FOAMLine, Vol. 33, No. 5, December 2024
IN THIS ISSUE:
Board of Outfitters Prohibits Guide Advertising
2025 FOAM Annual Meeting
Guiding for the Future 2025
FOAM 2025 Membership Renewals
Board of Outfitters Prohibits Guide Advertising
In light of concerns over common and persistent guide advertising violations, the Board of Outfitters made substantial changes to the Booking Agent and Advertising and the Unprofessional Conduct ARM rules. The Board has had great concerns over guide advertising violations across recent years. In our comments provided to the Board in May and August, we contended that certainly the most common violations of guide advertising rules occur on social media platforms or, to a lesser extent, websites. These types of violations clearly originate from the guide not knowing that there are any rules pertaining to their advertising.
The Booking Agent and Advertising rule (24.171.405), Section 3, was revised to “Guides are prohibited from advertising directly to the general public using any media, including but not limited to print, digital or social methods.” The prohibition on guide advertising was reiterated in rule again under the greatly-revised Unprofessional Conduct rule, 24.171.2301, Section 4: “The following is unprofessional conduct for guides and guide applicants: (a) advertising services to the general public.”
Continuing to comply with Governor Gianforte’s Red Tape Relief Initiative, the Board of Outfitters drafted proposed rule changes in May of 2024. These proposed Red Tape Relief rule changes were reviewed by the Board through the Summer and finalized during the August 2024 meeting of the Board of Outfitters. The final adopted rule changes became effective following the filing with the Montana Secretary of State in September 2024.
Many of the revised rules were administrative, cleaning up redundancies, or standardizing Board of Outfitter rules with other Boards under the Department of Labor and Industry. However, some of the rule changes will affect how guides and outfitters conduct their business into the future.
One of the revised rules, summarized in a previous email, was Watercraft Identification (ARM 24.171.413). Under this rule, the Board of Outfitters will no longer be providing Watercraft Identification Stickers to licensees. Licensees will now print their own self-generated watercraft stickers on a Board of Outfitters provided template. Previously-issued Board of Outfitters watercraft identification placards or stickers are still valid. When you renew your license, you will receive the Watercraft ID Template and instructions for use.
Another rule change affecting hunting outfitters, mentioned here because many of our outfitters also provide hunting services, was the omission of NCHU (Net Client Hunter Use) categories (ARM Rule 24.171.701). From now on, “only one NCHU is required of an outfitter per client, regardless of the number of big game, upland birds, waterfowl, or turkey pursued in a given year.”
We strongly encourage all guides and outfitters to regularly review all the ARM Rules and Statutes pertaining to their profession and livelihood. The Board of Outfitters ARM Rules and Statutes can be found on the Board of Outfitters website under Regulations or at the Montana Secretary of State’s website under ARM.
FOAM Meeting 2025!
The 2025 FOAM Annual Meeting will be Friday and Saturday, 7 and 8 March, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman.
As usual, Friday, 7 March, will be the FOAM Board of Directors meeting; all members are welcome.
The Hilton Garden Inn will be providing us a great deal on rooms for the event.
Saturday, March 8th, will be our 2025 Annual Meeting. The 2025 FOAM Annual Meeting will include speakers, vendors, raffles, beer – provided by Lewis and Clark Brewing, lunch, and snacks, with all proceeds going to help FOAM’s Conservation Fund and G4F.
We’re very excited at this year’s raffle boat, a 2025 RioCraft Teton raft with a Montana Raft Frames raft trailer! This raft is 14.5’ features a low Back Rowing Seat Mounted on a Cross Bar; Foot Bar and Straight Bar (Cooler Bay); Elevated Front Seat Bar; 8″ Oar Towers w/ Sawyer Cobra Oarlocks; Anchor System; Deluxe Swivel Seats; Cam Straps; Powder Coated Rod Dog; and, 8’6″ Black Sawyer Polecats w/ Counter Balance and Rope Wraps. Tickets will be available soon with all proceeds going to help FOAM’s Conservation Fund and G4F.
Hope to see you there!
Guiding for the Future 2025!
The 2025 Guiding for the Future (G4F) course is set for March 11th through 13th at the Bitterroot Lodge.
G4F is a voluntary course of study and evaluation to elevate the expertise and professionalism of fishing guides and outfitters. The mission of G4F is to develop a dedicated stewardship of aquatic ecosystems while increasing knowledge, professionalism, and ethics of fishing guides, outfitters, and the fly-fishing industry throughout Montana. Led by FOAM and an Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from the fly-fishing industry, aquatic conservation community, and other professions, this program serves as a new continuing education program for fishing guides in the state of Montana.
The 2025 G4F program will again be taught online in a webinar-style presentation with the field-portions of the practicum will be taught hands-on through small in-person gatherings. Participants will be evaluated and tested on their knowledge and performance. Successful completion of this course will provide participating guides, outfitters, and fly shops with a set of credentials that will distinguish graduates to outfitters, clients, other river users, and agencies.
During our pilot year, 2019, we graduated 22 outfitters and guides through the G4F program, 15 more during our 2022 year, and 24 during 2023. Last year’s program hosted at the Bighorn Angler, graduated 20 participants
The G4F course consists of:
Online course. Starting in January, the class list will be merged into the online portal and open for you to begin this portion of the program. New students will have plenty of time to get this completed before the practicum in March.
January through March 2025. Keeping with the hybrid teaching model adopted during COVID, we will be holding weekly Zoom meetings with instructors. These sessions will be covering topics necessary for your participation at the March Practicum.
March 11-13. The G4F practicum will be held at the on the Bitterroot River Lodge.
Class size is limited. G4F student preference is given to individuals holding a valid Montana outfitter or guide license with at least three years’ guiding experience.
For all information on FOAM’s Guiding for the Future program, including how to apply, visit guidingforthefuture.org.
FOAM 2025 Membership Renewals
Membership renewals for 2025 membership and insurance are underway. We are encouraging all members to renew using the online system.
Please remember when you renew to double-check the region you select to make sure it is accurate. For region, choose only one area, the one your work in most or the one where you live.
Insurance Reminders
The Bissell Agency has some reminders about our insurance coverage:
Your general liability policy covers: 1) A client’s bodily injury while being guided, and 2) the client’s gear, subject to a $250 deductible.
Your general liability does NOT cover clients while riding in your vehicle. You need to purchase a Commercial Auto Policy. Personal auto policies with business use does NOT provide coverage for your clients while in your vehicle. Further, your vehicle may not be covered while being shuttled and an insurance company can deny a claim if carrying a personal policy on a commercial trip. A Commercial Auto Policy replaces your personal auto policy and covers you for both personal and commercial use while clients are in your vehicle. Call the Bissell Agency (406.586.6230) to get a commercial auto quote of with any questions about coverage or cost. Rates are typically similar to personal auto rates.
If your boat uses a motor over 10 HP, you will need to purchase Motorized Liability coverage ($107) to cover client’s bodily injury while being guided in a motorized watercraft. Motorized liability coverage can be added to your liability policy under options on the online application or use the hard copy pdf form “Insurance Options” under Resources, Forms and Applications on the FOAM website.
If you want to insure your gear or boat, you will need to purchase Inland Marine coverage, this insurance covers your own listed equipment (boats, trailers, etc.) and gear (rods, reels, flies, and such). To get this gear coverage, you need to fill out the paper form under “Insurance Options” questionnaire and mail it to the Bissell Agency with a check for the calculated premium ($10 per $1,000). Your Inland Marine coverage will run concurrent with your FOAM general liability policy.
Outfitter Renewal and SRP Renewal Reminders
Outfitters, when you are renewing your FOAM membership and liability insurance coverage, this is also a good time to renew your Outfitter License through the Board of Outfitters. Renewing your Outfitter License and FOAM membership and liability coverage at the same time keeps your insurance coverage from lapsing. License renewals through Board of Outfitters are free this year and must be renewed online. If you wait until after 31 December, you will be charged a renewal fee. Remember also that you are no longer required to submit client logs to the Board of Outfitters. However, you must continue to maintain a record of your client trips. Client logs for your use are available under Forms and Applications on the FOAM website.
If you are an outfitter that is also holding an SRP or RUP permit, now is the time to get those documents into FWP, BLM, or the Forest Service as well.
Guide License Renewals
Guides, when you are renewing your FOAM membership and liability insurance coverage, this is also a good time to renew your Guide License through the Board of Outfitters. Renewing your Guide License and FOAM membership and liability coverage at the same time keeps your insurance coverage from lapsing. Guides, if you renew your Guide License before December 31st, your renewal is free this year and must be renewed online. If you wait until after 31 December, you will be charged a renewal fee.
Good luck with all your end-of-year outfitter submittals. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, we are here to help.
