Fishing

  • WI Boating Education Programs


  • State Programs

    • Fishing for Kids

      Youngsters are educated in such topics as Fish Identification, Lures, Fishing Knots, Fish Cleaning, Angling/Boat Safety, and Casting. They are also treated to a couple hours of fishing.

    • Genoa National Fish Hatchery

      Annual Kid's Fishing Day Boys and girls ages 6 through 12 will not only learn about fishing, but will get a chance to catch fish during the annual fishing clinic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16 at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery in Genoa. Children must attend the fishing clinic in the morning to attend the fishing session in one of the hatchery ponds at 10 a.m. Fishing poles will be available. Lunch, soft drinks and water will be provided by the Friends of the Upper Mississippi Fishery Services. For more information, call (608) 689-2605.

    • Learning Opportunities - Fishing Clinics

      Throughout the year, the Department of Natural Resources works with local parks departments and fishing clubs and organizations to put on fishing clinics and other events. These are excellent opportunities to introduce fishing to people both young and old.

    • Norton's Dry Dock Free Fishing Seminars

      Free Fishing Seminars at Norton’s Dry Dock to be held on March 10th and 11th. Your help in promoting these free evenings of fishing facts and new tactics is greatly appreciated. FREE FISHING SEMINARS MARCH 10th and 11th NORTON’S DRY DOCK HWY 73 & T PRINCETON Two free Fishing Seminars will be held March 10th and 11th at Norton’s Dry Dock, Hwy 73 & T, Princeton. Each evening, the seminars will begin at 7:00 pm sharp. A question and answer period will follow each presentation. Also, great door prizes will be given away each night. Wednesday, March 10th at 7:00 pm see media personality, Tony Puccio, co-owner of Bait Rigs Tackle, fishing guide, and tackle designer. Tony has been classified by anglers as an “Angler’s Angler” and the “Sportsman’s Sportsman”. He is serious about walleyes. Come early to get a seat for “Walleye’s by Tony!” Thursday, March 11th at 7:00 pm Daryl Christensen will be letting out some of the secrets he’s kept to himself, secrets he’s learned on the PWT circuit. Bring a friend or come and keep the secrets to yourself, just don’t miss the ever popular speaker and colorful fishing legend. Walleyes, bass, northern pike and what ever you want to know he’s “Letting out the Secrets.” Please come and enjoy this years FREE Fishing Seminars. Education is the key to becoming a better sportsperson and this is your chance. For more information, call Norton’s Dry Dock at (920) 295-3462 or email at info@nortonsdrydock.com.

  • National Programs

    • Advanced Piloting

      Advanced Piloting covers more advanced coastal navigation techniques, navigation in tides and currents, and more advanced GPS usage. For members only.

    • Advanced Whitewater Canoe

      This course develops proficiency and confidence in, and enjoyment of, safely paddling in whitewater of advanced difficulty.

    • Aids to Navigation

      By looking at the big picture and breaking the system down, you'll get a better understanding of just why these markers and buoys are where they are and will have a better handle on how to make sense of them.

    • America's Boating Course

      This course can be taken online, by studying an 80-page manual, or by cd-rom.

    • American Boat Operator

      This online course is officially approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and recognized by the United States Coast Guard and available for most states.

    • Basic Naviagation

      In this course, Capt. Steve gives you the skills to use manual methods to cross check and support your electronic navigation and the tools to give your passengers the confidence to ride aboard with you whether you're heading across the river or across the ocean.

    • Basic River Canoe

      Basic River Canoe focuses mainly on canoes that are designed more for whitewater use and on the student that wishes to "work" or "play" the river by catching lots of small eddies, and doing ferries, instead of just going from point A to point B.

    • Basic Rules of the Road

      In this course, Capt. Steve takes you through an overview of the Rules of the Road that all recreational boaters need to know.

    • Boat Building

      A unique maritime learning environment geared towards educating people of all ages. We specialize in the all encompassing aspects of boat building and sailing. Hands on training of building and then sailing your own sailboat for people ages 8 to adult.

    • Boater Exam Study Guide

      We have assembled a study guide to help you manage the process of obtaining your pleasure craft operators card.

    • Boating Fun

      This is a storybook/coloring book (targeted to children in Grades K-3) with pictures that are suitable for making overhead transparencies and is designed to be used in traditional, instructor-led classes as well as a stand-alone study by a single user.

    • Boating Safety

      Learn to be a better boater - no matter how much boating experience you have there's always more to learn.

    • Boating Safety Course

      Online boater license or certification is available for 36 states.

    • Boating Skills and Seamanship

      This course is a comprehensive course designed for both the experienced and the novice boater.

    • Canoe Rolling

      The goal of this course is to introduce paddlers to the technique of rolling an open canoe.

    • Coastal Navigation

      The navigation course is a combination of a printed text/workbook for home study, sample and real time chart work, online animated demonstrations and testing, email instructor assistance, and a private Navigation Bulletin Board.

    • Cruise Planning

      Cruise Planning covers topics of interest for someone planning a cruise – whether for just a weekend or for a year – including preparation and planning, anchoring, security, chartering, and cruising outside the US. For members only.

    • Educational Recreational Adventures

      Educational Recreational Adventures teaches environmental education, science, and outdoor skills (fly fishing, canoeing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, backpacking, aquatic education,wildlife studies,...) to people of all ages.

    • Engine Maintenance

      Engine Maintenance covers the operating principles and basic care and maintenance of outboard and inboard engines, including diesels. For members only.

    • Essentials of River Canoe

      The course is designed to give the student the necessary tools needed to travel down a moving river (up to Class I) from point A to point B, either sitting or kneeling.

    • Essentials of Touring Canoe

      The purpose of this course is to teach beginner paddlers to safely and enjoyably canoe on quietwater.

    • Freestyle Canoe

      FreeStyle canoeing is technical quiet water paddling. It emphasizes smooth, efficient paddling and precise boat control on flat water.

    • General Boating

      The Online Boating Course is approved to meet the basic boater education requirements in certain states. Be sure to check the regulations in your state.

    • GPS for Mariners

      GPS for Mariners is a modern learning experience that focuses on the GPS equipment typically owned by the recreational boater.

    • How to Read a Nautical Chart

      A three hour seminar course unraveling the mystery of charts.

    • How To Use a Chart

      This seminar walks you through what you really need to know in an entertaining and interesting fashion.

    • Instructor Development

      Instructor Development teaches effective communication skills for not only USPS instructors but everyone, covering various methods of presenting information to others, effective use of audiovisual aids (including PowerPoint), etc. For members only.

    • Introduction to Canoe

      Introduction to Canoe focuses on basic tandem or solo canoe skills for sitting paddlers. Presentations include dressing to paddle safely and potential paddling hazards.

    • Junior Navigation

      Junior Navigation teaches the basics of offshore navigation, including basic celestial navigation using the sun and offshore course planning. For members only.

    • Let's Go Sailing

      The course is designed for the person who wants to begin sailing in a small boat, learning each step the right way, and in the process build the skills and confidence that will serve as the foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment.

    • Marine Electronics

      Marine Electronics covers installation and maintenance of both boat electrical systems (AC and DC) and marine electronics (VHF radio, radar, GPS, etc).

    • Navigation

      The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Navigation course is a comprehensive course to prepare the boater with the knowledge needed to safely pilot a boat.

    • Navigation

      Navigation is the most advanced navigation course taught by USPS, covering more advanced celestial navigation techniques, emergency navigation, and additional sight reduction techniques. For members only.

    • On Board Weather Forecasting

      While not a course in weather, this seminar explains how just using your own senses can help you determine what conditions you will encounter where you are.

    • Online Boater Safety Handbooks

      Boat Ed develops and publishes the official state handbook of boating laws for numerous state boating agencies.

    • Oregon Boating Course

      The Online Boating Course is approved to meet the basic boater education requirements for Oregon.

    • Personal Water Craft Safety

      The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Personal Watercraft course is a very basic introduction to the safety issues involved when operating a PWC.

    • Personal Water Craft Safety

      Learn about safe boating and personal watercraft, become more knowledgeable about state rules and regulations, and earn a PWC Safety Wallet Card.

    • Personal Watercraft Course

      The Online Boating Course is approved to meet the basic boater education requirements in certain states. Be sure to check the regulations in your state.

    • Piloting

      Piloting is the first and most basic navigation course, covering chart reading, course plotting, and basic coastal or inland navigation, including basic GPS usage. This course is for members only.

    • Practical On the Water Training

      This is an eight hour seminar with the perfect combination of classroom training and hands-on On-The-Water training. It provides an explanation of how your boat handles and why. Film clips let you visualize the maneuvers prior to your experiencing them on the water. It covers use of lines, departing, operating in a fairway, pivoting, mooring, backing, docking, steering - slalom, holding course - range, and quick stop. Included are Powerboat Handling Illustrated, a DVD, and a Student manual.

    • QuickStart Your Canoe

      QuickStart is a brief introduction to paddling a canoe or kayak. Students are presented with basic information on dressing to paddle safely and potential hazards and simple rescues.

    • Requirements for Recreational Boaters

      In this course, Capt. Steve takes you on a video tour of not only what is required, but also why it's required.

    • Safe and Knowledgeable Boater

      In this course you will learn how to become a safe and knowledgeable boater.

    • Sail

      Sail covers everything from the basic elements of how a sailboat works to sail trim, rig tuning, and sailboat racing. For members only.

    • Seamanship

      Seamanship covers basic deck seamanship, marlinspike (knots and ropes), anchoring and rafting, basic boat care and maintenance, and nautical and USPS customs and etiquette. This is for members only.

    • Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course

      This course is designed to teach sailing instructors on-the-water group management and instruction techniques for dinghies, multihull and small daysailing keelboats.

    • Small Boat Sailing Level 2 Coach Workshop

      This course is designed to provide coaches with information on how to effectively develop performance boat handling and racing skills and to instill in athletes the importance of ethical behavior and sportsmanship in the sport of sailing.

    • Smart Boating

      Smart Boating will take you from basic boating to the intermediate level with over 250 menu items, plus complete explanations for all right and wrong answers to over 290 engaging, interactive questions.

    • Smart Boating's Emergencies Afloat

      In this course, Capt. Steve takes you on a step-by-step tour of some of the most common boating emergencies, as well as the uncommon ones, and gives you the tools to competently handle not only your emergencies, but to render assistance to other boater's emergencies as well.

    • Squadron Boating Course

      Learn the fundamentals of safe boat handling and operation, and basic piloting in one comprehensive classroom course. The course is meant to be of interest to the whole family, and we encourage your family to attend as a group.

    • Suddenly In Command

      This 4-hour boating safety primer is designed for those not generally at the helm, and will help you to �be prepared� with the basics in case of an emergency.

    • Using GPS

      This seminar explains the principles of waypoint navigation which you will use. It then shows you how to relate the GPS to your charts which provide essential information about what is around you.

    • Using VHF & VHF/DSC Marine Radio

      This seminar explains basic VHF operation.

    • USPS Education

      U.S. Power Squadrons provide many skill building opportunities to the general public through a variety of boating safety and education courses, seminars, and marine-related guides. Our instructors are certified regarding their ability to teach and to use of modern instructional techniques. All classes are fun and informative, and bring you into contact with other boaters.

    • Waypoints

      Targeted to youth in grades 4-6, this course includes many of the main points of the adult 8-hr Boating Safely Course.

    • Weather

      Weather covers weather forecasting and reading weather patterns on-board. For members only.

    • Whitewater Canoe

      The goal of this course is to provide an introduction and preparation to paddle safely and comfortably on whitewater up to Class II.