Any Other Fishers Who Prefer Canoes? 2024
ol'crickety reply :
I bought a 15.5 foot Mirrocraft last spring and figured I'd fish some prime smallmouth waters, like Sturgeon Bay in Lake Michigan and the upper Mississippi. I used it once and liked its speed and stability. Stepping onto its deck is like stepping onto the deck anchored to my house. Stepping into my canoe can be tricky and especially if it's a frosty morning and I'm stiffened by sleeping on granite. Nevertheless, I'm selling the big boat because I didn't like fishing that far from the water. I like being close to the fish and the water and most of all, I like that my canoe goes places no big boat can go. I also like how quiet my canoe is and that I don't have to fiddle with gasoline, launch ramps, a motor, and a battery. I fished from Old Town royalex canoes for years for their sturdiness, but as a concession to my 50s, I now fish from kevlar Bell boats. I have a solo and a tandem. Any others who prefer canoes? Of course, I have regrets with my choice of boats. I look at pics of your Lake Erie bass and understand it's unlikely I'll ever catch bass as big as you big water fishers catch, but lawdy, I sure do catch a lot of bass on those lovely, pristine lakes from my little boats.
Darren. reply :
Plenty who do. I used to fish out of an old 16' aluminum Grumman, but the weight was more and more difficult to deal with over the years.
Changed over to kayak fishing, first year with an inexpensive yak and I realized how much I missed from my canoeing, so I upgraded to a hybrid, the Native Watercraft Ultimate 12. Sits low to the water like a kayak, but has the roominess of a canoe. It's the best of both worlds for me, and is by far more stable than either the canoe or the yak I used.
Love to fish out of the Ultimate. Awesome experience. And big plus that we can go places big boats cannot! 
A-Jay reply :
I fish from an Old Town Predator square back - I use a Minn Kota to get me around
Very stable and I stand to fish almost exclusively.
Clearly limited to smaller bodies of water - but that's how I like. (most of the time)
A-Jay
Trackick9707 reply :
I currently fish from a 1979 17ft alumacraft canoe. I get a lot of static from my buddies until I ask how much it costs to fill the gas tank on there big fishing rigs. The best party about a canoe is fishing non-motor lakes. No pleasure boater or jet skier's to ruin your spot. Being close to the water is really cool and when i fish from a big boat the intimacy of the experience is lost. Take pride knowing that you have to earn your fish when you have to paddle to get to them. Also, as far a trophy fishing i have caught my 3 biggest bass while canoe fishing. Small waters sometimes hold the largest fish.
ol'crickety reply :
Cool rig, A-Jay! I'm shocked that you stand.
Fry, I live in Eau Claire. That's sure a big bass in your profile pic. Did you catch that in Wisconsin?
DarrenM, your kayak sounds great. I've seen a couple guys who use them in Ontario and they had them all tricked out.
flyfisher reply :
i have a hybrid boat, wilderness systems commander, which is basically a small canoe and i love it. I can stand and fish all day long and it paddles pretty well from the captains perch or even better down in the seat. Works very well for lakes and slow moving rivers. I have another boat for the rivers 
The only problem is i want something i can fish some of hte larger lakes here that are electric only and paddling long distances can get old after a while.....i see a pedal powered kayak in my future
5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :
17'4" Old Towne Penobscot was my last canoe. LOVED IT! Wanted a bigger vessel for my family. It was awesome getting right there on the shorelines. :-)
ol'crickety reply :
Whoever moved this thread, thank you. I didn't even know that there was this part of the website 'cause I never scrolled down!
@ jnatale3 Those Old Town royalex boats rock. When I had three, I would hit a rock and pity the rock.
@ flyfisher It's cool that you flyfish for bass. On an Ontario trip this fall, I had a flyfisher in the bow and it was cool to see that flicking fly. He was amazed that I was casting F13 Rapalas and I told him, "I do it for the distance and because these fish haven't seen a lure, so they'll whack a big bait." Three days into the trip, he was using my F13s.
Fishing Rhino reply :
I have two canoes, one with a trolling motor, and the other for paddling. I also have a Nitro Z-8. I enjoy all of them and prefer each for various applications. But, as far as the fishing goes, I really like fishing from the canoes. I'm closer to the water. Everything I need is within reach so I can do it all from my seat at command central. I can have more rods rigged and readily accessible in my canoes. I do not have to worry about them being stepped on or kicked overboard. Want to change rods, drop the one I'm using into my rod holder and pull out the one I want.
The downside of these rod racks is that you cannot use them when you are fishing two from the canoe. Nine rod rack in the paddlin' canoe. Eleven rod rack in the trolling motor canoe.
Here's a canoe my wife and I won in a raffle. Doubt I'll ever fish from it. It's a work of art.
Marty reply :
Unfortunately, I didn't buy a canoe until about 15 years after I started thinking about one. I was in my 60s when I finally pulled the trigger. For various reasons, a trailered boat was not an option and it was a canoe or nothing. Because of my age, it had to be an ultralight and I got a Kevlar Wenonah.
It's been a pleasure to be be able to get out on the water without depending on an invitation from a boat-owning friend. Fortunately, I have access to some waters that hold big fish (big by New York standards) and I've caught many more big ones while fishing in the canoe than other boats.
I also fish a couple of large lakes at one end if the winds are right. In the area within a few hundred yards from shore it's pretty weedy and motorized boats are rarely in the area.
Kevlar canoes are expensive, but I don't regret it one iota and I'd buy the exact same boat if I had it to do over again.
Goose52 reply :
I'm part of the canoe crowd. I ended up with a canoe after studying all small watercraft from float tubes up to bass boats. The best solution for ME, was a heavily-accesorized canoe. I only fish my local, small (1 1/2 to 201 acres), no-wake lakes. Some of these lakes don't have boat ramps (like the lake in the photo below). I needed something car-topable without a special rack, modular, very light weight, with as much capability as possible. I wanted stability so I could stand and fish all day, lots of inboard storage, motorized, and little to no maintenance. I didn't want to have to buy a truck or other tow vehicle, I didn't want to consume a garage bay or driveway space with a boat and trailer, didn't want high expense and high maintenance, and didn't want to use gasoline. Taking everything into account, I ended up with my funky canoe.
Trolling motor, outriggers, DI/SI sonar, anchor system, rod racks, etc.; it's not really a traditional canoe...it's a bass boat that you can car top... 
I've caught over 1,000 fish out of this canoe over the last three seasons. Try as I might, I still can't think of another watercraft that would meet my needs as well as this rig does. 
ol'crickety reply :
@ Fishing Rhino Wow! Those are three beautiful boats. Say, why do you carry so many rods? I fish with three and sometimes think that's extravagant. Do you have a different lure on each one?
@ Marty You're my hero. 76 and still fishing from a canoe. I worry about the day when I'll no longer have the balance and strength to fish from a canoe. I sure hope still I'm fishing from my little boats at 76.
@ Goose52 Holy smokes! That's a command center, a floating fortress, and a bobbing base. Very cool.
Christian M reply :
I absolutely love fishing out of my 14' Scanoe. it gets me into those streams, creeks, channels, & coves that you could'nt dream of taking a bass boat or even a small jon boat into. I ran wires up the gunwhales on both sides so all I have is about a foot of waterproofed wire with a quick disconnect in front for the battery & in back for my 55lb MK. I also have a swivel seat in the back so I can fish all day comfortably. I definitely notice when im on smaller, more shallow lakes, I catch more fish in my Scanoe vs. my boat. Its just so stealthy on the water. I can get right up on top of the fish and they don't spook. I have the swivel seat there for when im tying on a new lure or positioning myself, but honestly I spend most of my time standing and fishing, its that stable! The only thing that I dread is loading my Scanoe up. I primarily fish from it alone, and its back breaking work car- topping the boat, loading up the battery, motor & tackle, not to mention the scratches I have on the roof of my vehicle. Good news though, I found a canoe loader/carrier on Cabelas that is designed for 1 person to load their canoe alone! Most of the reviews were 4 stars, its $100 so I think I'm gonna get it. I would use my Scanoe A LOT more if it were just easier to load up.
Fishing Rhino reply :
Each rod is rigged with a different lure. Two may be rigged with my preference of the day. That picture was taken in 2008. Most of the time I fish with three or four rods at the ready, even on the bass boat. I wanted to fish as efficiently as possible.
I had just started fishing again, and was trying to make the learning curve as easy as possible.
ol'crickety reply :
@ Christian M A canoe is amazingly stealthy. This summer, I was fishing in about 4 feet of very clear water. There was a shallow stream that ran along a cliffside and right where the stream emptied into the lake, smallmouth bunched. I caught a few on the surface, but figured there were more there, so I paddled upstream, let the current catch my canoe and slid over that particular, small spot, leading with my rod and leech. I caught five more in a row that way and those fish could see my canoe, but they didn't care.
@ Fishing Rhino I agree with efficiency, which is why I like three rods with three lures. If my canoe were bigger, I'd be tempted to take a few more.
Fishes in trees reply :
Those boats look like fun,but I'm pretty clumsy and I've had balance issues for a long time. I'll stick to my 18' Lowe. Even when I was in my 20's, small tippy boats & canoes weren't comfortable for me to fish in.
ol'crickety reply :
They can be tippy, Fishes in Trees. I slipped getting into one last June and carried the shin cut through the summer. I've still got the scar and likely always will. They're tippiest in the morning, when the day is still gray and I'm as supple as a two-by-four.
WDinarte reply :
Great topic, I'm on the process of an application approval ( from the wife ) for a canoe. I'm looking for the square canoe, we are running in a tight-budget and I don't have any space for abig boat or trailer, so a 3-400$ canoe will be a great option.
Probable santa is good to Me this year.
Christian M reply :
I have the green Scanoe and I think the fish just look at it as a log floating overhead. Not a far fetched idea, it's moss colored, has little to no hull slap, and like you said if you can find where they're schooled up, you can easily use your motor or paddle to circle around and drift back over a spot, all without ever spooking a single fish. With smallies you also have the added advantage of them being naturally curious, sometimes one gets hooked or sees your lure, and the rest of the school gets excited. I plan on buying the foot pedal for transom mount trolling motors for mine. Also the Scanoe takes up to a 5hp motor, so you can fish bays, and rivers with no worries.
Goose52 reply :
On 11/26/2012 at 10:47 PM, ol said:@ Goose52 Holy smokes! That's a command center, a floating fortress, and a bobbing base. Very cool.
Funny you should mention "floating fortress"...some of the locals have given my canoe several nicknames: flagship of the Lower Slobovian navy, the attack canoe, and the war canoe...
J Francho reply :
I did the canoe thing for years. They're great if you get a light one. Now when I fish sans bass boat, I use a sit on top fishing kayak. Much more stable, better storage and, laid out specifically for fishing.
ol'crickety reply :
On 11/29/2012 at 9:20 PM, Goose52 said:Funny you should mention "floating fortress"...some of the locals have given my canoe several nicknames: flagship of the Lower Slobovian navy, the attack canoe, and the war canoe...
I have a carved, antique prow from a New Guinea war canoe. I should give it to you!
ol'crickety reply :
On 11/29/2012 at 11:18 PM, J Francho said:I did the canoe thing for years. They're great if you get a light one. Now when I fish sans bass boat, I use a sit on top fishing kayak. Much more stable, better storage and, laid out specifically for fishing.
J Francho reply :
I use these: http://www.c-tug.com/
Ratherbfishing reply :
God no! Hated it!
Ratherbfishing reply :
But then again, I like to ice fish so who am I to judge?
Gavin reply :
I have two canoes...a 17' Wenonah Tandem, and a 14.5' Mad River Solo Canoe...I dont lake fish very often...but they suit my need for a fishing platform that has enough gear capacity for several nights of camping on the river. Pretty easy to stand & fly cast out of the 17'...not so in the 14.5'.
ol'crickety reply :
On 11/30/2012 at 3:29 AM, J Francho said:I use these: http://www.c-tug.com/
Cool tool. How do you think it would perform on the rocky terrain of the Canadian Shield?
Brent Christian reply :
As to say prefer a canoe I don't think I could say that but I equally enjoy both my bass boat and canoe. Both used for different applications, I can catch just as many fish out I my canoe as anyone can out of a full blown bass rig. I love fishing streams for smallies on my canoe..
J Francho reply :
On 12/2/2012 at 6:22 AM, ol said:Cool tool. How do you think it would perform on the rocky terrain of the Canadian Shield?
You probably want to use the pneumatic wheels. They work well on the rocky Great Lakes shoreline.
Bankbeater reply :
How does a canoe do in the wind??
Marty reply :
On 12/5/2012 at 7:52 AM, Bankbeater said:How does a canoe do in the wind??
Mine doesn't do well, even a mild breeze moves it around. It's an ultralight and I don't know how much that has to do with it, but I know the fact that it's got lots of freeboard is a big factor. I've never been in a kayak, but I'm pretty sure it's less affected by the wind than a canoe.
Goose52 reply :
Mine too. Even with all the gear in mine, it floats like a cork and catches wind like a sail....
ClackerBuzz reply :
On 12/5/2012 at 7:52 AM, Bankbeater said:How does a canoe do in the wind??
wind blows my canoe around like a sailboat. its an easy fix with an 8lb mushroom anchor. on non-wind day's i get away using my 2lb grappling style anchor.
as stated kayaks are much less effected by the wind. 99% of the time i can get away with my 2lb anchor. on 15mph+ windy days i need the 8lb even in my kayak
Fishing Rhino reply :
A five gallon bucket works pretty well as a wind anchor. Slows the drift considerably. If the pond has bushy vegetation, such as arrow head plants in the shallows, backing the canoe about half way into them works very well. Back into the plants, fan cast to the open water 'til you've worked it to your satisfaction. then pole or paddle the canoe into the open water, move along the shore and back her in again.
If you have a trolling motor, you'll need to tip it up. A double ended canoe, like the one in my avatar works better than a square stern canoe for backing into the vegetation. Notice the tips of the rods in my avatar are all below the small foredeck and gunnel. The tips cannot be snagged by the plants. This allows me to paddle along, just inside the edge of the plants, which works well in the wind.
Marty reply :
QuoteA five gallon bucket works pretty well as a wind anchor. Slows the drift considerably.
I have a bucket in the bow which has 20-30# of water in it. That's for the purpose of trimming the canoe. I've never been out without it so I don't know if it slows the drift. But even with that it doesn't take much of a breeze to blow me around.
rb56 reply :
last spring i purchased a pelican 15.5. it's my first canoe and i grew up in a 14' flat bottom with a 9 1/2 johnson, then an 18 evinrude. my dad had a ouachita stick steer bass boat and a roughneck which both i used as my own. i started paddling the canoe but soon bought a minn kota motor and added a home made transom. i added front and rear anchor line locks to control them from my seat. i added a cgi sitbacker seat, i made a dash boars that slides in and locks in place and slides out. my rod holder is mounted so they stick out the back of the boat out of the way. this winter i have designed and am adding stabilizers i'm making from pvc. i have learned that in a canoe standing isn't done, if you cut the motor sharp from a start make sure you are positioned in the seat at to why adding the stabilizers. i'm making them so they attach to my dash and slide out to fish then retract to the sides when moving and serve as anti tip devices. i say all of this because i have enjoyed the canoe so much and learned as i go things to do to make fishing easier, safer and more productive. it's not the best canoe, i bought it at academy sporting goods for $279. that is a heck of a price for almost any boat and other sites are as high as $500+. i love fishing from this boat and it gives me something to do adding to it and so on. i was loading up to leave and it's a mess and changes have been made.
Fishing Rhino reply :
On 12/8/2012 at 8:39 AM, Marty said:I have a bucket in the bow which has 20-30# of water in it. That's for the purpose of trimming the canoe. I've never been out without it so I don't know if it slows the drift. But even with that it doesn't take much of a breeze to blow me around.
I have it on a six foot piece of line and toss it over the side so the canoe has to drag it through the water. It really slows the drift considerably. I drill three holes at the top edge of the bucket to make a "bridle" much like parachutes have. Wind socks, which come in various sizes can also be used, but the bucket is cheaper and provides storage for my anchor.
Marty reply :
On 12/8/2012 at 11:31 PM, Fishing Rhino said:I have it on a six foot piece of line and toss it over the side so the canoe has to drag it through the water. It really slows the drift considerably. I drill three holes at the top edge of the bucket to make a "bridle" much like parachutes have. Wind socks, which come in various sizes can also be used, but the bucket is cheaper and provides storage for my anchor.
Thanks. I just wasn't thinking. I can easily see how the bucket over the side can slow things down.
The one that got away reply :
I can't say I prefer fishing from a canoe as opposed to a bass boat, because all I have is a canoe.
I have a Old Town Guide147 that I bought from Dick's in 2008. I think I paid $350 for it on a special. I HAD to get something to get off the shore. A "real" boat was out of the question, so I went with the canoe.
Couldn't have been happier with it, but paddling got to be a real PITA after a few years. I bought a trolling motor and used it in 2011 and 2012. I added a Garmin 300c depthfinder this year. The transducer attaches to the bottom of the trolling motor. I mounted the depthfinder unit on a short piece of hardwood floor, and clamp the hardwood onto the yoke when I'm on the water. It's not in the photo below.
I have stood in the canoe, but only when I'm out alone, with no wind. When I'm out alone, I put three 25lb weight plates in the bow to help even it out. If I forget the plates, it's not much of a problem unless it's windy. Then I will get blown pretty much in circles.
If the proper technique is used, lifting the canoe and transporting the canoe is fairly easy. I'm 47, but it's really not too tough if done correctly.
I doubt I will consider a kayak in the future. Nothing against kayaks, but I can fit more in my canoe, and one of my old fishing buddies has caught the fishin' bug again and he went with me almost every time out for the last couple of months this season. No room for him if I only had a yak.
The only thing I could use a little help with is with casting technique, specifically flipping/pitching. I can't figure out a proper way to do this from a seated position with the water being so close. Back in the day when I was shore-bound, I just casted every time and before I knew anything about the flipping/pitching technique.
Here's the "SS Minnow":
salmicropterus reply :
I think this last post was really a good one. I've been keeping up with this thread but have held off posting. I've been bugged by the word "prefer". If budget isn't an issue then I think many would "prefer" a fully tricked out 21' Triton/Ranger/Skeeter with a 250HP Mercury, Evinrude or Yamaha. That said, it's complex and it depends on where and how you fish. I am lucky enough to a) live on a small residential lake where I have a BassTender 10.5' with a TM (Yes, I have often used a five gallon bucket as a wind anchor and it's a great idea) and 
have a 21' Triton with a 250 Evinrude HO (I'm a dealer so it costs me less) that I use on big Florida lakes like Okeechobee. Either rig would be totally useless in the opposite scenario. I can say this: in my business we deal with everything from 10' john boats with a TM or 9.9 kicker to 40' ocean boats with trip 300hp Verados. All boats are "preferred" in the eye of the owner and thus all should be respected, as should the owners. I guess my point is that "prefer" is often dictated by finances and how and where you fish. It's all good.
Goose52 reply :
I sorta see your point. BUT, some people DO "prefer" canoes - budget independent. It's a totally different experience. Nothing like paddling, silent, through a quiet stream, river, or lake - just you and nature. Many of those folks would never consider any gas propulsion and the associated noise, smell, and pollution; many wouldn't care for electric propulsion either. It is indeed a preference. Canoe purists even look aghast at my canoe contraption...
However, for me, a canoe wasn't a "preference." As I mentioned in post #14, I studied all small watercraft from float tubes up to bass boats. My budget could have been up to, say, $25k or so. BUT, the best solution for me, given my needs and wants, was the tricked out canoe. Budget independent, would I have "preferred" how-ever much bass boat $25k would buy? Absolutely not. If I wanted a bass boat, I'd just buy one...but I won't...because it's not the best solution to the problem.
As you said - it's more about where and how you fish, determining the best solution to get yourself on the water, and then going out and catching fish. For me, a bass boat would get me absolutely NO more fish on MY water...than my canoe...
The one that got away reply :
I wasn't following this thread until I posted earlier today.
Due to finances (or lack thereof), it was either "prefer" to get a canoe, or "prefer" to keep standing on the shore, lol. Too many important things to pay for - mortgage, bills, college for three kids. I don't think the wife would appreciate it if I spent the equivalent of a couple years of tuition on a boat.
Maybe I'm wrong - because I don't have a "real" boat to compare it to - but I don't really feel like only having a canoe is causing me to miss out on any fish. Even better, I go to a number of places that don't have a boat ramp that a boat owner can't even get into. And, I don't have all the ongoing expenses of a typical boat owner.
And Goose52 - that is one awesome yacht you've got there. I've always enjoyed those photos when I see you post them.
ol'crickety reply :
I prefer the canoe. Motors need batteries and batteries need charging and motors won't always start and to even get your boat into the water, you need a ramp. Best of all, my canoe reaches lakes that no boat with a motor can reach unless you're willing to drop a couple thousand to hire an Otter to drop you on that lake. I like to fish for stupid fish because you catch a lot more of them and the canoe takes me to stupid fish, thus I prefer it.
ol'crickety reply :
@ The one that got away
Nice looking rig. My canoe is just a banged-up Bell Kevlar with no tricks and even then, it's hard to carry through the bush .
Fishing Rhino reply :
On 12/20/2012 at 8:26 AM, The one that got away said:I can't say I prefer fishing from a canoe as opposed to a bass boat, because all I have is a canoe.
I have a Old Town Guide147 that I bought from Dick's in 2008. I think I paid $350 for it on a special. I HAD to get something to get off the shore. A "real" boat was out of the question, so I went with the canoe.
Couldn't have been happier with it, but paddling got to be a real PITA after a few years. I bought a trolling motor and used it in 2011 and 2012. I added a Garmin 300c depthfinder this year. The transducer attaches to the bottom of the trolling motor. I mounted the depthfinder unit on a short piece of hardwood floor, and clamp the hardwood onto the yoke when I'm on the water. It's not in the photo below.
I have stood in the canoe, but only when I'm out alone, with no wind. When I'm out alone, I put three 25lb weight plates in the bow to help even it out. If I forget the plates, it's not much of a problem unless it's windy. Then I will get blown pretty much in circles.
If the proper technique is used, lifting the canoe and transporting the canoe is fairly easy. I'm 47, but it's really not too tough if done correctly.
I doubt I will consider a kayak in the future. Nothing against kayaks, but I can fit more in my canoe, and one of my old fishing buddies has caught the fishin' bug again and he went with me almost every time out for the last couple of months this season. No room for him if I only had a yak.
The only thing I could use a little help with is with casting technique, specifically flipping/pitching. I can't figure out a proper way to do this from a seated position with the water being so close. Back in the day when I was shore-bound, I just casted every time and before I knew anything about the flipping/pitching technique.
Here's the "SS Minnow":
When fishing alone, set the boat up so the stern becomes the bow. It will put you closer to the center of the boat. It will also put your trolling motor closer to the center as well.
The canoe in my avatar is rigged "backwards". Here's a couple of images that show how close to the center I'm seated. The bucket behind the seat serves double duty. It holds the anchor, and on windy days, I remove the contents, and toss it over the side to slow the drift. You can see the white cord that makes a three point harness to make the bucket stable when it's dragging behind the boat.
Goose52 reply :
On 12/20/2012 at 8:09 PM, Fishing Rhino said:When fishing alone, set the boat up so the stern becomes the bow. It will put you closer to the center of the boat. It will also put your trolling motor closer to the center as well.
X2. If you look at my photo in post #14, you'll see that's how mine is rigged. I sit on what used to be the "front" seat, facing "backwards." You might have to mod your motor mount so it can handle a wider span however.
In my little 11'6" canoe, running the canoe "backwards" is just about mandatory - otherwise, you get the condition shown in the photo below... :lol:
ol'crickety reply :
You could also move the seat the center. It will require four more holes in your gunwales and purchasing a new seat, but if you go solo, it could make your paddling easier.
The one that got away reply :
Setting my canoe up backwards is pretty much out of the question, as it is currently set up. Both seats are plastic molded seats that have a seat back.
I'll take the trade off and keep the seat backs! I wouldn't like the canoe nearly as much if I couldn't lean back. I know I could always swap out the seats and get an aftermarket portable seat back, but I think I'm going on 4 or 5 years with it the way it is so I'm OK with it.
If the water doesn't freeze over around here soon, I might take it out after Xmas because I have a few days off after the 25th. I specifically remember it being unseasonably warm in my area on New Year's Day and also on Super Bowl Sunday last winter, and I almost went out both days - but didn't.
Neonsnow78 reply :
if it wasnt for this snowstorm i would have went out tomorrow. thats out of the question now...lol
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