Originally Posted by wwpaddler
Bear742, I have to disagree with you! The main reason for the bent shaft (or neutral grip) design is not increased power. With that said, I do beleive that increased power may be a result of the design.
I cannot speak to which is better for fishing specifically, only to paddles in general. I have two bent shaft paddles of different manufacturers - two very different feeling paddles even though they are both bent shaft and the same size. It boils down to a matter of personal preference...use what you feel comfortable and confident with!
Take a look at two of the top brands websites and what they say regarding the reason for bent shaft designs. Werner paddles and AT paddles