About our data

Last verified Oct 26, 2026

Where does the Ohio list come from?

From the Ohio Division of Wildlife's PDF "Licensed Lake Erie Fishing Guides". The copy we show is dated Sep 4, 2026; it lists 576 guides. We check the file every week and update within a week of a new version. Guides choose to be on it when they apply, so it isn't a complete list of licensed guides. We keep ODNR's text and only change capitalization for reading. Where a guide wrote a street address in the business-name column, we show the guide's name instead.

How do Pennsylvania badges work?

PFBC publishes its permitted charter boats and fishing guides. We download it weekly and use it only to check Pennsylvania captains who list here. A badge appears when the listing's phone or business name matches the report and the name on the PayPal payment matches a guide or business on it. We never show PFBC's rows and never keep its addresses.

What does each badge mean?

• "On ODNR's public guide list" — the name is on ODNR's list dated as shown, and that list's license year hasn't ended.
• "Was on ODNR's public guide list dated …" — the newest list we have is from a license year that has ended (Ohio guide licenses expire every April 15).
• "Ohio guide license: self-reported" — the captain says they hold one; the listing isn't linked to ODNR's list.
• "On PFBC's permitted charter/guide list" / "Was on PFBC's permitted list" — the same for Pennsylvania.
• "PA charter/guide permit: self-reported" and "USCG credential: self-reported" — the captain says so; we haven't matched it to a list.

None is an endorsement. We don't inspect boats or check insurance or Coast Guard credentials.

How do I remove or restore an Ohio entry?

Open the entry and choose "Remove this entry". We email a confirmation link; once you click it, the entry disappears from our pages within a minute and stays removed when ODNR's list updates. It's free. "Restore" brings it back, also free, and locks it to your email for 12 months. Entries with a live paid listing are removed by their owner from the dashboard.

How do you keep rules and numbers current?

Every fee, limit and rule on this site is stored with its source, the date we checked it and the period it applies to. When the period ends, or 13 months pass without a re-check, the number disappears and a link to the agency takes its place. We never leave an old number up as if it were current.

What don't you publish?

Reviews or star ratings, ice or fishing reports, weather, maps, or any captain's home address.

Who runs this site?

WeldonPC, an Ohio business. We're independent of every agency, association and business named on the site. About LakeErie.biz

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