I know this topic has been discussed/addressed before on this forum, several times. Nonetheless, I figured I would share the recent exchange I had with the Ontario Parks on the matter given the current status of the RABC program and their related comment in their response.

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Sent: January 17, 2022 3:32 PM
Hi, I'm wondering about day use permits for Quetico. Specifically, can I use an annual or seasonal vehicle day use permit to enter Quetico at any entry point without first stopping at the ranger station? I'm interested in taking day trips into Quetico while on an overnight paddle on the US side (BWCA). If I have an RABC permit, an annual vehicle day use permit, and a valid Ontario fishing license am I allowed to enter Quetico for the day to explore and fish and then exit the park (returning to the US) later the same day? Any guidance on this matter would be most appreciated. Thanks, Peter

Sent: January 18, 2022 10:44 AM
Hi Peter,

Thank you for getting in touch with us. You are correct that you can use an annual or seasonal pass to enter Quetico for day use (Day trips) without first stopping at a ranger station.

Keep an eye on the RABC program. It is currently temporarily suspended. We have our fingers crossed that it starts up again for this paddling season but Canada Border Services Agency does not know at this point if the RABC program will be running this summer.

Hope this helps

Trev

Trevor Gibb | Park Superintendent – Quetico Provincial Park
108 Saturn Ave, Atikokan, Ontario, P0T 1C0
OntarioParks.com

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Just curious, is it ok to bring fish caught in Canada back into the US, either on the stinger or as filets? I've have never thought about this before.

Yes it is Ok to bring fish back. In general they want you to be able to prove you caught them on the other side. Limit is usually less on the Canadian side though for Americans. You’d also need all the Appropriate licenses and such that was already discussed.

Thanks for posting. Was nice to see an answer from Quetico on this and they also discussed Some other things like RABC as well.

Ryan

Jaywalker: "Interesting. Thanks for sharing.


Just curious, is it ok to bring fish caught in Canada back into the US, either on the stinger or as filets? I've have never thought about this before. "

Ahhhh, the complicated fishing regulations....

While in Minnesota, anglers may not possess more than a Minnesota limit of fish
from Canada–Minnesota border waters. Fish from Canadian inland waters may
be possessed in Minnesota in excess of the Minnesota limit only if the angler has
proof—such as lodging receipts or verification through U.S. Customs—that the fish were taken from inland Canadian waters (see page 57 of the MN 2021 fishing regulations).

And you can't transport live fish from one lake to another within MN. The fish have to be prepared for transport (see page 33). I believe that's the rule in Ontario as well (page 14, Ontario 2022 Fishing regulations).

MN 2021 fishing regs PDF

Ontario 2022 Fishing Regs

plander: "And you can't transport live fish from one lake to another within MN. The fish have to be prepared for transport (see page 33). "

Learn something every day. I'm not much of an angler, but I have occasionally brought a fish on a stringer from another lake back to the lake where I am camped to fillet with others my group may have. Seeing this rule pointed out, it is obvious to me that I shouldn't have done this.

I try my best to LNT and be responsible with our resources, so I appreciate these type of comments that help me learn what I need to correct in the future. Thanks!

eagle98mn: "

plander: "And you can't transport live fish from one lake to another within MN. The fish have to be prepared for transport (see page 33). "

Learn something every day. I'm not much of an angler, but I have occasionally brought a fish on a stringer from another lake back to the lake where I am camped to fillet with others my group may have. Seeing this rule pointed out, it is obvious to me that I shouldn't have done this.


I try my best to LNT and be responsible with our resources, so I appreciate these type of comments that help me learn what I need to correct in the future. Thanks!"

I think its more common than one might expect that people catch fish in one lake and bring them back to their campsite on a different lake, keeping them alive the whole way (on a stinger/in a bucket), to prepare in camp for eating. I'm guessing many that do this don't know it's not allowed. I've been going up to the BWCA and Quetico for 20 years and only learned of this rule within the last few years.

plander: "I know this topic has been discussed/addressed before on this forum, several times. Nonetheless, I figured I would share the recent exchange I had with the Ontario Parks on the matter given the current status of the RABC program and their related comment in their response.

--------

Sent: January 17, 2022 3:32 PM
Hi, I'm wondering about day use permits for Quetico. Specifically, can I use an annual or seasonal vehicle day use permit to enter Quetico at any entry point without first stopping at the ranger station? I'm interested in taking day trips into Quetico while on an overnight paddle on the US side (BWCA). If I have an RABC permit, an annual vehicle day use permit, and a valid Ontario fishing license am I allowed to enter Quetico for the day to explore and fish and then exit the park (returning to the US) later the same day? Any guidance on this matter would be most appreciated. Thanks, Peter

Sent: January 18, 2022 10:44 AM
Hi Peter,

Thank you for getting in touch with us. You are correct that you can use an annual or seasonal pass to enter Quetico for day use (Day trips) without first stopping at a ranger station.

Keep an eye on the RABC program. It is currently temporarily suspended. We have our fingers crossed that it starts up again for this paddling season but Canada Border Services Agency does not know at this point if the RABC program will be running this summer.

Hope this helps

Trev

Trevor Gibb | Park Superintendent – Quetico Provincial Park
108 Saturn Ave, Atikokan, Ontario, P0T 1C0
OntarioParks.com"

If you aren’t getting out of your boat or anchoring on the Canadian side, you should not need the RABC either. If you plan to portage or go ashore it’s a problem. See my posts in the RABC thread in the quetico forum.