Advice For A Fishing Canoe

[Gavin]

I'd agree with Wayne..toons work pretty well on the 11pt, NFoW, and the Tailwaters, but they wouldnt be my choice for most of the streams I float...There just to darn wide, and they dont hold enough gear & beer. A 10' solo will spin on a dime, but it wont go straight, or fast for that matter..I'd go with a longer boat...At least 13' in a solo canoe...though 14-15' would be better. Cheers.

[Zack Hoyt]

I can see it being a tad wide, but I would gladly exchange that for more stability. I have had it down most of the water in NW Ark and a bunch in SW Mo........a tiny creek maybe to small, but the Elk, Indian, etc took it fine. Also, you lost me on the gear thing?? It has a capacity of 400lbs......thats about 150 more lbs than I am. I have been able to carry more gear on this than I did in a kayak or canoe.

The oars add a bit of work and are sure different than paddling a kayak or canoe, but I have never really run into an issue. Also never tipped it and lost my gear.

[jdmidwest]

Pontoons are nice, at one time I thought they may be the perfect craft. I purchased an ODC 816 by Creek Co. It works great on water with good currents and rivers that are wide. They are comfy and stable, easy to get in and out of, you can pack some gear on it, and you can anchor it without problems. Downsides were, pumping it up and putting it together, rowing thru still water, snagging on every buckle, hook, foot platform, etc when playing a fish, being wet all of the time, and they un-nerving possibility of puncturing a float during the float. I was never comfortable floating alone for fear that I was going to pop a gasket and have to walk in to the ramp.

I eliminated all of this with the kayaks. I have never tried a solo canoe, it would probably work as well as a kayak. I just love my yaks.

The Nucanoe looks pretty good, seems like a hybrid between a canoe and a yak. Any one have any experience with them? I am looking to replace my main yak this summer, I have just about wore it out, hull is getting pretty roughed up and has been patched once.

[ness]

Ahhh. The canoe v. kayak v. 'toon debate.

Stability of a pontoon is superior, but where do you dump your canoe? Unseen rock, sure - but also in a fast bend. Think about working through one of those in a 'toon... You've got three feet of oar on each side, and it's tough to change direction of a 'toon.

And whoever mentioned slow water is right on. It's a real workout to get through the big, slow pools. Also, a bit tougher going upstream.

Yes - pontoons hold a lot of weight, but the actual storage space is somewhat limited, and a little harder to access.

Plus sides: A little higher fishing platform, more stability in many situations and more comfortable. They're best on bigger water, where you're not dodging obstacles. Also better for big folks.

Canoes offer the most versatility. Plenty of storage, speed, maneuverability, ability to take someone along, stealth.

[hoglaw]

I have multiple canoes, none of which are "solo" canoes. The one I use when I'm alone is a cheap coleman model called a Pelican. I've taken all of the seats out so it's basically just a shell. I can put a low-riding camping chair in it for quicker streams, or a reclining model for slower floats. I can fit geat in it for days. I've drilled holes in the lip (not sure what to call it) and I can mount/unmount a home-made two by four trolling motor mount in seconds. With a 50lb thrust motor, it darn near gets on plane. The biggest advantage, however, is that it doesn't weigh a thing and it sits wide and high. It's so stable that I can run circles in the thing. I can stand up and operate the trolling motor while fishing 360 degrees. There are a couple of lakes around here that I fish that are electric motor only. I'm the fastest boat on the lake for sure!

If you're looking for something to impress, go with a buffalo solo or a pack. They're both high quality canoes that will last forever. If you want a serious fishing vehicle, I'd highly suggest finding a cheap canoe to strip down to a shell. You get a higher draft, more stability, extreme comfort, and more versatility. You may get some funny looks, but it's worth it.

[BadKarma]

Thank you all for the great advice.

[Al Agnew]

Guess I'll weigh in on this...

There is no perfect solo craft for floating and fishing Ozark streams. If you want stability, the toon rules. If you want gear capacity, a fairly large solo canoe rules. If you want pure maneuverability and ease of paddling for the beginner, a kayak rules. But...all have their drawbacks and weaknesses.

Toon weaknesses have already been noted above. Wind really bothers them. They don't do real well on smaller, bony creeks. They don't carry a whole lot of stuff. It's no fun putting them together and blowing them up.

Kayaks are simply horrible if you're a serious bass angler who carries several rods, lots of tackle, and plenty of beverages.

A GOOD solo canoe does everything a kayak does, and does most of it better. But if you want to stand to fish, you ain't gonna do it in a decent solo canoe. If you want a canoe that allows you to stand comfortably, you can get a nice wide flat-bottomed one, but it'll be a barge to paddle.

I think that the bottom line is, you can make any of these craft work for you, and once you get used to it you'll probably be pretty happy with it...until you happen to get into something better.

Here's my opinion on solo canoes, based upon more than 40 years of floating Ozark streams in canoes.

Longer is better than shorter. You can still turn a 14-15 ft. solo canoe easily once you get some practice. But you can't easily make a short canoe go straight without a lot of corrective strokes. And the shorter a canoe is, the more difficult it is to store your extra fishing rods and keep the tips inside the canoe so that they don't snag on passing brush. I wouldn't have a 10 ft. canoe, period.

I don't want something that is a barge to paddle, so I won't consider a canoe that is very wide. You'll have problems just in reaching the water for an efficient paddle stroke (which means keeping the paddle somewhat vertical) if the canoe is too wide. If you have to stand up, I guess a wide canoe is your best choice, unless you invest in some stabilizers. Stabilizers work, but negate the advantage a canoe has in going through narrow and brushy areas.

A solo canoe should weigh less than 55 pounds max, and I really don't want one that's much over 45 pounds. Solo means carrying it by yourself to and from the river, and I use a lot of accesses that require long or difficult carries.

The best canoe I've found for my own personal uses is the Wenonah Vagabond in Royalex. If you're a larger person than I am (5'8', 170 pounds) the Wenonah Wilderness might be a better choice. The Old Town Pack is a little short and low volume, but I used one for many years with no problems, once I moved the seat forward about 6-8 inches. The Wenonah Solo Plus is good for a large person, but at best is just okay for smaller tandem paddlers. The Mohawk Solo 13 is pretty good, the Solo 14 probably better.