Last Fourth of July weekend, I watched an Illinois conservation officer write three tickets at Busse Lake in about 20 minutes. The violations? Missing PFDs, no sound device, and a motorized kayak without registration. The total fines? Over $500. That expensive morning could have been avoided with a basic understanding of Illinois kayak laws. After […]

Last summer, I found myself paddling through downtown Chicago at sunset, skyscrapers towering above while herons fished beside my kayak. That's when it hit me - Illinois offers some of the most diverse paddling experiences in the country. From urban adventures to pristine wilderness, the Prairie State has it all. After exploring waterways from the […]

Last Tuesday, I was paddling across Lake Travis when a guy in a rental kayak pulled up beside me. "Hey, how long does it take to get to that island?" he asked, pointing to a spot about a mile away. "Twenty minutes if you hustle, thirty if you're taking photos," I told him. He looked […]

The sun was just breaking over the Lincoln Memorial when I pushed off from Thompson Boat Center for my first paddle on the Potomac. After years of kayaking lakes and rivers across the country, I wasn't prepared for what DC offered - monument views from the water, cherry blossoms reflecting in the calm morning surface, […]

Discover the best stand-up paddle boards of 2025, tested and reviewed. From budget-friendly Niphean to premium BOTE, find your perfect SUP match.

Last Saturday morning at Lake Cachuma, I watched a guy land a 12-pound largemouth bass using nothing but a beat-up spinner and 20-year-old line. Meanwhile, three boats away, someone with $5,000 worth of gear hadn't had a bite all morning. That's California fishing for you – it's not about having the fanciest equipment, it's about […]

Last summer, I watched my paddle slice through water so clear I could count individual rocks 20 feet below. The Wood River's turquoise current pushed my kayak through a corridor of aspens while Mt. McLoughlin loomed in the distance. After paddling in 15 states, I can honestly say Oregon spoiled me – and it'll spoil […]

Last April, I found myself paddling the Kansas River at sunrise, watching a bald eagle snatch a fish from the water not 30 feet from my kayak. The mist was rising off the water, cottonwoods were budding along the banks, and I thought – why did it take me so long to discover Kansas paddling? […]

The first time I tried drop shot fishing, I was anchored in my fishing kayak just off a rocky point on Lake Travis. After struggling all morning with Texas rigs and getting nothing but short strikes, I tied on a drop shot out of desperation. Within ten minutes, I'd boated three chunky smallmouth that had […]

Last July, I watched the sunrise paint the limestone cliffs of the St. Croix River gold while paddling my fishing kayak through glass-calm water near Taylors Falls. A bald eagle swooped down 20 feet from my bow, snatching a smallmouth bass from the surface. That moment – just 45 minutes from Minneapolis – reminded me […]