guide license(do you have the right licenses?)

  • gconda
    Posts: 5
    January 9, 2005 at 5:06 pm #1245377

    Im having a debate with a guide from Nelsons resort on Crane lake. He has a Coastguard license that allows him to guide in the Park. Recently the Coastguard had a meeting with several guides in the area and mentioned that it is illegal to guide(using a boat with clients) anywhere in Minnesota or US without this license. The fine is somewhere around $5,000. At the meeting it was stated that it did not matter if you were on Swan Lake, Winnie, a river, border waters, or any lake in Minnesota you could still be fined! Anybody have other thoughts on this? Im starting to believe he’s right. Gary

    derek_johnston
    On the water- Minnesota
    Posts: 5022
    January 9, 2005 at 5:25 pm #335612

    According to the Minnesota DNR, that licsense is only required on Federal Waterways. Unless you heard that right from the Coast Guard, or the Coast Guard has recently starting regulating state waters, I’d say he misinformed you.

    gconda
    Posts: 5
    January 9, 2005 at 5:52 pm #335617

    I thought the same thing and told him so. He made me call another gentleman at the meeting. He verified what my buddy told me. Apparently they have not been enforcing this in the past, but plan on starting. I think we need more research on this as it effects me also. Anybody else have thoughts?

    JCK
    nora springs ia floyd
    Posts: 518
    January 9, 2005 at 6:40 pm #335625

    In Iowa you are reguired to have a pilot licence which consists of a fairly hard written test you can renew each year without testing again

    kapnjim
    Posts: 112
    January 9, 2005 at 7:18 pm #335629

    It has always been that you needed a coast guard license if you operated a “boat for hire” and had paying passengers on any waters in the U.S. that were under coast guard authority. These Federal waters were usually waters that either crossed state lines or were used for commercial shipping at some point in the last 100 or so years. Most lakes in Wisconsin are not under Federal status and thus no coast guard license is needed. Now, if some state passed a law that said all guides need to have a coast guard license, then that is a different story. I am not sure if any state has done this but It has not happened in Wisconsin to my knowledge..jim

    cbeeksma
    Delta, WI
    Posts: 404
    January 10, 2005 at 5:14 am #335721

    Here is my understanding. I have a Coast Guard Captains license for Lake Superior as I guide on Chequamegon bay. Any waterway under Coast Guard jurisdiction which I believe in MN includes Winnie, Leech, Mississippi river and others. There is both a written and skills test which a course is highly recommended. After that renew with a take home test and fee. I felt I learned alot from taking the course/exams. Unfort, what I learned the most was most people have no clues about “rules of the road” on water.
    Chris Beeksma (Captain)
    Get Bit Guide Service

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