MI Bass Fed State Championship LSC - All open or US Waters Only

[blakstr1]

If you have a different preference you can list below.  Would like to hear from everyone...

[Savage]

US waters only saves a guy $90 in licences, and no need to get a passport or an enhanced drivers licence.  No brainer
- limit it to US waters

[Team houston]

A one day non res Canadien license is about $20. You do not need a passport or enhanced drivers licence to fish Canadien water. You just need to call in and let them know you will be there.

[smbassman]

It is a two day tournament, so it requires an 8 day Canadian, sportcard and 7 day Walpole. 

But why not a Passport?  I thought that was now required by border patrol if you are stopped coming into US water from Canada.  How do they know if you touched land or not?  I may be wrong (most likely) but I guess I need better clarification. 

I also noticed the MWC tournaments just made Canada off limits due to this same issue. (Posted on LSC.net)

[tjrock]

I believe it is only a 1 day tournament. I also just talked to a buddy of mine that is a CBP supervisory officer at the Bluewater bridge and he said as long as you don't anchor or dock in Canadian waters you don't need a passport to get back into US waters.

[djkimmel]

What is the date of the event? Is it just one day? What boat ramp?

[Team houston]

You do not need a sport card for a single day license. You also do not need a Walpole licence if you don't fish there. Since Walpole waters are more than likely 5% or less of the lake not a hard thing to do.

[Savage]

Event is two days in august.  In the past rules have required purchase of Canadian and Walpole licences to be eligible for tournament.  I looked into it and will spend about 90 bucks to get those licences this time around.  My feeling is that there is plenty of water on the US side.

[motocross269]

I have to go against my Fellow Team Bassers on this one...

I am close to LSC so I will get the licenses for the year either way.....So my opinion is a little different than someone just coming in for the tournament....

There is plenty of water to fish yes....but if we fish US waters only it basically leaves up and down the channel/mile roads and the US side of the SC River....We are losing the Belle River Hump, Gardens, half of the LSC river,Stag and Fawn Island and other Late Summer Hotspots....
I would be OK with eliminating the Walpole requirement....Savage are you sure that a Walpole license was required...?? I don't remember that.

Here is the website to get a license...Everything is Efile now so you don't have to run around trying to get the tag..
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_091032.html

Every year we hear this Canadian border hysteria.....and by the time fishing season gets in full swing it pretty much winds down to business as usual...Don't touch land and don't anchor and you won't have any issues.....I believe that the MWC is just overeacting to the same issues we have year after year...
By eliminating the Canadian water the Tournament will lose 75 percent of the fishable water of LSC and the River.....If they do that I wonder how many guys will run to Erie...

[Eric]

How much of Erie is good Michigan water?

[motocross269]

How much of Erie is good Michigan water?

The question was US waters so I was assuming that Ohio waters would be open......I know a few guys that would make the run to Erie if the bite was right....

My point is that you will see more guys running to Erie if they cut off Ontario water...Especially in August....

US waters only in August will have the majority pretty much fishing the same pattern up and down the Channel.....

[customfishn]

What ever you plan on doing just get the right licenses its not worth the fines.  Trust me!

[djkimmel]

Make sure people know you cannot fish the Firecracker tower and be fishing US water. The entire structure is in Canadian waters while the actual channel edge near the floating buoy is US waters.

You should probably have a rule about not running the cutoff part of the shipping channel too since that is all closed and people might run out it from the South Channel into the lake as a shortcut. Anyone see doing that might appear to have been fishing Canadian/Walpole water. Just a couple suggestions.

You may have already thought of these two things but I bring up the Firecracker because every time someone has a tournament hosting out of area anglers in mid-summer to fall on St. Clair I run into competitors fishing the Firecracker (because many know or hear about its reputation) who believe they are in US waters because they either can't read a chart or want to claim ignorance so they can fish it.

Do what you think you need to do to attract the best participation. I always liked all waters open but I still fished plenty of tournaments with US waters only.

[Savage]

Presidents voted for all waters open in straw pole at the meeting so.... all waters open from bridge to bridge (no Erie).  Better have a passport or enhanced liscence when you sign up. . . .

[markgoetsch]

Why no Erie???

[smbassman]

Bridge to bridge is an attempt to prevent issues with the 4hours / angler rule.  The intent is that the non boater has the choice of fishing his area for 4 hours(including drive time).  If the boater wanted to go to Erie and the non boater had his spots picked out in the upper st. Clair river, there might be arguements about neither getting sufficient time.  That is the reasoning and has been that way the last few times on St. Clair.

[Frank-o]

Copied from the Michigan B.AS.S. Federation Nation Website:
2012 State Championship
This year the State Championship will be held on Lake St Clair, August 16-19 out of Metro Beach Park. Watch for more information coming soon!!
State Championship Rules
Information on Michigan Enhanced Drivers Licenses
Information on U.S. Passports
Fishing Licenses
This year, ALL anglers will be required to have a Michigan License, a Canadian License and a Walpole License.
All licenses are available at Lakeside Tackle at 10 Mile and Jefferson

Outdoors/Sports Card - $12.00
8 Day Canadian License - $57.00
Walpole 7 Day License - $22.00
MI State Entry Fee - $125.00     

Total cost to fish State Tourney - $ 216.00

That's how i read it, correct ?

[motocross269]

I didn't see anything in the minutes about the Walpole license being a requirement.,...But I did see that you have to have an Enhanced Drivers license...That is another 40 bucks...

Just fish LSC more often and all of those licenses and fees are a better investment for your dollar...

[blakstr1]

walpole will be required as well, all open all licenses necessary