St Catharines muskie Odyssey

[DrPhil]

We are planning on attending the St Catharines show but are unsure of what kind of hassle we will get at the boarder. If anyone could give us a heads up on what to expect I would appreciate the info. We will be selling baits from the USA.

 

Thanks Phil

[silveradosheriff]

If the border Dude pulls out the rubber gloves - get outta dodge.

 

[Pigeontroller]

Leave your guns at home.

[bigfish1965]

If you're bringing stuff up here to sell, I would suspect there'd be some paperwork to take care of ahead of time. You'd be importing stuff into the country.

[DrPhil]

Thanks Rick I guess the only way to know for sure is to give them a call

[Crazyhook]

what are you bringing up?

[DrPhil]

some jerkbaits

[Castmaster]

Getting into Canada is not the problem. Going back to the US is another story. My buddy was here on Sunday and they gave him a hell of a time going home to Michigan. This is a post from another site that i put up back on Jan 24. What a nightmare it can be crossing the border.

 

QUOTE<Yes we had a blast didn't we. What a gorgeous day to be on the ice. I sure am happy the day went better than this morning! Don't want to jump all over your thread H20, but you know what I went throught to get over there. So for everybody else... I left my house in Windsor at 5 am. Got my extra large Timmies and straight to the tunnel. Pull up to the booth on the American side an the guy ask's where I'm goin? Tell him to a friends house in Royal Oak to go ice fishing. Joked around with him for a minute and he was very friendly. Says "ok just pull over for a minute so we can take a quick look in your truck." So I do and another guy sends me inside. That is where I sat for an hour watching 6-8 border patrol officers rip my truck to pieces! They wouldn't even let me take my coffe or cel phone! Pulled off all the door panels, pulled out the carpet, pulled down the headliner "which is now ruined!), took off my tail-lights, and searched every square inch of my truck 3 or 4 times. Under the hood and under the truck. Then they took me in the back room and made me take off 2 or 3 layers of my clothes to make sure I wasn't hiding anything between them Thank god they didn't break out the rubber glove! The one officer even went so far as to tell me this is what happens to DRUG DEALERS! I understand that my reason to get acorss sounded a little funny, but give me a break! I'm going to meet my friend Greg, whos last name I don't know (thanks Mark!) LOL. To pick him up in Royal Oak where there is no lake. To go fishing, with no fishing gear in the back of my truck. BUt I was nothing but honest and then I was treated like a criminal. So with no reason to hold me any longer they let me go after all that. It was a tough ride over to say the least. Talk about feeling violated. Took a couple of hours for my nerves to calm down. Then the day got much better. Got to H2O's house with quickness and ease and it was great to meet you finally!!! What a fun guy you are to hang around and I will fish with you anytime. Same goes for you Mike! Even though I have to put up with all the canadian jokes! Like H2O said we didn't catch tons of fish but but the company was excellent! Nice to see Walleye Mike again too. I sure hope he come's over to The GLF as it is full of great members also! Well guy's I'm in a better mood than earlier this morning I'll tell ya. Feel's good to be home and safe back here in good old CANADA!!!

 

I hope I didn't hi-jack your thread again H2O. But you got home first!LOL!" end quote.

Edited February 14, 2007 by Castmaster

[crusty]

Strongly recommend anyone with a DUI stay home you wont be allowed in, Also a passport is now a must.

Good luck and hope to see you there.

[Hellfish]

U can cross the border w/o a passport, u just cant fly from canada into the states or vice versa w/o a passport

[Castmaster]

Strongly recommend anyone with a DUI stay home you wont be allowed in, Also a passport is now a must.

Good luck and hope to see you there.

That is incorrect. I was over a few months ago with some friends on the way to a buisness seminar. One friend had a previous DUI conviction. The customs guy asked us all if we'd ever been arrested and we told him the truth. We were all allowed entry without incident. Actually 3 of us had been arrested before. Only one had a conviction. I get asked every time I go over if I've ever been arrested. ANd I have, so I tell them. Never been turned back once and I cross about once a week. The key is honesty. They usually know the answers to their questions before they even ask them. And passports are not yet required for entry by land. Only by air. But that will change. Just a matter of time.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Castmaster

[kennyman]

Castmaster..................... yikes!! Cavity check time!!!! Dr Phil. I would definetelycall the border ahead of time and tell them what you intend to do. I know it will be a hassle. I remember one of the drag races where alot of the manufacturers,retailers didn't show. When I asked why later I was told that they were hassled at the border. I was told that they needed to have a complete inventory with them and pay the taxes BEFORE they entered. Seemed strange to me,but I guess they're trying to protect us Canadian retailers. When anything is sold in Canada the tax has to be paid and remitted here.If you didn't have to charge tax you would have an unfair advantage. They also know that most people wouldn't pay the full (correct) taxes going back across the border. Also we (retailers) ourselves pay the GST prior to selling anything. We are invoiced the GST as soon as we get the product,sell it or not,whether it comes from the states or not. It could sit on the shelf for eight months and the GST is already paid. So, I think the retailers that do cross and don't get hassled probably say they have nothing to declare or have all their ducks in a row which usually means an importer or broker. Either way,make some phone calls. Good luck Dr. Phil.

[DrPhil]

Yes thank you I'm calling the broker today seems that is the way to go.

[Fishandchips]

Doc, my wife works at a customs broker here in Ontario, there is definately paperwork to fill out and lots of it. It also has to be completed ahead of time ,not the day before lol,if you need any further info or a broker here, let me know, Brian

[Whopper]

Good Luck DrPhil, hope you do well!

 

Castmaster I have crossed the border a ton of times and not one time can I ever recall being asked if I had been arrested. You are right about the honest part though had a few custom agents asked some of the wall question just to see my response.

The passport for driving into the US from either Mexico or Canada goes into effect Jan 1 2008 as of right this moment. Air travel was manditory as this past January. This whole passport deal was the US doing and not by the Canadian or Mexican goverment.

I've had a couple problems with travel to and from in the past but nothing major, biggest problem I had was coming back into the US because I didn't have a birth certificate only a driver license.

 

 

Whopper