Paddling Education

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?”
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.
How to Turn Your Kayak Fishing Trip into an Overnighter
Bending Branches Regional Ambassador Terrell Hester is a huge advocate of turning kayak fishing trips into overnight camping trips. Here are his best tips.
These San Diego Girl Scouts Get Solid Canoe Experience
Kristen Elgo has been a volunteer with San Diego Girl Scouts for more than a decade. She and other adult volunteers have gotten ACA certified so they can pass on their love of canoeing and kayaking to the girls they serve.
45 Days Canoeing Canada’s Subarctic
Camp Manito-wish YMCA is one of the top wilderness camps in the country. 2023 staffer Dave Scott co-led a 45-day canoe trip in northern Canada and shared his experience with us.
Our Readers’ Favorite Paddling Content of 2023
Thousands of you read our blog! We thought it’d be fun to highlight your favorite canoeing and kayak fishing content of 2023.
Kayak Bass Fishing Tournaments for Beginners
Kayak bass fishing tournaments are a great way for beginning kayak anglers to learn more about the sport of kayak fishing while getting in some friendly competition.
Lake Superior Canoe Camping Trip
Lake Superior isn’t known as an ideal canoe camping lake because of its vast size and unpredictable weather. But Canadians Jon and Erin took 11 days in 2023 for such a trip along some of its northern shoreline.
Our Purpose? To Inspire Memorable Outdoor Experiences
You might think our underlying purpose at Bending Branches is to craft world-class canoe and kayak fishing paddles. But our Why goes deeper than that—it’s to inspire YOU to have memorable outdoor experiences on the water!
Ways to Pass On Kayak Fishing to Your Kids
Tyler Thiede is a Bending Branches Regional Ambassador from our home state of Wisconsin. He’s been an avid kayak angler for many years and now enjoys bringing his son Jackson along to fish too.
20 Apps for Canoeists, Kayakers & Kayak Anglers
Today’s paddlers and anglers have technology at our fingertips we could only dream about a few years ago—thanks to our handheld GPS and computer systems (commonly known as smartphones).
Swift Water Kayak Fishing Tips
Kayak fishing in swift water requires different skills than flatwater kayak fishing. IN these two videos Bending Branches ProStaffer Drew Gregory covers basic river fishing tricks he uses all the time that you can learn too.
How to Canoe and Kayak with Your Dog

Do you have a furry best friend you want to bring kayaking or canoeing with you? Some of our readers graciously gave us their best tips for how they trained their dog(s) as paddle partners.

How to Frog Fish Successfully from a Kayak
People seem to have a love-hate relationship with frog fishing. The ones who hate it just haven't figured it out or been properly taught. Or maybe it’s the smell of the swampy weed mats, the black mud of the lake or river, or the swarm of bugs.
“Can You Canoe?” with The Okee Dokee Brothers
Ready for a fun canoe video or two? The Okee Dokee Brothers canoed the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to St. Louis, writing the songs for their album Can You Canoe? along the way (you might recognize their paddles!).
An All-Women’s Boundary Waters Canoe Trip
A couple weeks ago a group of eight women took a week off work to head north and spend four days in the Boundary Waters together.
Kevlar or Aluminum Canoe? How to Choose Yours
Modern canoes are made of many different materials, with Kevlar and aluminum being two of the most popular. How do you know which to look for when shopping for a canoe?
An Inflatable Canoe? Why Not?
Inflatable kayaks and paddle boards are everywhere—but an inflatable canoe? It’s worth considering if space is at a premium both for storage and transport but you love canoeing.