River Kayak Fishing Instructor Endorsement Criteria

Course Overview: The River Kayak Fishing endorsement course is designed to enable ACA Level 2: Essentials of River Kayaking instructors (or higher) to teach beginner paddlers to safely and enjoyably kayak fish on gentle rivers.

Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC):

ACA courses are open to all individuals who acknowledge the ability to perform the following essential eligibility criteria.

1. Breathe independently (i.e., not require medical devices to sustain breathing)

2. Independently maintain sealed airway passages while under water

3. Independently hold head upright without neck / head support

4. Manage personal care independently or with assistance of a companion

5. Manage personal mobility independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance

6. Follow instructions and effectively communicate independently or with assistance of a companion

7. Independently turn from face-down to face-up and remain floating face up while wearing a properly fitted life jacket*

8. Get on / off or in / out of a paddlecraft independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance*

9. Independently get out and from under a capsized paddlecraft*

10. Remount or reenter the paddlecraft following deep water capsize independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance*

11. Maintain a safe body position while attempting skills, activities and rescues listed in the appropriate Course Outline, and have the ability to recognize and identify to others when such efforts would be unsafe given your personal situation*

* To participate in adaptive programs, participants must acknowledge only the first six EEC listed above. Entry-level adaptive programs will involve teaching and practicing EEC #7-11.

Course Prerequisites: None

Instructors: ACA Level 2: Essentials of River Kayaking Instructors (or higher) or ACA Level 2: Essentials of Sit-On-Top River Kayaking Instructors.

SEIC– 11/2016 © American Canoe Association www.americancanoe.org River Kayak Fishing Instructor Endorsement Criteria

Course Duration: 2 days (16 hours)

Course Location / Venue: Flat water and moving water through class I whitewater

Class Ratio - 5 students: 1 Instructor; with an additional instructor or qualified assistant the ratio can be 10 : 2

Succeeding courses: Level 3: River Kayaking Level 4: Whitewater Kayaking Level 5: Advanced Whitewater Kayaking

The following is a general summary of course content for the River Kayak Fishing Endorsement course. The content covered and sequence of instruction should be adjusted to best fit the participant’s needs, class location and time allowance.

Course Content  Water comfort & confidence  Fitness, conditioning, and warm up Introduction, Expectations, & Logistics:  Safe paddle and boat handling  Welcome, introductions, paperwork  Safety and rescue considerations  Student & instructor course  Personal equipment (reviewed by expectations and limitations Instructor)  Course itinerary & site logistics  Judgment. In addition to learning  Review waiver, assumption of risk, hard skills, the importance of challenge by choice, medical developing personal judgment and disclosure group responsibility increases on  About the ACA more difficult paddling venues.  PFD policy (always wear on water)  Selecting appropriate locations,  Appropriate personal behavior route, and equipment , shuttling,  No alcohol / substance abuse assessing group and individual  Proper etiquette on & off the water paddling capabilities, lead and sweep  Respect private property concept leader’s responsibilities,  Practice Leave No Trace ethics permits, use fees, reservations, registered guides or licensed trip The Paddling Environment: leaders and other state requirements  Wind  Fishing licenses & launch permits  Waves when needed  Weather

 Water Getting Started: Personal Preparation:  Warm-up and stretching  Personal ability  How to pick up a kayak safely  Swimming ability

 Car topping: loading and unloading,  Securing gear, balancing, trim and racks, straps weight (minimize)  Launching and landing  Boarding, three points of contact, Fishing Skills weight kept low, etc  Forage Assessment  Posture, safety, comfort,  Cover & Structure effectiveness, rocking, balance  Seasonal Habits/Patterns  Water comfort and confidence  Common Lure Presentations/tackle  Wet exits set ups (live bait or lures depending  How to empty a kayak on fishery & target species)  Basic Terminology  Basic knots for attaching  Types of strokes (covered in this leaders/lures course): power, turning  Safe and effective body usage Achieving Fishing Related Tasks While on Water Equipment:  Accessing gear & tackle in rear tank  Life Jackets (PFDs): types, fit well  Fishing Kayaks: types, materials,  Don’t open hatches that effect hull parts integrity while on the water  Paddles: types, materials, parts,  Landing fish safely; nets, grips, by length, blade size & shape, hand hand position (both bent and straight o Fight big fish over the bow of shaft) the boat  Gear: portage packs, dry bags, gear o Keep weight centered bags o Rod’s length of line  Safety equipment: First aid kit, tow o Use your reach/net rope, throw bag, thigh straps  Personal equipment: water, food, River Reading: shoes, hat, sunscreen, bug repellent,  Current speed, direction and changes sun glasses, eyeglass straps, caused by stream bed features protective clothing for heat or cold, sponge, bailer/pump, whistle, knife, River Hazards: light  Strainers  Sweepers  Optional equipment and outfitting  Foot Entrapments: Safe Swimmer  Care of equipment Position

 Undercuts Fishing Gear Organization & Loading  Hydraulics  Managing multiple fishing rods

 Managing tackle, tools and loops Safety & Rescue: (reducing entanglement potential)  Exercising judgment, safety as a  Loading gear bags state of mind.  Principles of Rescue

 Priorities: first people, then  Wedge boats, finally other gear  Feet on Ground & Heel Hook  Responsibilities of the victim  Drifting (point boat upriver or  Responsibilities of the downriver to slow drift) rescuers  Keep head on a swivel  Responsibilities of the group  Drifting & Dragging Presentations  Types of Rescue  “Pry Technique” when fish pulls you  Self Rescue toward cover  Boat assisted rescue, towing  Anchoring kayaks in a river or bulldozing a tired environment is beyond the scope of swimmer, towing or the River Kayak Fishing bulldozing a capsized boat Endorsement course therefore is not  Shoreline Rescue: Extension recommended. rescues, use of throw ropes/bags Conservation:  Value of Catch & Release or Maneuvers: “Selective Harvest” (based on water)  J-lean / Heeling the boat  “Hero Shot” Procedures  Paddling in a reasonably straight line.  Spins Conclusion & Wrap Up:  Stopping  Group debrief / Individual feedback  Course limitations  Ferries  Importance of First Aid & CPR  Eddy Turns  Importance of additional instruction,  Peel Outs practice, experience  Moving Abeam  Importance of appropriate level of safety & rescue training Strokes:  Demo advanced maneuvers  Forward  Life sport / Paddling options  Back (stopping)  Local paddling groups / Clubs  Draw  Handouts / Reference materials  Sculling draw  ACA Membership forms  Sweep (including Stern Draw)  Course evaluation  Reverse Sweep  Participation cards

 Rudder

 Low Brace

Positioning for Fishing:

 Paddle on lap (at the ready)  One handed paddling (it’s your trolling motor)  Eddy Out