How To Fish Different Lures On Rivers From A Canoe With Spin And Bait Caster

[silvermesa]

Hello All!

Around April 1st I am going on a self guided smallmouth trip on the Niangua and will be using spin and bait cast equipment with artificial lures. This is my first time on this river and my first time fishing by canoe.

I have only fly fished on streams with moving water in the past so using this different tackle leaves me with questions about how to present the lures effectively when traveling by canoe.

1) What lures would work best this time of year?

2) What is the recommended way to fish the lure? (Upstream/downstream, dead drifting,action to impart etc?)

Lures in my tackle box include:

Zoom Super Fluke in white pearl

Strike King Bitsy Tubes in Green Pumpkin

Chompers 4" and 5" skirted grubs in green pumpkin and watermelon Red

Berkley 2" Power Grubs in yellow and salt and pepper

3/8 oz. Spinnerbaits

Sammy 100

Rougue in clown color

Wiggle Wart in craw color

1/4 oz.Buzz Baits

Thank You!

[Mitch f]

You better get out in a canoe and practice before you start your trip.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Yeah, gets lots of practice in the canoe before you ever take it fishing!

[Gavin]

Practice in a canoe? LOL...Park the boat and wade fish till you get comfy with the boat...after that...experiment. Thinking that plastics, flukes, spinners & cranks would be first line in that time frame.

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, until you get VERY comfortable in a canoe, get out where you can, especially to fish the tubes and Chompers. It can be VERY frustrating to try to fish stuff slowly on the bottom when current and wind is continually moving the canoe around. While drifting in the canoe, fish the "no-brainer" stuff that you can just cast and reel in, like the spinnerbaits and Wiggle Warts. Probably at that time, topwaters and buzzbaits will be your least likely lures to catch many fish, but if we get a warm spell and water temperatures get up around 60 degrees then the buzzbaits are great lures to fish while drifting. The Rogue might be the best lure for that time of year, though. Fish it in slower water areas where you can cast somewhat ahead of the canoe and jerk it fairly aggressively, like about a short series of jerks, a two second or so pause, and another short series of jerks.

Be prepared to get frustrated when the canoe moves around in ways you don't want it to. It takes practice to fish effectively from a moving canoe. You didn't say whether you were fishing with a partner. If you are, switch off having one person handle the canoe from the back WITHOUT fishing, while the guy in the front fishes. Keeping a canoe in position to fish effectively is a full time job unless you are very experienced.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Practice in a canoe? LOL...Park the boat and wade fish till you get comfy with the boat...after that...experiment. Thinking that plastics, flukes, spinners & cranks would be first line in that time frame.

I took it as he doesn't have much if any time in a canoe. Don't you think he should get familiar with the craft before takes it out on his FIRST fishing trip?

I don't believe it is laughable advice to suggest he practice in the craft before he takes it out with all of his gear.

[Mitch f]

Well, I lost $400 worth of equipment in 5 seconds fishing a solo canoe I was not used to Gavin

[hank franklin]

It's hard not to make a smart-guy comment here.

But yes, if you've never been in a canoe before then be careful on April 1 on the Niangua. All rivers are up and flowing right now. If you've canoed but never float-fished before then still be careful in the canoe, but throw whatever you feel like.

Your tackle list is pretty decent. I'd throw a Rebel Craw at some point.

[Terrierman]

Take some dry clothes with you in something that will keep them dry, just in case. What part of the Niangua? Definitely crawdad crankbaits. Also a jig under a float. In line spinnerbaits (Mepps, Roostertail, Blue Fox, etc.) will work too. I always fish a tube too, but like others have said, that's often best done standing still. Have fun. There's a group of us going out together in May, the Niangua is on the short list. The one we go to depends on if the rain we've been getting lately keeps up.

If you're fishing below Bennett Spring, you can also fish for trout but I assume you know all about that.

[silvermesa]

Thanks for all the replies!

I am planning on taking a fishing buddy with me and neither of us are expert canoers by any stretch. I have floated rivers in southern missouri a half dozen times over the years and do remember what it is like to capsize! I do appreciate the replies because they helped me remember it a bit better!!

I have been visiting with one of the local canoe outfitters close to Bennett (Linda at Adventures) and we are going to wait and see what the water levels are like before committing to going. Initially considering putting in above Bennett Springs and floating down to where Bennett flows into the Niangua

I think the advise seems wise for a safe and happy trip and I really appreciate it.

My experience with float fishing in the past was in drift boats fly fishing the West. As you know, with fly fishing a dead drag free drift at the same speed of the boat is the main way that those larger rivers are fished. I guess some stripping of the lure may occur in the Fall with streamers but by and large drag free drifts are what I have experienced. This is why conventional gear confused me a bit with how to work the lure in moving water.

Al, thanks for your imput on lures to use and how to present them.

All additional advise appreciated. Both of us are green horns to this.

Thank You!