Fly Fishing Canoe

I'm saving my nickels for a canoe to fly fish from. I'm hoping, God-
willing, to be able to buy one over the Winter, or early Spring. Do
many of you fish from canoes? I'm thinking a canoe would be a simple
way to get onto the many ponds, rivers and lakes around here, without
the hassle of having to trailer a bigger boat. My brother-in-law in
Oregon has had a canoe for years, and it sure seems peaceful and
hassle-free.

I'm looking at a 17 footer that is stable, light and capable of being
a tandem OR a solo canoe. Have any of you had experience (or heard
good or bad) about the Souris River Canoes? I'm looking at the
"Quetico 17". Here's a link to what I'm considering:

http://www.redrockstore.com/quetico17.html

I think this canoe would be great for the places I fish around here in
Central Illinois -- and be easy to take on trips out-of-state.

Let me know if there is something else worth considering in a fly
fishing canoe. Thanks.

- Dave K.

mdk77 wrote:
snip
Let me know if there is something else worth considering in a fly
fishing canoe. Thanks.

Wenonah Adirondack.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"mdk77" wrote in message
ups.com...

I'm thinking a canoe would be a simple
way to get onto the many ponds, rivers and lakes around here, without
the hassle of having to trailer a bigger boat. My brother-in-law in
Oregon has had a canoe for years, and it sure seems peaceful and
hassle-free.

"Years" is the important point. People already skilled in
handling a canoe can fish from them enjoyably. Most
experienced anglers new to canoes find them far too
unstable. The built-in advantages of the canoe (speed,
manoeuvrability, load-carrying capacity) require experienced
piloting and contribute little to fishing comfort or performance.

Before spending your money, you should perhaps compare
other types of man-portable boat that may be slower but more
stable.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Hi Dave,

I flyfish from canoe quite a bit and can easily say the most important
thing I think about when looking at canoes is: How many things are
sticking up. I swear I am never really sure if I'm fishing if there
isn't something tangled up, but fewer tangles are better.

I have been fishing out of a little aluminum type canoe for a while
and like it a lot for my solo excursions. Its VERY light and easy to
handle in a wind. The bottom is wide and flat. I feel very stable with
a foot on each side when I stand. I used to have a long lake style
canoe, but it was too narrow to feel stable when standing.

My 2 cents.

Lloyd
http://www.mainetackle.com

Sprattoo wrote:
Hi Dave,

I flyfish from canoe quite a bit and can easily say the most important
thing I think about when looking at canoes is: How many things are
sticking up. I swear I am never really sure if I'm fishing if there
isn't something tangled up, but fewer tangles are better.

I have been fishing out of a little aluminum type canoe for a while
and like it a lot for my solo excursions. Its VERY light and easy to
handle in a wind. The bottom is wide and flat. I feel very stable with
a foot on each side when I stand. I used to have a long lake style
canoe, but it was too narrow to feel stable when standing.

My 2 cents.

Lloyd
http://www.mainetackle.com



I hate the idea of fishing in a canoe by myself, without another paddler
to keep it in place and oriented in the wind to where I want to cast. I
far prefer a pontoon boat that I can control with both oars AND fins.
The oars get you to where you want to go and the fins keep you where you
want to be and facing in the direction you want to face.

I've fished in one-man kayaks in the Florida Keys and in Belize. Same
problem. Hated it.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Listen to what Fortenberry sez about canoes. He knows them well and I
trust his judgement/word.

Old Town makes a canoe specifically for fishing. Can't recall the
model, but I have friends who swear by it.

Dave

"rw" wrote in message
m...

I hate the idea of fishing in a canoe by myself, without another paddler
to keep it in place and oriented in the wind to where I want to cast. I
far prefer a pontoon boat that I can control with both oars AND fins. The
oars get you to where you want to go and the fins keep you where you want
to be and facing in the direction you want to face.

I've fished in one-man kayaks in the Florida Keys and in Belize. Same
problem. Hated it.

Ditto, canoes and kayaks. Both are abominable platforms to fish from. Even
with someone else along to paddle, a canoe is still fairly miserable.

Don't know squat about pontoons.

Belly boats are great.

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
m...


I hate the idea of fishing in a canoe by myself, without another paddler
to keep it in place and oriented in the wind to where I want to cast. I
far prefer a pontoon boat that I can control with both oars AND fins. The
oars get you to where you want to go and the fins keep you where you want
to be and facing in the direction you want to face.

I've fished in one-man kayaks in the Florida Keys and in Belize. Same
problem. Hated it.


Ditto, canoes and kayaks. Both are abominable platforms to fish from. Even
with someone else along to paddle, a canoe is still fairly miserable.

Don't know squat about pontoons.

Belly boats are great.

Pontoon boats have three big advantages over belly boats:

1. You can use the oars to travel much farther distances with much less
effort.

2. You sit up higher, out of the cold water and in a better casting
position.

3. You can carry more stuff (tackle, anchor, lunch, etc.).

The only disadvantage is that they're heavier. You pretty much need road
access to the water.

I use both a pontoon boat for when I have road access and a belly boat
for backcountry fishing.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:



Pontoon boats have three big advantages over belly boats:

1. You can use the oars to travel much farther distances with much less
effort.

2. You sit up higher, out of the cold water and in a better casting
position.

3. You can carry more stuff (tackle, anchor, lunch, etc.).

The only disadvantage is that they're heavier. You pretty much need road
access to the water.

I use both a pontoon boat for when I have road access and a belly boat
for backcountry fishing.


I'm trying to decide on a possible craft. Like you started with, there
are pluses and minuses for all the self propelled craft:

1. Belly boats
+ easy to transport, good for fishing, control with feet,
- need to wear waders and fins, difficult to go any distance, suck in
the wind, cold because you're sitting in the water, not for
running water

2. Pontoons
+ great for fishing, fair for covering distance, control with feet, some
models good for rivers
- need to wear waders and fins, difficult to transport if kept together
PIA to assemble if you break it down, nor good for long distances

3. Canoes
+ great for carrying gear, great for long trips, good speed and easy of
rowing, good for rivers
- mediocre for fly fishing, have to use paddle to control, fairly
difficult to transport

4. Kayak
+ fastest and easiest to go long distance, good in rivers, best
(only?) in ocean
- mediocre for fishing, fairly difficult to transport, have to use
paddle to control


It seems to me that each has places where it is better than the others.

I couple I've been looking at:

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/models_outback.html

and

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/index.html

Willi

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 14:02:31 -0000, mdk77
wrote:

I'm saving my nickels for a canoe to fly fish from. I'm hoping, God-
willing, to be able to buy one over the Winter, or early Spring. Do
many of you fish from canoes? I'm thinking a canoe would be a simple
way to get onto the many ponds, rivers and lakes around here, without
the hassle of having to trailer a bigger boat. My brother-in-law in
Oregon has had a canoe for years, and it sure seems peaceful and
hassle-free.

I'm looking at a 17 footer that is stable, light and capable of being
a tandem OR a solo canoe. Have any of you had experience (or heard
good or bad) about the Souris River Canoes? I'm looking at the
"Quetico 17". Here's a link to what I'm considering:

http://www.redrockstore.com/quetico17.html

I think this canoe would be great for the places I fish around here in
Central Illinois -- and be easy to take on trips out-of-state.

Let me know if there is something else worth considering in a fly
fishing canoe. Thanks.

- Dave K.

I've enjoyed one of these for years of lake fly fishing in the Sierra:
http://www.pokeboat.com/

Bob Weiske, long time lurker