Paddling Education

How to Find Canoe Trip Options Close to Home

If you’re new to canoeing, new to your area, or simply ready for a new adventure, there are several avenues you can explore to find the best canoe trip options close to you.
Even if You Rent Canoes, Buy Your Own Paddle! Here’s Why
If you love canoeing but prefer to rent canoes, it’s still absolutely worthwhile to invest in buying your own canoe paddle. There are several reasons for that…
6 Top Canoe Destinations in North America

Naming the 6 top canoe destinations is sort of like naming the 6 best ice cream flavors. It depends who you ask!

Here’s our list of 6 top canoe destinations in North America…

Independent Retailer Spotlight: La Maison du Canoë, France
La Maison du Canoë is a canoe and kayak shop that serves paddling enthusiasts of all skill levels in beautiful southeast France.
How to Cope with Tough Kayak Fishing Conditions
Bending Branches Ambassador Casey Ryan offers expert advice about how to cope with some of freshwater kayak fishing’s most common challenges.
Proper Kayak Fishing Paddle Care & Storage
Your investment in a good kayak fishing paddle (or three) will last many years when you follow these easy and common-sense care tips.
Protecting the Boundary Waters: These Organizations Work Hard
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeast Minnesota is America’s most-visited wilderness area. Several Minnesota-based organizations have arisen to help protect this important environment along with tens of thousands of concerned citizens.
Kayak Adventure Series 2024 Promises Fish, Fun and Films
2024’s Kayak Adventure Series is a unique kayak fishing tournament series with six events planned across the eastern half of the US. Each event features a different location with an incredible fishery, a revitalized downtown area, and a historic theater for awards and a film that will show some anglers’ best tournament footage on the big screen.
Rig Your Fishing Kayak with Function in Mind
One of the favorite topics of kayak angler (and Bending Branches Ambassador) Joshua “Mek” Evans is rigging a fishing kayak so it’s as functional as possible. What you bring along and how it’s laid out in your boat can really enhance your fishing experiences—or be super annoying.
Kayak Fishing: How to Find Bass Fast
3-minute read + 14-minute videoBending Branches ProStaffer Gene Jensen (aka Flukemaster) shares his best tips with us for catching largemouth bass, especially in the spring. Are you a beginning kayak angler? These tips are for you. Are you an experienced...
Urban Boatbuilders and Their Work with Young People
5-minute readUrban Boatbuilders is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based 501c3 non-profit organization that “empowers youth to succeed in work and life through experiential learning.” This includes building and using canoes, kayaks, paddles and longboards. A crew of excited paddlers on a...
Kayak Fishing Paddles 101

If you’re just joining the kayak angler ranks you may wonder why you need a paddle that’s specific to kayak fishing. Why can’t you just use any kayak paddle?

Independent Retailer Spotlight: Whitewater the Canoe Centre, England
Whitewater the Canoe Centre (WWTCC) is a paddlesports specialty shop near London, England, located on the banks of the River Thames. It’s been serving canoeists and kayakers in their region since 1954.
Kayak Fishing & Photography Mixing: Interview with JD Desrosiers
Bending Branches ProStaff team member JD Desrosiers offered some of his time and expertise to tell us about his photography life and work. Our conversation with him will inspire anyone interested in combining kayak fishing (or any kind of paddling for that matter) and photography.
Kayak Fishing Hacks with Chris Funk

Chris Funk, one of our kayak fishing ProStaff team members, offers some great advice to other kayak anglers through his social media platforms. We collected a handful of his videos here to give you a few of his kayak fishing hacks.
This Generational Family Business Teaches Boys Canoe & Life Skills
Ashley Bredemus and her husband Victor Pilon own and direct Birchwood Wilderness Camp in northern Minnesota. Canoeing and canoe trips are core to the programming of this small boys’ camp.
The Love/Hate Relationship with Smartphones on Wilderness Canoe Trips
Bending Branches Prostaffer and long-distance canoeist Martin Trahan wrote an Instagram post about the pros and cons of smartphone use on wilderness canoe trips. “Toxicity or an essential tool?”
Independent Retailer Spotlight: Alpine Shop near St. Louis
Alpine Shop is an award-winning outdoor retailer headquartered in the St. Louis, Missouri metro that serves outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds and experience levels. Paddlesports is one of their specialties.
Gear List for Kayak Camping
Ever wonder what to bring along for a kayak fishing and camping trip? Bending Branches Regional Ambassador Moo Lee shares his gear list with us from a recent trip of his.
Interview with Rob Bossen: Branches, Grey Duck & the Future of Paddling in the US
Minnesotan Rob Bossen has his hands in several paddling-related ventures including Bending Branches, Greg Duck Outdoor and US paddling’s newest trade coalition. We were able to catch him for an interview recently. Here’s what we learned from Rob…
Kayaking for Seniors: Why To and How To
Kayaking and kayak fishing are ideal activities for older adults. Bending Branches ProStaff team member Bill Schultz is himself a senior and an avid kayak angler. He offers his best tips and tricks below.