar. Talk about lucky. Purchased a Lake of the Woods Lakemaster chip and won't even attempt to fish anywhere near the line again.

[Eyewitness]

Wow Zara! Hope you went to church the following Sunday! LOL!

[harvey lee]

Yes, a GPS and chip is good to have when fishing the border waters. It could easily pay for itself.

[Bearfan1963]

Talked to Minnesota DNR and they told me as long as I fish on Minnesota side all I need is Minnesota license, to fish on Canadian side I need Canadian License and that I only need the Remote border crossing permit if I was going to dock on canadian side.

[Muskiebait]

Bearfan you may want to double check that, you need it just to cross the border on the water, doesn't matter if you dock or not, if you dock then you have a whole other issue of checking back into the united states..

[Bearfan1963]

Muskiebait, I will definately get confirmation before I go on the river, I just know what they told me. I even emailed twice to verify and they said the same thing. If you need the RBCP, I don't see how anyone could fish the river without getting one as there is no possible way to boat up and down the river without crossing the border even if you didn't intend on fishing the Canadian side. Thanks for your concern, I like by boat, equipment and money too much so I would error on the side of caution.

[GuidoSarduchi]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that if you are navigating the river, and have to go into Canada to stay in the channel, they won't NORMALLY bother you. For example, this past spring we were heading up river from Jevne several miles, and the deep channel skirts the Canadian side(on the MN side its only a couple feet deep), so before we kept going, I talked to a friend of mine who fishes the area alot and he said as long you are moving, the Canadian authorities won't usually stop you. Now if you stop and anchor, another story. But I'm sure they could ticket you if they wanted.

[superbee]

You should check with Canadian Customs as to what you need. If you get stopped by Canadian Customs, it will be by what they say. If the MN DNR was wrong, it could be costly.

[harvey lee]

I agree Superbee. They are the ones that will write the ticket. Its their law.

[cat977]

I really dont understand the minnow thing are US minnows to good for the canada side or do ares have diesases or do they just want american dollars. i wonder i bet they just want are money

[CRAZYEYES]

They're worried about exotic species and disease being brought in but they want our money too. I dont ever remember being able to ever bring minnows in but we used to be able to bring leeches.

[cat977]

ok think i got this all figured out going tomorrow to get my passcard rabc thing a ontario fishing lincense i think i need a sportsmans card thin to find out when i get there. leave the minnows at home need a whitsle and a fire exq in the boat ok hope it is worth the effort i just dont want to worry if i cross the line like to be legal one question if i do hapen to touch ground on the canada side do u have to check in with us customs