One is elegant, fast and easily manoeuvrable; the other is bulky, slower but has a much greater payload potential.

Anyway, there are some great spots in our backyard for kayaking or canoeing.

Lake Neshonoc, near West Salem, is a nice, low-key place to swim, as is Goose Island, just south of La Crosse. Goose Island County Park & ​​Campground is a great place to explore, but you can turn around so you might want to bring someone who knows the area, or at least have some navigation tools.

Sticking to the small lake scene, the lakes near Trempealeau – Round, Second, Third, and Long – offer calm water kayaking and plenty of good pan and bass fishing. Mix it up occasionally in the north and it’s a great place to take the kids fishing. There is easy access to the lakes which makes it ideal if you are just starting out.

If you prefer river kayaking, the Mississippi backwaters, the Black River, the La Crosse River, or just south of La Crosse the Kickapoo River provide great kayaking opportunities.

Not sure you want to get started with purchasing a kayak, paddle, and personal flotation device? There are a number of options, as places like Island Outdoors on the French Island or Schafer’s River Rentals on Brice Prairie, rent kayaks by the hour or by the day.

The two aforementioned locations are right by the river – Island Outdoors is on the Black River while Schafer’s River Rentals is on Onalaska Lake – so it’s an easy and inexpensive way to get your feet wet, er by kayaking. . No need to worry about having a vehicle or trailer to haul a kayak.