# Canoe Fishing- What is your setup



## Joe Prepper (Jul 25, 2011)

I am setting up two canoes for fishing. I was hoping to get some ideas and see other peoples working setups. I know many people are kayaking now a days, but I like the canoes while the kids are young, and the potential to hold more gear for camp-overs. 

If anyone has ideas or pics I appreciate them in advance.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Good thread, I was planning the same. Been thinking of setting up an outrigger to help with stability. Shouldn't be that hard to figure out.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I have two Coleman's a 17 footer my first and a 15 footer the second.
I use the 17 footer mostly for fishing and floating the near by rivers. The 15 footer was bought as one that was abvabile when we were planning a week long family float trip in Michigan's UP. Now my kids are all grown and moved away but I still keep the 15 footer around as it is a little hander for taking back to beaver ponds deep in the woods. 

I carry mine on a roof rack now days use ratchet straps to tie them down. At first I did not have a cap on my truck so made a rack in the back of the bed and foam blocks to hold the canoe off the roof I used nylon rope to tie it in place. Bad move at 70 MPH the ropes broke and I had a 17 foot canoe dragging behind my truck till I could stop. Just scratches were the results.

Ya my Coleman's are plastic but not noisy when fishing or hunting from, them do not ding from hitting rocks like alum and crack and need patching like fiber glass canoes.

If you want to make some outriggers you can make some out of PCV tubing. Out riggers will not make the canoe as moveable and as easy to portage.











 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have a 17 foot Penobscot http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/penobscot/penobscot_174/ they stopped making the 17 and now it is a 17 foot 4 inch 

it is a touring canoe because it is both light , stable and glides through the water better than the shorter fatter canoes while holding more weight 

that said just about any canoe will work , I used a lot of aluminum and fiberglass , and poly over the years 

look around and see what is available 

on one fishing trip in Canada we lashed 2 aluminum canoes together this made it very stable we fished and swam from them they were so stable that all 4 of us could stand up easily , and you could pull yourself up and in from between the canoes using the poles I lashed across 

if I had several little kids and we all wanted to go out an I had 2 canoes I would make up some boards that went across and secured the 2 canoes together about 3 feet apart in the middle , make is so that it comes apart easily so they can transport separately then put them in the river and go for a float 

could even make a platform for between the canoes to put the cooler on 

they didn't paddle very well but we didn't have a lot of miles to put on on that trip mostly camping and fishing


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

I have a lightweight Alumacraft canoe that is very stable. I have never dumped it and will even fish standing in it if I am alone. My canoe seems to be made for fishing - very shallow and flat on the bottom, and not very tippy. To fish alone, I sit in the front seat and face backwards so I am near the middle - this way I am not blown around so much by the wind. A canoe is great for trolling via the paddle once you get the hang of it, and no trolling motor is even needed. For a site dedicated to canoe fishing and camping, see http://www.canoecampfish.com


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Mine is similar to this one.......

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=32953666

I'll share a tip from a fishing guide buddy of mine who LOVES going down the river in a canoe, can't beat it for stealth and maneuverability.

In a good current, if you want to go slow and troll a little without any struggle, tie a heavy chain (about 10 ft.) on a short rope (no clanking noise) off the stern and let it drag behind you.
Your nose will always keep straight even though the water is passing you by.


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## Joe Prepper (Jul 25, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> I have a 17 foot Penobscot http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/penobscot/penobscot_174/ they stopped making the 17 and now it is a 17 foot 4 inch
> 
> it is a touring canoe because it is both light , stable and glides through the water better than the shorter fatter canoes while holding more weight
> 
> ...


I think have the same canoe. I have an older penoby that is 17' I believe. I need to take a few pics. Interesting about tying them together. I might look for a video on that to help envision how you would paddle/steer it.


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## Joe Prepper (Jul 25, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> I have a 17 foot Penobscot http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/penobscot/penobscot_174/ they stopped making the 17 and now it is a 17 foot 4 inch
> 
> it is a touring canoe because it is both light , stable and glides through the water better than the shorter fatter canoes while holding more weight
> 
> ...





MichaelZ said:


> I have a lightweight Alumacraft canoe that is very stable. I have never dumped it and will even fish standing in it if I am alone. My canoe seems to be made for fishing - very shallow and flat on the bottom, and not very tippy. To fish alone, I sit in the front seat and face backwards so I am near the middle - this way I am not blown around so much by the wind. A canoe is great for trolling via the paddle once you get the hang of it, and no trolling motor is even needed. For a site dedicated to canoe fishing and camping, see http://www.canoecampfish.com


The penobscot I have is designed for faster waters. not so flat, turns real easy but the wind catches it out on lakes and makes long strides in straight lines a little harder. The other canoe, an Old Town Appalachian is flat bottomed and more stable. I sold to a friend but is still available for me to use. I am going to check out that site! thanks!


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

well with the internet I did a little searching and found a picture of roughly what I did , I had about 2 feet between the widest part of the canoes , it was flat water , we just paddled on our own sides and we went mostly strait , it did drag more than a normal canoe but it was stable 

http://photos.bwca.com/b/BRENT-120309-194801.JPG

I had a platform between and carried gear on it 

this wasn't an original idea , I spent a lot of time at boat/fishing shows in the 80s one of the vendors that was at many of them was a company that made aluminum canoe accessories , outriggers , seat backrests , a rowing seat for the middle of a canoe to sue it as a solo rowing skiff 
it worked on the premise that it seemed like everyone owned a 16 foot aluminum canoe at the time and it was ways to get more use from them

trolling motors were also just getting decent in the mid 80s and it was pre internet so you went to boat shows to look at boats and new boating products 

one of the things I saw was a platform that bolted to 2 canoes so I borrowed the idea


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

:bouncy::bouncy: dragging 10' of chain behind the canoe will slow it down for sure but just because you can't hear it clanking the fish sure do when it goes over rocks and sunken logs.

 Al


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

alleyyooper said:


> :bouncy::bouncy: dragging 10' of chain behind the canoe will slow it down for sure but just because you can't hear it clanking the fish sure do when it goes over rocks and sunken logs.
> 
> Al



I thought the exact same thing.
You have to remember two things.

1) The noise that already exists in a flowing river.
2) The guy showing me this was catching fish out of both sides of the boat as fast as he could bait the lines...........

If you are in the middle casting towards the deep holes under the trees, you're out of earshot and eyesight.

I also didn't want it thought that you ALWAYS used it, it's just an option for those particular situations.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Big salmon rivers around here they use a drift boat like this.










One person works the oars to keep the boat out of the stronger current and in position to work the deep holes. 
One person working the paddle in a canoe works well also when fishing a river.
I also suppose if you drag a chain far enough behind you fish an hole before the fish can hear that chain rattling along.

 Al


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Yep, that's it.
And clanging around with the oars is just as noisy if not more, besides that's more like work instead of fishing, lol.
Besides, how are you gonna hold your beer?

In the quiet sections I actually tried to listen for the sounds of the chain.
A chain "clanks" when it strikes the other links of the chain, but outstretched behind you, it is a softer, muffled "click" against the rocks on the bottom and almost silent when the bottom is sandy or smooth.
Like I said, I was skeptical at first, but a nice catch of rainbow trout will cure that.


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