Standing in the outfitter's showroom surrounded by gleaming canoes, I watched a first-time buyer's eyes go wide as the salesperson gestured toward a rack of boats ranging from stubby 10-foot pack canoes to expedition-grade 20-footers. "How long is a canoe, really?" she asked, and the simple question opened a doorway into one of paddling's most […]

After fifteen years of paddling across every type of water imaginable, I've seen firsthand how a neglected kayak hull can transform from showroom-shiny to chalky and weather-beaten in a single season. Just last month at a local launch, I watched a fellow paddler struggle to scrub months of algae and grime off his composite touring […]

The morning air carries that unmistakable crispness, and the first yellow leaves are beginning to drift across the lake surface. You know what that means. Fall bass fishing season is here, and if you're not prepared, you're about to miss some of the most explosive action of the entire year. I've spent over two decades […]

The first time you slide your bare hand into the dark mouth of a catfish hole, every survival instinct in your body screams at you to pull back. Your heart hammers against your ribs as unseen creatures brush past your fingertips in the murky water. Then it happens – a crushing pressure clamps down on […]

Yes, you can fish at Colorado Bend State Park, and remarkably, you don't even need a Texas fishing license when fishing within park boundaries. Located in San Saba County along six miles of the Colorado River, this 5,328-acre Texas Hill Country destination offers some of the best river fishing in the state, from the legendary […]

There is something almost sacred about the moment you decide to name your kayak. I witnessed this firsthand last month at Lady Bird Lake when a father and his teenage daughter spent twenty minutes debating between "Aqua Libre" and "Paddle-istic" before finally settling on "Yak to the Future." Their laughter echoed across the water as […]

Yes, most wild bass contain parasites - it's an unavoidable reality of catching and eating freshwater game fish. Studies from fisheries biologists and state wildlife agencies indicate that 60-70% of wild bass carry visible parasites, with nearly all wild freshwater fish hosting some form of microscopic parasitic organism. These parasites include yellow grubs (Clinostomum marginatum), […]

Loading a kayak into your truck bed should feel exciting, not nerve-wracking. Yet every year, countless paddlers discover the hard way that a poorly secured kayak can turn a weekend adventure into a costly disaster. Whether you are hauling a fishing kayak to your favorite lake or transporting a touring kayak for a multi-day river […]

Spring 2026 has already delivered some memorable mornings on the water. Just last week on Raritan Bay, I watched a 28-inch striper smash a tube and worm rig within casting distance of my kayak. The drag screamed, the fish ran, and for ten minutes we danced - me trying to keep the kayak steady, the […]

Whether you are planning your first paddling adventure or looking to improve your efficiency on the water, understanding kayak speed is essential for any paddler in . The question "how fast can a kayak go?" is one of the most common questions beginners ask, and for good reason. Your kayak speed determines everything from trip […]