Paddling Education

Killarney Provincial Park Canoe Trip [Videos]
Ken Whiting of Paddle Tales takes us along with him and his buddy on a 5-day canoe trip deep into Canada’s gorgeous Killarney Provincial Park.
New to the Boundary Waters? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’re new to canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters, here’s an overview of some important keys you need to know as you plan your trip.
A Paddler's Dream
I paired my Bending Branches Angler Navigator with the CK1 Venture and enjoyed how the kayak responded to my paddle strokes. The CK1 performed exceptionally well in moving water and it did equally as well on flat water.
Readers Stories: The Reward of Beauty
Many of the Story Contest submissions we received from our readers were sharing their paddling adventures. Here are a couple of them…
Young Women Need Adventure, Too
There are some pretty alarming statistics about the rise of mental and emotional health problems among teens and young people today, especially young women…One of the ways we can help these young women is to offer more positive influences in their lives—like outdoor adventure.
Why We Fiberglass Our Canoe Paddles
Here at Bending Branches we believe in crafting canoe paddles that will last for decades. Adding a fiberglass wrap to most of our wood paddles is one process we use to ensure you’ll get those years of great performance.
Recycle Your Old Fishing Line
Hey kayak fishing anglers—don’t throw your old fishing line into our creeks, rivers, lakes or oceans! Instead take it with you and recycle it to help keep our waterways clean and the local wildlife safe.
How Canoeing Can Help Fight Brain Cancer
In July of this year (2021) Jeff Kalil will embark on his Catawba Chain of Lakes endurance fundraiser “Paddle for Progress” to raise an ambitious goal of $10,000 for brain tumor research.
Kayak Fishing Paddle Review: Angler Scout
Bending Branches’ Angler Scout kayak fishing paddle gives you plenty of extras at a great price. Branches’ Ambassador, Bill Sikora, recently produced a video with a review of the Scout. Here’s what he had to say…
We Made the List of Best Canoe Paddles of 2021…Several Times!
Our friends at paddling.com recently published their list of Best Canoe Paddles of 2021. They sifted through thousands of their readers’ comments and reviews to narrow down their choices. 45% of the canoe paddles on the list are hand-crafted by Bending Branches! Let’s take a look…
How to Canoe in Wind & Waves
To paddle a canoe successfully in high wind and waves is tricky business. Some skilled paddlers love the challenge and even look for waves and river rapids to run. But wind and waves can quickly turn a recreational canoe trip into anything but fun. Here are some tips to handle these conditions…
Fishing the Spawn
Harsh winter conditions have finally given way to warm days, sunny skies, and most importantly, upper 60’s water temperatures.  Bass this time of year are eager to move shallow to spawn, and kayak bass anglers are just as eager to...
Protect Your Kayak Fishing Paddles with a Paddle Bag
One of the best investments you can make to protect your kayak fishing paddles is a quality paddle bag to keep them in.
Reader’s Stories: Paddling Mis-Adventures
Sometimes our day on the water canoeing or kayak fishing doesn’t turn out like we expect. When we asked readers for their stories for our 2020 Story Contest, a couple brave souls entered tales of their misadventures.
Canoe Paddle Bag: Buy or Make Your Own
Protect your canoe paddles with a paddle bag that protects them from scratches, dings and dust. They’re great for both storage and transporting. You can either buy a bag designed for canoe paddles, adapt a bag or make your own…
What to Know about Kayak Camping
Bending Branches Regional Ambassador, Kyle Hines, took up kayak camping in 2017 and found it’s something he loves to do. We got him on the phone recently so we could pick his brain for suggestions and tips for others who want to get into this adventure sport, too:
“Can I Use a Kayak?” and Other FAQs about the Boundary Waters
We’ve collected a few of the most common questions about canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters, along with some of the recommendations given by the others. We also added a few comments ourselves, as well as links you’ll find helpful…
Bending Branches Readers Share Their Kayak Fishing Stories
Many of the stories we received from our readers for our 2020 Story Contest were about their kayak fishing adventures. We want to share a few of those with you here…
Bending Branches’ Andrew Stern Talks Kayak Fishing on “The Final Cast”
In this episode of The Final Cast podcast our own Marketing Manager, Andrew Stern, joins Josh Eldridge, Brad Hicks and Jimmy Skinner to talk Bending Branches, the Angler Navigator, the Angler Pro and kayak fishing.
How to Get Your Friends Hooked on Kayak Fishing
We talked to Bending Branches ProStaffer and Ontario native, Eron Dodds, about ways he’s learned to introduce people to the sport he’s come to love—kayak fishing.
Our Sunburst Canoe Paddle: The Best of Both Worlds
Bending Branches’ Sunburst ST and Sunburst 11 canoe paddles combine the best of two worlds—wood and carbon—to form one state-of-the-art canoe paddle with the elite canoeist in mind.