Kayak Fishing

[grizwilson]

Just finished a couple full day fishing floats in my pack angler. Used a double and single paddle. Boat handles quick, at 30lbs light to portage alone. My only issue is it get harder for me to get out every year. Looking at selling/trading for maybe a Old Town Camper or Applacation or something similar. Would like to sit up a bit higher open to ideas and suggestions.

g

[Al Agnew]

Just finished a couple full day fishing floats in my pack angler. Used a double and single paddle. Boat handles quick, at 30lbs light to portage alone. My only issue is it get harder for me to get out every year. Looking at selling/trading for maybe a Old Town Camper or Applacation or something similar. Would like to sit up a bit higher open to ideas and suggestions.

g

If you are still going to be fishing solo, no way I'd get a tandem canoe. There are bigger, higher volume solo canoes out there.

Option number one is to move and raise the seat on your present solo. If the Pack Angler is the same as the regular Pack, the seat is placed too far back anyway. Moving the seat forward to where the front edge of the seat is about at the center of the canoe will give the canoe more initial stability, and allow you to raise the seat a couple inches. A couple inches can make a big difference in how easy it is to get in and out of it (and how comfortable it is to sit in). You may have to get a new seat because you're moving the seat to a wider part of the canoe. You can get good cane or webbed bench seats from several places, including contoured bench seats that fit your butt better. I recommend Piragis Northwoods for a seat source. When you get one of these seats, you just cut the width down to fit your canoe. You may also have to move a thwart a bit to give you the same leg room you had before.

Option number two is a longer, deeper solo. Then you can play around with seat placement and height a little more than you can with the Pack. I suspect a Wenonah Wilderness might fit the bill.

If you really want something you can sit a LOT higher and still feel stable, however, you might be forced to get a short, wide tandem canoe like the Wenonah Fisherman.

Before you do anything, you might want to get hold of a very stiff life preserver cushion that's a couple inches thick, and try sitting on it with your present seat just to see how sitting a couple inches higher affects the balance of the canoe and also how much easier it makes it for you to get in and out.

[grizwilson]

Al

I appreciate your suggestions. I had moved the seat fwd a little and that seemed to take away my quick turns. That said you have me thinking of maybe moving the seat on top of the bracket instead of under. I am concerned that too high will make the little buger squirely. I know the Pack has a web seat this rig has a molded that I surprislingly found comfortable to sit in. I use it just for day trips, and love the way it floats and handles. I use my disco for overnighters, as I hate to pack enough in the little guy for a good camp. Will give it another whoorl with your ideas. THANKS

[Wayne SW/MO]

Actually there is more than just what is below the waterline. Much of the stability is in the tumblehome and the shape of the hull just above the waterline. The secondary stability is pretty much dependent on the design of the hull above the waterline.

[grizwilson]

Actually there is more than just what is below the waterline. Much of the stability is in the tumblehome and the shape of the hull just above the waterline. The secondary stability is pretty much dependent on the design of the hull above the waterline.

I agree and the biggest problem is the 250# old man with diminishing balance above the water line. Have had more problems falling out than turning over. It is hell to get old but sure beats the alternative. Thanks

[Fisherman Sam]

I've actually been thinking about getting a Coosa for while now. I want something I can go out in by myself when I don't have another person to go in my canoe. To those who own a Coosa, how far back does the front storage compartment go? Does it go back far enough to fit a 6 foot fishing rod? On the promo video, Drew Gregory makes it sound like you can but maybe he is referring to a two piece rod. If that storage area does fit a one piece rod, I wouldn't hesitate to get one. If anyone could answer this question for me, I'd appreciate it!

[Smalliebigs]

I've actually been thinking about getting a Coosa for while now. I want something I can go out in by myself when I don't have another person to go in my canoe. To those who own a Coosa, how far back does the front storage compartment go? Does it go back far enough to fit a 6 foot fishing rod? On the promo video, Drew Gregory makes it sound like you can but maybe he is referring to a two piece rod. If that storage area does fit a one piece rod, I wouldn't hesitate to get one. If anyone could answer this question for me, I'd appreciate it!

Sam,

You can fit up to four 8 foot rods in the hull compartment. I liked my Coosa so much I had to buy my wife one, although she hasn't used it yet.....pathetic!!!!

[Fisherman Sam]

Thanks for answering my question Smalliebigs! I'll start saving for one today!

[Al Agnew]

Al

I appreciate your suggestions. I had moved the seat fwd a little and that seemed to take away my quick turns. That said you have me thinking of maybe moving the seat on top of the bracket instead of under. I am concerned that too high will make the little buger squirely. I know the Pack has a web seat this rig has a molded that I surprislingly found comfortable to sit in. I use it just for day trips, and love the way it floats and handles. I use my disco for overnighters, as I hate to pack enough in the little guy for a good camp. Will give it another whoorl with your ideas. THANKS

Yep, moving the seat forward makes the canoe track better but makes it a little slower to turn. Since the Pack is such a short, fat canoe anyway, it turns on a dime when the seat is in the factory position, but doesn't track at all. In fact, I bought the Pack originally more for my wife than for myself, and she immediately started using a double bladed paddle with it because she couldn't make it go straight at all with a canoe paddle. Later, I moved the seat forward, and that made it track a LOT better, but I found it still pretty easy to turn as well. The way I handle the canoe while fishing, I need one that will track better and stay straight a lot more than I need one that is highly maneuverable. That was one of the reasons I finally exchanged the Pack for a Vagabond...the Vagabond tracks better.

Several ways a better tracking canoe helps when floating and fishing Ozark streams...

Most obvious is that it's easier to paddle down the long, dead pools...faster and less effort.

Secondly, the same characteristics that make a canoe track well--it glides and cuts through the water rather than pushing through--also make it easier to slow and stop the canoe as long as you're keeping it parallel to the current. And it takes longer for the current to start to carry it downstream again. So you can stop the canoe in moderate current with a few good paddle strokes, long enough to get in a couple of casts before the current starts to move along too fast again.

Third, good tracking canoes "hold the angle" when ferrying. Ferrying is one of the most effective ways of slowing a canoe in curving riffles, and also one of the best ways of avoiding obstacles like sweeper tree and logs. To ferry, you basically point the front end of the canoe where you DON'T want to go, and backpaddle. In a curving riffle with obstacles on the outside that you want to avoid (very common on Ozark streams), you turn the canoe at an angle to the current with the front end pointing toward the outside of the bend. Then, as you backpaddle, the canoe hopefully keeps that angle. The current is doing some of the work for you, since it's pushing actually pushing you away from the outside and obstacles. And as you clear the obstacle, the stronger current hitting the front end of the canoe compared to the back end will automatically straighten the canoe back up as soon as you stop backpaddling. Compare this to the way most inexperienced (and some who should know better) canoeists try to avoid the obstacles on the outside of a bend in fast water--they turn the canoe away from the obstacle and paddle like crazy. Then the current is pushing on the side of the canoe and pushing it right into the obstacles sideways, and if you don't quite make it past the obstacle by paddling like heck, you hit it broadside. Not good. With ferrying, even if you miscalculate and hit the obstacle, you'll be hitting it with the front end of the canoe and not going sideways into it. I said all that to explain why a canoe that will hold that angle without constantly switching sides as you backpaddle, which good tracking canoes do, is so much better.

[Fisherman Sam]

Yep, moving the seat forward makes the canoe track better but makes it a little slower to turn. Since the Pack is such a short, fat canoe anyway, it turns on a dime when the seat is in the factory position, but doesn't track at all. In fact, I bought the Pack originally more for my wife than for myself, and she immediately started using a double bladed paddle with it because she couldn't make it go straight at all with a canoe paddle. Later, I moved the seat forward, and that made it track a LOT better, but I found it still pretty easy to turn as well. The way I handle the canoe while fishing, I need one that will track better and stay straight a lot more than I need one that is highly maneuverable. That was one of the reasons I finally exchanged the Pack for a Vagabond...the Vagabond tracks better.

Several ways a better tracking canoe helps when floating and fishing Ozark streams...

Most obvious is that it's easier to paddle down the long, dead pools...faster and less effort.

Secondly, the same characteristics that make a canoe track well--it glides and cuts through the water rather than pushing through--also make it easier to slow and stop the canoe as long as you're keeping it parallel to the current. And it takes longer for the current to start to carry it downstream again. So you can stop the canoe in moderate current with a few good paddle strokes, long enough to get in a couple of casts before the current starts to move along too fast again.

Third, good tracking canoes "hold the angle" when ferrying. Ferrying is one of the most effective ways of slowing a canoe in curving riffles, and also one of the best ways of avoiding obstacles like sweeper tree and logs. To ferry, you basically point the front end of the canoe where you DON'T want to go, and backpaddle. In a curving riffle with obstacles on the outside that you want to avoid (very common on Ozark streams), you turn the canoe at an angle to the current with the front end pointing toward the outside of the bend. Then, as you backpaddle, the canoe hopefully keeps that angle. The current is doing some of the work for you, since it's pushing actually pushing you away from the outside and obstacles. And as you clear the obstacle, the stronger current hitting the front end of the canoe compared to the back end will automatically straighten the canoe back up as soon as you stop backpaddling. Compare this to the way most inexperienced (and some who should know better) canoeists try to avoid the obstacles on the outside of a bend in fast water--they turn the canoe away from the obstacle and paddle like crazy. Then the current is pushing on the side of the canoe and pushing it right into the obstacles sideways, and if you don't quite make it past the obstacle by paddling like heck, you hit it broadside. Not good. With ferrying, even if you miscalculate and hit the obstacle, you'll be hitting it with the front end of the canoe and not going sideways into it. I said all that to explain why a canoe that will hold that angle without constantly switching sides as you backpaddle, which good tracking canoes do, is so much better.

That's some great paddling advice, Al. I couldn't tell you how many times I either flipped or took on a ton of water the first time I ever canoed; and it was because I did exactly what you're not supposed to do-turn away and paddle like crazy. Luckily, a seasoned paddler watched me flip going through a curved riffle. After much snickering and helping me get my gear and canoe back, he proceeded to instruct me on the ferrying technique. This complete stranger taught me a valuable lesson that has kept me from flipping since!