Lake Metroparks Fishing Guide Permit

Guide licensing has been on the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders (OCBS) agenda for sometime now. This initiative driven by the OCBS Officers and Board has been discussed with ODNR officials and has gone no where. Our goals are to have licensing of all river guides as other Great Lakes states are already doing and enforcing it. Licensing cost would be a modest for Ohio resident guides, but non-resident guide licensing cost would be in line with surrounding Great Lakes states costs.

For example; OH guides pay 10 times the cost of an OH license for a PA guides license. While a non-resident PA guide pay $40 annually and does not pay a guide's fee. Lots of revenue not being harvested here by our ODNR.

OCBS cares about steelheaders and has concern for their health and well being and commends those river guides that think enough about their clients to have liability insurance, basic life support training, first aid training and reports their income and pay taxes. We are hopeful our ODNR will get on the wagon soon and see the value of this initiative.

To our supprise implemented January 1, 2011 Lake Metroparks requires guides to obtain a permit to guide in all Lake Metroparks properties. The information below was taken from their web site.

While we are on the topic of guide permits, Lorain County Metroparks also requires guides to have a permit. Information can be found on their web site as well. Their permit is nothing much more than a piece of paper with minimal requirements.

We are hopefully the ball keeps rolling and Cleveland, Lorain and Astribula Metroparks will follow Lake Metroparks example and implement similar requirements as well.

Lake Metroparks Fishing Guide Permit

Fishing Guides

Park rule 9.1 states: No person shall sell or offer for sale any article, thing, privilege or service within any park grounds or park lands unless he has applied for and been issued written permission from the Director.

All fishing guides must register and obtain a permit from the park district prior to conducting business or operating on Lake Metroparks property.

· Permits will be issued to coincide with the calendar year.

· The permit holder shall maintain $1,000,000.00 worth of general liability coverage and name the Lake Metroparks Board of Park Commissioners as an additional insured and produce a copy at time of application.

· All permit applications shall include proof of current certification in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid.

All fishing guides shall comply with all rules and regulations of the park district, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, as well as all applicable state and local laws.

It is the responsibility of the fishing guide to know where the park district boundary lines are located to avoid trespassing on adjacent property.

Guides may obtain a permit by calling the Ranger Department at 440-358-7290.