I was fishing several days ago in Ellison Bay and along came a couple of recreational kayakers with nice kayaks. I could tell from the aluminum shafts that their paddles were lower end and heavier than what they should be using. Fishing was slow so I chatted with the father and son out on a beautiful day for kayaking. I mentioned that they might have even more fun with a lighter paddle and handed them my 27- ounce paddle. They were surprised at how nice and light my paddle felt compared to theirs. 

Many kayakers and kayak anglers spend much more time and money on their kayak than on their paddle. When I give talks, I suggest people buy the lightest most expensive paddle they can afford. It an investment like the kayak and will last for years. Nothing can ruin a fun day on the water faster than a heavy paddle and until you are using a lighter one, you may not even know it. I would suggest using 32-ounces as a benchmark for the heaviest paddle you should look at and you don’t have to spend $300 to $500 to get a very nice paddle.  There are great paddles with carbon shafts and fiberglass blades that are very affordable.

When considering a new paddle, you will want to check out one of the length charts you can find on-line. Your height and the width of your kayak are part of picking the correct length. Most will be fine with a two-piece snap ferrule, but some paddles can be adjusted up to 15 cm which can be helpful for different water and wind conditions. Checking with a good outfitter or asking questions on Facebook kayak sites can be helpful.

Picking the correct paddle for you is very important, so if you have any questions, please email me at kayakfishingwisconsin@gmail.com and I’d be very happy to help.