tjulianc

Thanks.

After doing a little research, it looks like the Disco 164 is now the Penobscot 164. I found one for sale, good price and and condition. I am now thinking about getting two canoes. A solo and a tandem. Any thoughts on the Penobscot 164?

Any body know if this is the case also in Arkansas. I talked to a guy last week and he said he got a ticket in crooked creek for having an electric trolling motor mounted to his canoe and it not being registered. I always thought if it is electric then you don't have to register it. Thanks.

There is another canoe that I was wondering if anyone has ever paddled and that is a Bell. I've found a used Bell Wildfire royalex, which I think became the Yellowstone solo, for sale. Bell is a pricey canoe, and I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience with one. Also, does anyone know when Old Town changed the model from the Discovery 164 to the 169? Thanks.

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I have a couple of questions about boating regulations on the Kings River. Am I allowed to have a canoe rigged with an electric trolling motor on the kings river in Arkansas? Does it have to be registered if it is just an electric motor, with a cell battery, mounted to a canoe? Thanks.

If I decide to get a solo canoe, I will have a hard time deciding between the Wenonah Vagabond and the Mohawk Odyssey 14. They are both great canoes and those who own them speak highly of them. My understanding is that the Odyssey is a bit more maneuverable, maybe handles rapids a little better, where as the Vagabond tracks better and has a little more speed. My main concern is fishing, and being able to get to and from the fish. And sometimes that means getting into some rough water. So I am kind of leaning towards the Mohawk. I think the odyssey may be a little cheaper too, even with shipping. If I found a good deal on either of the two I would take it and not look back, and that may be what it amounts to, the best deal. If I get a kayak, I am thinking about ordering it from Ausin Kayaks online. Anyone ever use that site? They have a good reputation, and they deliver to your home, which is nice. The shipping fee is less than sales tax, here in Fayetteville, and I can order just what I want. Whatever I decide I will post pics and a review here. It probably won't be for another month or so.

Ok, I was wondering why I couldn't find your 12 foot Guide on Old Town's website, they now make it their Discovery. I have floated in the Old Town Discovery 169 several times, and really liked it. Old Town's Pack looks nice too. It is only 33 lbs which is very light, but it gets up there in price. I agree, if I get in the 1000 dollar range the Vagabond is hard to beat. Really they are all good choices, just depends on how much I want to spend.

I was looking around on Wenonah's website and they have a solo canoe called a Fusion. Has anybody floated in one? Ham- For overnight trips I am likely to have companions and will have a big tandem canoe along on the trip, or at least two solo vessels and we can spread out the gear. Wayne- I didn't realize you could store your rods inside the tarpon. I have seen the Ocean Kayaks and they have a rod pod which is nice, but I prefer the Tarpon or Manta Ray. I can see how I may end up in a few years with a couple of canoes, and a kayak.

Thank you all for your replies today. I have a lot to think about and I am definitely thinking more about a solo canoe. The solo canoe just seems better for what I what to do.

Thanks Gavin. Well, I probably won't be using this boat for any class III rapids, but there will be lots of class I and a few class II rapids. I'll plan on a different strategy for fishing the Mulberry in the spring. Wenonah has three canoes that I like, the Vagabond, the Wilderness, and the Fusion. The Wilderness does seem the best out of the three for Ozark rivers. When you solo the tandem do you have to put much weight in the front of the canoe? Would a SOT, like the Tarpon or Manta Ray, do fine for a day trip down the Kings or Buffalo river, with med to med-high river levels? My concern would be those sharp right angle turns, and beaver dams. Again thanks for your input.

siusaluki, You make a great point. I need to take a look at some solo canoes. I didn't realize how light they were. One of my worries with a sit on top kayak is how top heavy they would be, and storing my poles vertically, instead of horizontally, which is not a problem in open water, but in a river with overhanging willows and birch trees there would be issues. Are you able to stand and cast in your canoe very well? Thanks for your input.

I am thinking about buying a sit on top fishing kayak for fishing ozark rivers and creeks. The streams I fish the most are, Kings River, White River, Crooked Creek, Buffalo River, and Mulberry River. The kayaks I like the most are Wilderness System's Tarpoon 120 and Native Watercraft's Manta Ray 120. I like to fish for small mouth bass and mostly fish with lures, but I am starting to do a little fly fishing as well. I do lots of day trips with some 2 to 3 day trips mixed in a couple of times a year. I would like a vessel I can use both in high, rough water, and low, just barely floatable water. I have never been in a kayak, just canoes. Does anyone have any experience using a sit on top kayak in some of these or similar rivers? Can a sit on top kayak handle class II to maybe class III rapids? Should I consider a fishing sit in kayak, like the Ultimate 120? I would like to hear anyone's thoughts on fishing kayaks in general. Any advice or shared experiences will be greatly appreciated.