Hey guys I have been looking at getting a watercraft for some time, for a while I thought I wanted a SOT kayak, however after borrowing one from a friend I just was not a fan, as even with the SOT it was still very low, and as I fly fish it was just a pain to be honest. After talking to some other anglers who also fly fish they recommended canoes, and told me to get an old town discovery, which if I have to is still in the cards, however my question is I see a lot of Mowhawk canoes like this one https://auburn.craigslist.org/spo/6141231844.html for around 400 bucks, and I was wondering if this type of canoe would be pretty decent? Also I am a bigger guy ~245 lb and 6 ft tall.
Also let me say, I have a 6 year old who would like to go with me some times, so I am on the fence about grabbing a tandem. I am trying to keep the cost down, hence why I’m holding back on paying more for the discovery. What are your thoughts? Thanks for any input.
Blake Norris
Do you need to stand to fly fish? Can that be done in a canoe? Or is the canoe just something to transport you to a spot on shore or shallow water, where you will fish from?
Many fishing sot on top kayaks are made to be super stable, allowing for standing.
If you are willing to resell if the canoe you linked to doesn’t work out, go ahead and buy it and give it a try. Consider it a long term test paddle, where the cost of the rental is any cost you have in reselling it after you are done.
You might wanna look towards a USED composite tandem(17’+) with a sufficient waterline width, rather high shouldered… with possibly some tumblehome = would be great for both you and the two of you. There are plenty of good USED ones out there that are a better canoe, by far, than any very heavy or less quality new boat. Add to that the fact that a composite tandem will portage rather easily…once you get a favorite type of yoke/pad-rig. If anyone goes NEW…they’re going to have to bit the bullet and pay, and you want to sit while flycasting…it can be tougher with older, slow linespeed (ie softest) rods available, but with anything of middle-of-the-road linespeed just brush up on your casting stroke and it’s not that difficult from a sitting position…and a tandem’s lengthy waterline will provide the stability needed to cast comfortably.
Big Spencer is right, and even more could be said about the ease of casting while sitting down. Fishing from small boats didn’t somehow come into being with the invention of cheap plastic kayaks, and casting while sitting down is not a new thing. The O.P.hasn’t reported back so this may not apply to him, but it’s such a common idea these days that standing up to fly cast is somehow necessary that a comment seems appropriate. I’ve never gotten into fly fishing myself, but I have read some very old books on fishing or dealing in large part with fishing. From those books, I know that at least as far back as the 1920s (and certainly farther back than that, but I just haven’t read books from those earlier times) and continuing up through the 1950s and 60s, most people who fly fished from a boat in freshwater used boats that were too small for safe stand-up casting, so they simply fished while sitting down and never gave it a second thought. And sit-down casting doesn’t put the fisherman as low to the water as wading does, yet fly casting while wading waist-deep in the water has been done practically forever. I’m particularly amused by modern fishermen who, even with spinning and baitcasting equipment, seem to think that casting while sitting down would be some sort of handicap, but that’s nonsense.
Hey, thanks for the info, as a follow up I ended up trying out a canoe, and really preferred it over the SOT kayak. Guideboatguy I have no issues with sitting and casting, however I found on the SOT kayak that I was literally right ontop of the water(I was fishing in an oldtown predator) whereas in the canoe I am up a bit higher and it allows me to get a little better casting stroke, also I prefer how much dryer I stayed in the canoe. Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback.
Most people come here, mention their issues and ask “what kind of kayak?” when a canoe is the obvious answer to their needs. It’s great that you didn’t have kayak blinders on. Canoes have their issues too, but from what you describe, a canoe is probably he better choice. Have fun!