I never paid much attention to solo canoes until recently. I recently purchased a SOT kayak for fishing but I’d like to try out a solo canoe. Any recommendations on the best model for a larger paddler? I want something I can put some gear in and fish comfortably from. I noticed there appear to be too types…one you sit higher like a conventional canoe and the other that you sit down in and can still use a double blade paddle. I’d like to sit down in I think.
Let me know what your thoughs and experiences are.
solo canoe
You can not go wrong with Native Watercraft ultimate 12 or 14.5 foot model.
http://www.nativewatercraft.com/overview_hybrid.cfm
the 14.5 model you can load up like a canoe but stand and fish your brains out! tight lines.
You think?
Why do you think you want to sit down in it like a kayak? The reason makes a difference.
What do you expect out of a “solo” canoe? Are you looking for something extremely small and light, or something fast? Or are you just looking for something you can handle by yourself and is easy to fish from, while offering comfort and versatility?
You want to fish lakes or rivers - or both?
Do you have physical limitations?
You can stand to fish in virtually any 14’+ recreational canoe, if you are not somehow at a serious physical disadvantage. Sitting on or just above the floor isn’t any advantage with the average rec canoe, but may be with a true solo canoe - which may or may not be really what you’re looking for.
Boats that look less like a canoe (tunnel hulls) are less useful on small, fast-moving rivers.
To answer your question with any meaning, we need more detail from you.
When you fished from the bank …
… did you like to sit on the ground? Or did you prefer a chair stool?
Same thing with boats, unless you’re out in big conditions and want a low, low, center of gravity.
If you…
come from a kayaking background, you’ll really like the hybrids like the Native Ultimates. If you come from a canoeing background you won’t like them nearly as much.
Which solo fishing canoe depends upon what kind of water you’ll be fishing, too. If flatwater lakes and very slow rivers, you’ll probably want something that tracks well, paddles easily, and can cover some ground more or less effortlessly. If you fish small, fairly fast rivers (class 1 to low class 2) you’ll want something that maneuvers a little better. If fishing flatwater, you may like the extra stability of the hybrids. If fishing the small rivers, standing up can get you wet no matter how stable they are.
Need a little more info about what kind of water you’ll be fishing.
Wenonah
I fish from a Vagabond. It is a great fishing platform. It is very light and easy to deal with, I like sitting higher up off the water, especially for fly fishing, it is maneuverable and relatively stable. I almost never use my old T120 anymore, I just find the canoe more comfortable. Depending on how big you are, you might look at the Wilderness instead, which is basically a larger Vagabond. Nowadays there are lots of good solo canoes to choose from.
Take a look at
– Last Updated: Jul-25-10 9:13 AM EST –
The Placid boatworks Rapidfire. I'm a big guy that fishes twice a week in a canoe. I started in kayaks. First in a SOT then SINK's and now pretty much just stick to canoes. I have high seat and low seat canoes. I like the low cane seat in the Rapidfire. The boat is fast and stable with the low seat. If you want a wider boat, then you can get a higher seat and still be stable enough to fish from, but you won't be near as fast. I like being able to cover some distance while fishing and the Rapidfire makes it quick and easy for me. I started using a double blade paddle with the Rapidfire, but have since switched to a bent shaft single blade. It works quite well even from the low seat plus it is a lot easier to stow while fishing.
As Steve said, we need more information to be able to give you more useful advice.
Good luck in your search.
btw,
If you get a solo canoe, you might try a 240,260 or 280 double “yak” paddle, really makes a canoe fly!
FWIW, I’m partial to the OT Osprey . You can paddle or row it, it’sligth and responsive. Stand up stable.
I also ahve a NWC Ultimate 12. Great boat but not real different from your SOT.
Good initial stability helps…
– Last Updated: Aug-05-10 10:36 PM EST –
In their kevlar/flexcore...something like Wenonah's Sundowner or Encounter?
In Royalex...think you might like Oldtown's Penobscots.
MadRiver's Malecite LOOKS pretty stable, and is pretty efficient....y/n?
Malecite
Stable - yes. Efficient - pretty much, as a tandem. The MR Independence is supposed to be similar, but is a real solo canoe and would naturally paddle easier than a soloed Malecite. Out of production, the MR Independence is - but now being made by Vermont Canoe.
Having said that - my Malecite has the center solo seat, and I do fish in it solo. Standing, sitting, it is quite stable.