News

Oklahoma Officials to End Old Fishing Requirements

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma's fishing guide license will soon get filleted.

Last year, state lawmakers passed a law creating a state fishing guide license.

State wildlife commissioners then passed the requirements for obtaining the license.

Under rules that became effective Jan. 1, all fishing guides in Oklahoma were required to buy a $132 license and have proof of insurance, CPR certification, boat safety training and a boat inspection.

Soon, there will be no such requirements.

Fishing guides will not have any state required mandates other than what is required of any boat operator, except that they must buy a $90 guide license from the Wildlife Department, which will maintain a list of licensed guides in state for the public.

If fishing guides have U.S. Coast Guard credentials, the license will cost them only $20.

The state's rush to create a fishing guide license wasn't an attempt to ensure the public's safety in the first place.

It was an attempt to get the U.S. Coast Guard off the back of the striper guides on Lake Texoma.

Last year, a drowning occurred on Lake Texoma when a fishing guide boat capsized.

After the drowning, the U.S. Coast Guard — which has jurisdiction on Lake Texoma — told fishing guides that they would have to abide by its rules.

Striper guides feared they would be operating under the same regulations as ocean-going vessels.

The U.S. Coast Guard didn't back off in spite of the state passing its own rules on fishing guides.

Lake Texoma fishing guides must obtain a separate license from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department, said Oklahoma's fishing guide license is consistent with neighboring states, meaning anyone can legally be a fishing guide in Oklahoma as long as they pay the fee.

Article Pages