Paddling Education

Pedal fishing kayaks are surging in popularity. If you’re considering buying one, too, we thought you’d be interested in hearing what avid kayak anglers think about them.

Can you fish from a tandem kayak? Of course! Here are some things to consider if you like the idea of a tandem fishing kayak.

Day trips are a marvelous way to enjoy canoeing on local rivers and lakes. Whether you’re on the water for an hour or a full day, here are the most helpful accessories to make your day-long excursions comfortable and fun.

Aging doesn’t have to slow you down or stop your days of enjoying a boat trip either solo or with your friends and family. The key is to find ways to continue doing what you love without compromising health, safety, or comfort.

Bending Branches’ ProStaffer Jason Schall and his wife, Jennifer, kayak fish together regularly. In the fall of 2022 they took a dream fishing trip together to the Amazon River in Colombia, South America.

Straight shaft and bent shaft canoe paddles are sized differently. Be sure you choose the size paddle that’s right for you, with help from our friends at Happy Paddlin.

So, you’re trying to decide between a kayak, canoe or paddleboard. How do you know which one is best for you? Recreational paddling on any of these watercraft is lots of fun, great exercise and an ideal way to enjoy the lakes, rivers or oceans around you. And they each have their own set of pros and cons.

Grab your beverage-of-choice, a comfortable seat and your digital device for an overview of your favorite content of 2022 on the Bending Branches blog.

We’re excited about our 2023 upgrades and new product for kayak anglers. Our friend, Dan Arbuckle of Headwaters Kayak, takes viewers through these products in this review of our budget-friendly models.

Paddle4Tomorrow (P4T) is an Atlanta-based 501c3 that connects youth with each other and the outdoors, no matter their abilities or background. We’re proud to be a supporter of this wonderful organization.

If you’re making a list and checking it twice, we’re here to give you some holiday gift ideas. We have lots of friends in the paddle industry we’re happy to recommend, as well as some gear of our own that your family and friends will love.

Active kayak anglers know there’s a chance, however slight, they may end up in the water for one reason or another. The best way to prepare for that is to practice flipping your kayak back over from the water and getting back on.

The Explorer Plus wood canoe paddle is one of Bending Branches’ most popular paddles due to its reliability and ease of use in any flatwater paddling environment.

Paddle Planner is a unique online toolkit that makes planning your canoe and kayak trips easy and fun. “It’s Google directions for the Boundary Waters,” says founder Ben Strege.

Fall fishing is absolutely my favorite. Out of all the seasons, there is something so incredibly peaceful about launching a kayak on a chilly fall morning. The bite had been surprisingly slow for me that morning, and after unsuccessfully throwing a square bill crankbait, I decided to pull out what I jokingly referred to as my “secret weapon.”

Canoe camping trips on rivers are somewhat different than in flatwater environments like the Boundary Waters or Quetico. Bending Branches’ long-time President and owner, Ed Vater, takes us through his gear list for river canoe camping.

How do you deal with the unplanned things that can arise during a paddle? My solution is to always carry what I call “contingency supplies.” Find out what's in my dry bag!

Growing up, CJ Bennett developed pneumonia three times in one year. Fortunately as she got older, she didn’t get sick as much as she did as a child, but CJ was left with lifelong Asthma. Asthma can strike at any time. Here is how she stays prepared when enjoying time out on the water.

As a kayak angler, your paddle is an indispensable tool that provides both the motor and the ability to position yourself precisely where you want to be to catch and land fish.

A kayak paddle’s ferrule system is one of its most important components. We offer two ferrule systems for our paddles here at Bending Branches: the snap-button and our (new for 2023) Versa-Lok.

Bending Branches' Versa-Lok^TM ferrule system offers variable length and feathering options for your kayak fishing paddle. This can truly enhance your paddle's performance, and therefore your paddling experience.