Fishing Forum

Anyone ever take their boat north of the border and fish the lakes in British Columbia. What kind of regulations are there concerning taking my boat across the border. Has anyone ever rented a boat to go fishing on some of the lakes. All I can find are guides that I can't afford. Thanks for all the info in advance.
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Here is what the CBSA emailed me back, just in case anyone else was interested:
What you can bring with you

As a temporary resident, you can bring certain goods into Canada for your own use as "personal baggage". Personal baggage includes clothing, camping and sports equipment, cameras and personal computers. It also includes vehicles, private boats and aircraft.

You must declare all goods when you arrive at the first CBSA port of entry. Border services officers do conduct examinations of goods being imported or exported to verify declarations. If you declare goods when you arrive and take the goods back with you when you leave, you will not have to pay any duty or taxes. These goods cannot be:

[ul][li]used by a resident of Canada;[/li][li]used on behalf of a business based in Canada; [/li][li]be given as a gift to a Canadian resident; or [/li][li]disposed of or left in Canada.[/li][/ul]

The border services officer may ask you to leave a security deposit for your goods, which will be refunded to you when you export the goods from Canada. Should this occur, the officer will issue a Form E29B, Temporary Admission Permit ([url "http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/e29b.pdf"]http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/e29b.pdf[/url]), retain a copy and give you one for your records. When you leave Canada, present your goods and your copy of Form E29B to the officer who will give you a receipt copy of the form and your security deposit will be refunded by mail.

Please also refer to the Memorandum D2-1-1, Temporary Importation of Baggage by Non-Resident, at:
[url "http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-1-1-eng.pdf"]http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-1-1-eng.pdf[/url]

All recreational boaters are required to present themselves upon their arrival in Canada as per the Customs Act and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This includes all foreign boaters entering Canada, as well as private boaters who depart Canada, and enter foreign waters, and subsequently return to Canada. This obligation exists regardless of their activities while outside of Canada or their planned activities while in Canada. Arrival in Canada occurs when the pleasure craft crosses the international boundary into Canadian waters.

The CBSA has revised its reporting requirements for boaters. Please view the following Web page for the most up to date information:
[url "http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/facts-faits/096-eng.html"]http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/facts-faits/096-eng.html[/url]

Upon entering Canadian waters, private boaters who qualify can present themselves to the CBSA by calling the Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) at [url "tel:1-888-226-7277"]1-888-226-7277[/url]. As noted above, all other private boaters, including vessels carrying foreign nationals other than U.S. citizens or permanent residents, must proceed directly to a designated marine telephone reporting site and place a call to the TRC in order to obtain CBSA clearance.

Thank you for contacting the Canada Border Services Agency.










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We have taken drift boats across the border several times to drift rivers for salmon...we have never had any issues crossing over into Canada. They ask a few questions, and we move on. We also make sure not to have any guns, bear spray, or food with us...this really helps out!
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Have you been up there since they started requiring a passport to cross the border?
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yes -- numerous times (passports). like W2U mentioned, we've never had an issue.
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Thats great, I haven't been back up there since they started requiring passports, sounds like it is easier than I thought. So they didn't ask for a deposit like jekern1015 posted on the info listed above?
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easy? I guess that depends on the border agent you happen to get! Just be prepared to unload your entire vehicle...

We've done a Canada trip for the last 8 years. We've never had an issue.

We simply load all of our crap in the trucks, load the boat (deflated and rolled up / disassembled) on the trailer, and head north.

We do not take anything that would be an issue crossing into Canada (ie: firearms, ammunition, etc.). At the border we present our passports, answer the questions ("do you have any firearms?", "what are you coming here for?", "how long will you stay?", etc.). They can have you pull over and search your vehicle, your gear, etc. We've never had that happen.

Once in Canada -- we simply abide by the rules and regulations for the specific area and waters that we're fishing.

Coming back into the USA, again, we answer the questions at the border and provide our passports. The Canadians will often ask to see your fishing licenses purchased while you were in Canada -- so, unless you want to unload your gear to get to your fishing license, make sure you put them in your glove box for easy access in case you are asked to present them.

Don't try to attempt to take home more fish than a legal possession limit allows for.

good luck.
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What's the rule on bringing fish back with you?
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I drug a large boat up to Vancouver island in 2010. There was no issue just have the registration handy.

On the way back I had a cooler of fish. Just have your fishing license handy and don't have more than your limit and you'll be fine.
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[quote catmaster23]What's the rule on bringing fish back with you?[/quote]

[quote FNA]
On the way back I had a cooler of fish. Just have your fishing license handy and don't have more than your limit and you'll be fine.[/quote]

Look at the regulations for the waters you'll be fishing. Check the daily bag and possession limits for each species on the specific waters, and make sure you don't have more than that. Also, make sure that you have the correct stamps if any apply to the species you'll be fishing for.

It's not much different than here in the States. You have a daily limit and a possession limit. You can't have more than either.


(if you're wondering how people bring home boxes of fish from AK and Canada, it's because they cheat the system by having their fish "processed", which removes them from your daily and possession limits. At that point, you can bring home as much as you can carry)
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