I just wanted to add to my earlier post, that my parents are Canadians and I have family all over the country.
After my little incedent I started asking around about what had happened and found all sorts of stories about it. I don't know if it's still the policy there, as it was 6 years ago that this took place.
About three years ago a guy I know here in Texas was going to go there and I told him my story. He had been arrested for having a gun in his suitcase at an airport. He tried to check it in with his baggage, but didn't tell anybody it was in there. They found it after he'd checked in and was arrested. He spent the night in jail, saw the judge the next day and was released. He was never charged with anything, just a stupid mistake on his part.
He contacted the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles to see if he'd have any problems getting into the country. They asked for all his paperwork, which he provided. They determined that he was undesirable and won't be allowed into the country.
He's a succesful business owner that has nothing else on his record. Not even a speeding ticket. He was never charged with a crime, just arrested, but that's enough for the Canadians to keep him out.
From what I've been told, the Canadian government was very embarassed over 9-11 and how many terrorist use there country to get to the US. So in there defense, they have made it very hard for US citizens to enter there country. It's backwards logic, but it's the way most goverment agencies work.
I only post this so people wont have to go through what I did. It was a huge headache and humiliating to have to explain to them something that I'd already dealt with a decade ago.
Good luck with the fising trip, I wish I could offer some suggestions on lodges. I always just fished the rivers with my Uncles depending on what part of the country we were in. Dolly Varden was my favorite near Ft. St. John in northern BC.
Eddie
