Last spring, I pulled up to my favorite launch at Raystown Lake, excited to test my new fishing kayak. As I unloaded, a Fish and Boat Commission officer walked over with that look - you know the one. "Registration or permit?" he asked. My heart sank. I'd completely forgotten Pennsylvania requires documentation for kayaks at […]

I'll never forget the sinking feeling when I spotted those ugly dents in my favorite fishing kayak's hull last spring. After a winter stored on sawhorses in the garage, my trusty Perception had developed the telltale oil canning that makes plastic kayaks look like someone took a hammer to them. The good news? I fixed […]

Last weekend on Lake Travis, my trolling motor died 3 miles from the launch. As I paddled back against a 15mph headwind (yeah, that was fun), I realized I'd been guessing at battery runtime for years. Sound familiar? After testing over 40 different battery setups and burning through more amp hours than I care to […]

I'll never forget the day I watched a 5-pound largemouth demolish a baby duck right next to my kayak on Lake Travis. That moment drove home just how opportunistic these predators really are. After 20 years of kayak fishing for bass, I've seen them eat everything from mice to their own young, and understanding their […]

Last month, I watched a game warden write a $250 ticket to a kayaker at Lake Anna who thought his electric trolling motor didn't need registration. That painful lesson stuck with me – and it's why I'm breaking down every Virginia kayak law you need to know before hitting the water in . After paddling […]

Last Saturday morning on Lake Travis, I had two bass on my stringer when the game warden pulled up. "Nice catches," he said, then asked if I knew I had one spotted bass mixed in with my largemouth. My heart sank – different size limits could mean a ticket. Luckily, both fish were legal, but […]

I've been paddling Oregon's incredible waterways for over a decade, and let me tell you - nothing ruins a perfect day on the water faster than a $115 fine for missing permits. Last summer on the Willamette River, I watched as Marine Patrol checked every single kayaker at the Champoeg launch. Three paddlers got tickets […]

Last summer, I watched an Oklahoma Highway Patrol marine unit write citations at Lake Thunderbird. Three kayakers got tickets - not for being reckless, just for missing basic safety gear. That expensive wake-up call could've been avoided with a quick review of Oklahoma's kayak laws. After paddling Oklahoma waters for years and talking with marine […]

Last spring, I was paddling down the Current River when a Missouri Water Patrol officer flagged me down. My buddy had just installed a trolling motor on his kayak the week before, and neither of us realized that changed everything about registration requirements. That expensive lesson taught me the importance of understanding Missouri's kayak laws […]

Last Saturday, I watched a family get turned away from launching at Barnegat Bay because their 11-year-old wasn't wearing a life jacket. The confusion on their faces reminded me why understanding New Jersey kayak laws matters - it's not just about avoiding fines, it's about staying safe and legal on the water. After paddling New […]