I got a new kayak as a gift with no paddle. I am new to the fishing Kayak deal.

 

Its 32in wide and I am 5-11.  Been looking online and the options are nuts. I am not buying a $350 carbon fiber one but want something decent.

 

Thanks for the help!

I have the Aqua-Bound Manta Ray Hybrid and really like it. It’s light, moves water and not $300. 

I have the Werner Camano, it is super light and moves water. It is not 350.00$ but it is not cheap. Where are you drawing the line?

I thought the way you did last year then I watched a Headwater video about paddles. He made a lot sense. If you don't have peddles or a motor it is your primary mode of propulsion, the nicer it is the less work you are doing. My original paddle was 40 oz, that is heavy. The Camano is 26 oz. it makes a huge difference. 

It depends on where you're going with the kayak.  If you're just getting started on rocky shallow rivers, then an expensive carbon fiber job will kind of a be a waste, and possibly even less satisfactory than a aluminum shaft sub-$100 job (which will probably outlast your kayak). 

Even paddle length is kind of hard to gauge.  For some strange reason, both kayak and canoe paddles are usually sized by the overall length, which is less useful than the shaft length.  What you want is a paddle shaft length that, using your normal paddle stroke, has almost all of the blade submerged, but the shaft is never submerged.  If the shaft is submerged, you're doing work but getting almost no benefit of the work being done.  Kayak forward paddle strokes don't vary a huge amount (in terms of the ideal paddle shaft lengths) between individuals, especially when compared to canoe paddle strokes, but there are some variables.  So you can get the shaft length by subtracting the blade lengths from the paddle length and get reasonably close for sizing, but I favor the better infinitely adjustable ferrules, a la Bending Branches and other manufactures.

Folks will say, 'go try a few out', and that's good advice, but hard to adhere to, just as it is for some to try out a bunch of kayaks (there just aren't that many opportunities).  If you can, do, but if you can't I would start with a entry level, fiberglass handled, general purpose popular model.  The Manta Ray or Stingray from Aqua Bound, Werner Skagit and Tybee, and the Angler Classic from Bending Branches may be what you're looking for.  Again, I'd get the adjustable shaft job.  I'll also say I don't really like the hook retrieval feature on the Bending Branches paddle, it has a propensity for getting hung on bungee cords among other things, but some find it really useful.  One of those may fit your preferred paddle style and not break the bank.  Once you've used it a little, you can get an idea of what you like and don't.  If you really get into it, especially if you do long trips, you'll probably want to upgrade, sometimes to the point of bent shafts, etc.  But just getting into the sport, there's no need to plop down $300+ for a paddle.

I agree with Countryboy that this depends on a lot of things and mostly your preferences. Or lack of preference: I loan out my kayaks all the time to family members and friends and not once has anyone paddling any of my boats ever commented on the paddle given. On the other hand, I am extremely picky and only want to use my best paddles; including even taking my paddle back on the open water if someone happened to be using it. So don't be afraid to buy a "decent" paddle from a sporting goods store and use that for a while (and then keep that as your "beater" paddle).

 

Length can vary, do you like a wide stroke or a vertical stroke? I used to like my shortest paddle best (I have a vertical stroke), but in addition to liking how it paddles, I like my paddles to be as low profile as possible when stored for fishing, and shorter paddles stick out less (I also like flat blade shapes since they also lie flat). But now that I have a much larger and wider boat (Kaku Wahoo), I have switched to my longest but still nice paddle. I sometimes paddle standing up, using it like a paddle board, and the length helps, and I may buy an even longer paddle (so 250-260) for use with that boat.

 

The paddling part really matters a lot if you are paddling "far". Everyone's sense of far is going to vary, but anything over 20 min of hard paddling, or about 1 mile, is far enough that I would want a nice paddle. If you are tooling around on a small lake or pond, and not really paddling distances, save your paddle money and use that on more fishing or kayaking gear.

If you have any shoulder or rotator cuff injuries, get a bent/ergo shaft paddle.  I picked one up on closeout last year and it was a game changer.  the bent shaft also doesnt roll off your legs either, so you can lay it down and fish without having to put in in a paddle keeper

I have a bending branches angler ace paddle.  I ordered it from ACK wiht 20% off.  I think I paid $160 for it after discount.  It's 250 CM, very light, nice paddle.

Thanks guys, my use is mainly a 30ac lake in my neighborhood.  No injuries , I would spend $150.  

Now I am going to start shopping for a new paddle (which I don't need). the paddles listed here above look nice. I have one these, but I bought mine used years ago, and I have a carbon shaft, so that would be a nicer model nowadays:

 

https://wernerpaddles.com/paddles/fishing/skagit-hooked-2-piece-straight-shaft

 

[I also can't figure out what "hooked" means vs the regular; but either would be good for paddling]

I found a Bending Branches Angler Pro on sale for 200. What a sweet paddle. Check the online kayak places for sales and look for a 260 length  
NRS

Outdoor

 

here is a good video about paddles

 

 I've heard a bunch of good things about a company called Kerco paddles that sell on Amazon.

 

While not the lightest carbon fiber paddle out there, it's still lighter than most other fiberglass paddles. I don't know what the differences between their paddles are, but the red one says 34 oz, and 250cm. $95

 

 

On 3/23/2020 at 8:43 PM, offroadr said:

Thanks guys, my use is mainly a 30ac lake in my neighborhood.  No injuries , I would spend $150.  

for that size lake, it's not going to matter much what you get as long as it is the right length.  240CM should be sufficient for your height and kayak width.  If you have an elevated seat you could go longer, 260 is probably overkill.  With the 15% off code you could get this one which has adjustable length

https://www.austinkayak.com/Bending-Branches-Angler-Classic-Plus-Telescoping-Kayak-Paddle/ACK24603P.html

On 3/23/2020 at 10:36 PM, GTN said:

I found a Bending Branches Angler Pro on sale for 200. What a sweet paddle. Check the online kayak places for sales and look for a 260 length  
NRS

Outdoor

 

here is a good video about paddles

 

^^^^ This is the video I watched. I was planning on buying a nice paddle. After watching this I planned on buying a really nice paddle. From what I hear, last paddle you will ever buy.

52 minutes ago, Bass Junke said:

^^^^ This is the video I watched. I was planning on buying a nice paddle. After watching this I planned on buying a really nice paddle. From what I hear, last paddle you will ever buy.

And that’s why I now have a Bending Branches Pro Angler