Fishing Guide Insurance

Fishing Guide Insurance: Covering Your Inland Charter Operation

If you’re running a small charter operation on a bass boat, walleye boat, or another type of boat under 27 feet in inland states like Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, or Tennessee, you’ve probably wondered what kind of fishing guide insurance you need. And trust me, having the right coverage is crucial—not just for your boat but for your business, too.

The Right Insurance for Small Chartered Fishing Boats

Here’s the deal: fishing guide insurance can vary a lot. Things like where you’re operating, the size of your boat, and how many charters you run each year all play a role in what kind of coverage you need and what it’s going to cost.

For small boats running fewer than 30 charters a year, getting coverage can be pretty straightforward. A personal boat insurance policy with a chartered fishing guide endorsement might be exactly what you need. This type of coverage is specific to guiding fishing trips—so no off-boat activities like swimming or sunset cruises, just fishing.

Whether you’re offering bass fishing, walleye fishing, catfishing, or even crappie fishing charters, having the right insurance lets you focus on helping your clients catch the big one without worrying about the “what ifs.”

Real-World Rate Examples

To give you a better idea, here are some real examples from my customers:

• Ranger Walleye Boat running 20 charters a year on Lake Erie: $789 annually.
• Ohio River Catfishing Charter running 30 days a year: $817 annually.

Obviously, everyone’s situation is different, and rates depend on your boat, where you operate, and how many charters you run. But these examples give you a ballpark idea of what to expect.

Why Choose Our Policies?

One big reason to consider our fishing guide insurance is that uninsured boater coverage will match your liability limit. Some carriers limit the amount of uninsured boater coverage you can have, but we ensure that you’re fully covered if the unexpected happens.

Also, unlike some carriers, our policies don’t have a forced layup period during the winter. This means if there’s a decent day in February or March, you can still get out on the water. However, keep in mind that freezing is excluded—so if you have any contact with ice on the water, that wouldn’t be covered.

Key Factors to Keep in Mind

There are a few things that really matter when it comes to getting the right fishing guide insurance:

• No alcohol on board: This one’s big. Allowing alcohol introduces liquor liability concerns, and that can drive up your rates or even make you ineligible for some policies.
• Inland waters only: We’re focusing on smaller charter operations on lakes and rivers in inland states like Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee. If you’re running coastal charters or using a larger vessel, there are different insurance products for those situations.

While we can help with coverage for bigger boats too, this post is really for those smaller inland fishing guides who just want to get out there and fish without worrying about their insurance.

Stay Informed

I just put out a quick TikTok video talking about this exact topic, so if you want to learn more, check it out here.

If you have any questions about getting the right fishing guide insurance, I’m here to help. Feel free to reach out and we’ll find the best option for your boat and your business, so you can keep doing what you love—taking people out to fish and enjoy the water.

As always, remember to wear your life jacket and enjoy the water!