Angler Pro: 6X Kayak Fishing Paddle of the Year
5-minute read
Bending Branches’ Angler Pro kayak fishing paddle received, to our delight, the “Kayak Fishing Paddle of the Year” award in its inaugural year, 2013. We haven’t stopped improving it since.
The Angler Pro Fiberglass in Bruiser, new for 2026 (Photo courtesy of Chris Funk)
Angler Pro is the paddle of choice to kayak anglers worldwide, from novices who understand the value of good gear to professionals who are on the water every day.
“Highly recommended! Super high quality paddle. Light but super sturdy.” ~ Taylor from Minnesota
“So light it’s crazy. Makes paddling effortless.” ~ Brad from Ohio
“VERY Nice! Very light, easy to adjust both blade feathering and shaft length for use in varying conditions and paddle craft.” ~ Amazon customer
What IS Angler Pro?
The Angler Pro is our high-end and high-tech kayak fishing paddle that offers top performance with less fatigue for your long days on the water.
The Angler Pro’s blade shape design is renowned for its silky-smooth forward stroke with zero tolerance for flutter. At 105 square inches, each blade is sized for horsepower and control for heavily-loaded kayaks.
The Angler Pro Carbon (photo courtesy of Luis Delgado)
The blades come in two different materials:
- Fiberglass with three different color options: Copperhead, Radiant and our newest design, Bruiser. The Fiberglass blades are hand-crafted individually with layers of silk fabric overlaid by layers of fiberglass, then compression molded to shape.
- Carbon: A high-tech spread tow weave that increases strength, stiffness and impact resistance while decreasing weight.
The Carbon blades and the Fiberglass blades in Bruiser now include our revolutionary Lam-Lok™ edge protection. 33 feet of aramid thread lines the most vulnerable edges of the blades to lock down the layers and prevent delamination.
The Angler Pro’s 100% carbon shaft is the lightest material available. The carbon weave is tight and secure, so you can rely on its strength, too. We offer three ferrule options to choose from:
- Snap button—affordable reliability
- Posi-Lok™—snug and easy to use with several feathering options
- Versa-Lok™—unlimited feathering angles along with up to 15 cm of length adjustability
The Angler Pro Fiberglass in Copperhead, our 2022 release
Kayak Angler Choice Awards
The Kayak Angler Choice Awards (KACA) were chosen by the kayak fishing community in partnership with Yak Angler from 2011 through 2022. The Awards covered various categories like Kayak of the Year, Kayak Angler of the Year, Outfitter of the Year and more.
When Bending Branches introduced the first Angler Pro in 2013, we were blown away when it won Kayak Fishing Paddle of the Year right off the bat. The Pro continued to earn that honor for six years in total.
Constant Innovation
Here at Bending Branches, we keep innovating to improve all our paddles, including the Angler Pro. We introduced Angler Pro Carbon in 2017, the lightest kayak fishing paddle on the market.
Every couple of years, we create a new color design for the fiberglass model, based on feedback from our ProStaff and Ambassador teams. Our most recent color release was Bruiser in 2025. It joins Copperhead and Radiant as eye-catching options for these compression-molded blades.
We’ve also improved our ferrule systems over the years. We still offer snap button for those who like simple and affordable. We added the Plus ferrule to be able to include an adjustable-length option, then replaced it with the Versa-Lok™ system in 2023.
Our length-adjustable Versa-Lok™ ferrule system
It’s constructed of nylon-reinforced plastic and steel components—simple yet revolutionary in its design, as well as rust-proof, easy to use and ultra-durable.
In 2025, we brought over our patented Posi-Lok™ ferrule system from our sister brand, Aqua Bound, in order to be able to offer that to our fishing customers as well.
Our Lam-Lok™ edge protection, which we mentioned earlier, is another crossover from Aqua Bound. We originally developed it for a brand new line of whitewater kayak paddles in 2024. It’s worked so well in that market that we decided to use it in other applications as well—like kayak fishing.
We’ll continue to innovate because it’s part of our DNA.
What Kayak Anglers Have to Say
“If you are looking for a new paddle I would definitely take a look at the Angler Pro. It is the best paddle money can buy in my opinion.” Clint Taylor, Texas Kayak Fisher and BB National ProStaff
“After a month of regular use, I’ve yet to experience any shoulder soreness or develop any blisters. The Angler Pro comes with an oval shaped carbon fiber shaft that offers both, comfort and a solid grip. It has just enough flex to be forgiving on the elbows and wrists but doesn’t sacrifice responsiveness. Rest assured when you need to move water, it will move water.” Drew Ross, LooknFishy and BB National ProStaff
"I don't know how they did it, but the engineering geniuses at Bending Branches outdid themselves. The new design slices through the water even better than the old model. The best part is the silence and efficiency of the paddle pull…I was so taken back by the beauty and performance of this paddle, I forgot I was there to fish!” Tyler Thiede, BB Regional Ambassador
(photo courtesy of Chris Funk)
We owe the awards and success of this paddle to you—the kayak fishing community. Thanks for believing in us and supporting us!
Take a closer look at Angler Pro
[This was published originally in 2017 and is updated over time.]
Contact our Wisconsin-based Customer Service team with your questions: 715-755-3405 • bbinfo@bendingbranches.com
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