WA yak fishing guide license

Well I didn't hear back from Ralph today. I called him and left a message around 3:30. I'm sure he's a busy dude, but if I don't hear back by the end of the day monday, I'm sending that letter and would like to unleash the pester bomb.

I'm doing a kayak fishing presentation at the OOPS (Oregon Ocean Paddling Society) on 1/27, and again at the RiversWest Small Craft Center on 1/30, and will be collecting signatures for petition their.

It would be awesome if a few of us on NWKA who support the idea of guided kayak fishing in washington could add their signature to that list. (thanks andy!)

I might do the petition as it's own post if it is ok with the moderators.

J

Possibly Monday is a holiday for government in WA, so Ralph may have left early and not return for a few days. His intentions could easily be pure.
holt

I keep forgetting that we'll call it end of the day Tuesday.

I understand I'm not forefront in any of these guys cares or worries. I've actually played this game many times before in another field. Persistence is all these things really take. it's a battle of attrition.

I used to be a concert promoter and booking agent in the music biz several years ago. this whole WDFW ordeal has been nearly the same process as trying to book a show with paul mccartney.

Start with the answering service trained to shake joe schmoes, call them every day for 3 months until they're your buddy, they put you through to mcartneys' agents assistants assistant, repeat step 1. talk to agents assistant, repeat step 1, get transfered to agent, repeat step 1. promote concert.

Just heard back fro Ralph. He and his enforcement coleagues think that if I advertise "guided kayak fishing" I need a charter license, but they "think it's F'ing assenine that each boat would have to be licensed." I agree with that, sounds reasonable. They would be the ones enforcing the law, so pretty much good to go. But, He wasn't able to get through to licensing last week, but is today and will let me know the outcome.

I'm not going to call it yet, but it seems like we're just about to get what we want.

Nanook, I think its awesome that you are pushing for some definite answers here. Sounds like you are treading further than where others have gone before.  

Now all we have to hope for is that someone at WDFW has the nads to make a decision about this!

Let me know how/where I can sign your petition.

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So ... what happens if someone lands a salmon on one of your trips?

-Allen

The word is if you are going to advertise fishing specific, you need a charter license, if your doing a tour and fishing is a side activity...no charter license.

I would think if I advertise lingcod/bottom fish  that catching a salmon would be a side activity and therefore not require any more licenses/permits. If I advertised salmon it would be a whole nother ball game. You're basically going to need the same commercial licenses, but you're just going to need one for your kayak, with registration #'s on both sides of the kayak (bummer!), not one for each kayak in the group like they said before.

At least that's what I understand, and all the enforcement officers agree, and that's all that really matters.

I asked Ralph if other people who wanted to do this would have to go through the same crap. He said that licensing is aware of the protocol for kayak fishing now, allthough I would expect some confusion regardless.

I kind of want to tackle the salmon thing.   

-Allen

You'll just have to get a salmon charter when someone dies, then you're good to go.

J

I am very curious what the Oregon market will bear saltwater wise. 

Me too. I'll definitely have to sell it for a while before it starts selling itself.

I have a bit of an advantage as potential kayak fishing clients walk in the store everday, rather than me trying to blind market these trips. Word of mouth is the key.

As an idea, we let our July SJ 5 day sell itself this last year, and we had 4 people sign up. I pushed the september trip pretty hard and we had 15 people sign up.

I expect the same realy for fishing.

You'll just have to get a salmon charter when someone dies, then you're good to go.

J

Nope.  I wanna push the route of the saltwater shore based salmon/trout guides.  I'll let the dust settle on your shenanigans before kicking it up again.   

-Allen

They're going to get you on the providing boats part though.

They're going to get you on the providing boats part though.

What if I'm a shore guide and I provide waders and a PFD?

And why do kayaks NOT require CF numbers?  Actually I think you should fight the registration requirements ...

-Allen