Paddling Education

Ozark Mountain Trading Company (OMTC) is a family-owned paddlesports retailer based in northern Arkansas that’s celebrating its 20th year in business in 2024.

When it comes time to introduce your kids to canoeing or kayaking, here are a few suggestions so your chosen destination goes toward a fun and memorable experience for everyone

What would you do if your inflatable fishing kayak popped a leak while you were out on the water? Bending Branches Pro Team member Chris Funk answers that question for us in a couple of recent videos.

Canoeists everywhere—especially wilderness canoeists—will appreciate reading Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters by Cary J. Griffith. It'll hit home, whether we’ve been anywhere near that type of event or not.

Pro Team member Moo “MooMoo” Lee has kayak fished on the ocean off the coast of California for over a decade. Here he shares valuable tips about swell and wind waves while fishing.

Canoe camping is a marvelous way to enjoy wilderness areas, rivers and parks. How can we help protect these areas from negative human impact for future generations of canoeists?

Bending Branches’ mission is to inspire meaningful outdoor experiences by offering premium products worth bragging about. Having an innovation mindset plays a vital role in carrying out that mission.

The Complete Paddler (TCP) has been North America’s largest paddlesports shop since 2005. Its Toronto headquarters is just minutes from Lake Ontario and just a couple of hours from some of Canada’s best canoeing destinations.

Bending Branches Ambassador Casey Ryan loves to kayak fish and loves to be with his dogs. It’s only natural that he brings his dogs along on his fishing kayak when he can. He has tips for you too, if you’d like to try to bring your 4-legged friend fishing.

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.

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…

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…

La Maison du Canoë is a canoe and kayak shop that serves paddling enthusiasts of all skill levels in beautiful southeast France.

Bending Branches Ambassador Casey Ryan offers expert advice about how to cope with some of freshwater kayak fishing’s most common challenges.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.