Who Fishes From A Square Stern Canoe ?

[Jim McC]

As me and my back get older, I think about going to a lighter weight boat, for ease of loading and launching, etc. I fish alone most of the time, and I currently have a 1648 flat jon with a carpeted wood floor and front deck, 25 HP outboard, trolling motor, battery. When all is said and done, it's heavy. I thought about going to a 1448 maybe, but they're only about 30 lbs. lighter, so forget that. One thought I had was a wide, flat bottom, square stern canoe, with a trolling motor. I know about Gheenoes, but they are VERY rare around me(used). I want something that will accomodate 2 guys comfortably. Thanks.

[webertime]

I have a 14' scanoe (glass) with a 30 lb Minn kota and spring creek canoe stabilizers (allows me to stand) . I can do 5-6mph on the GPS with it. It's fantastic for small waters, preferably with light traffic.

[Jim McC]

Thanks. I was hoping for more replies. If I do get a canoe, I'm still going to trailer it. I read that Coleman's boat plans were sold to Pelican. The scanoe is now called the Pelican Bayou 160 I think. Is it awkward/difficult to turn and reach the trolling motor if you want to raise it, etc? Do you sit in the rear? I weigh about 235, so I don't know if I'd be able to sit in the rear when I'm alone. One I'm looking at is the Old Town Saranac square stern at Dick's Sporting Goods. I can't find anyone that's selling the Pelican Bayou 160.

[webertime]

Mine is some old glass boat not a coleman or pelican. Scanoe was a term I've heard a lot for this style. It is not too awkward to steer at all, at your size (I'm 6'5" 270 myself), extending the cables so you can put the battery in the bow is REALLY nice, otherwise you have an awfully out of balance boat (unless you like being spun around at the slightest gust of wind). The stabilizers will let you stand with no problems, I toss big hudds and flip pretty gnarly stuff with no issues. The boat you are looking at is a bit wider than mine and a bit heavier, so it will be a bit more stable.

[Way2slow]

I have had a 17' aluminum Grumman cargo (wide bottom) canoe with the square stren since about 1962 (I bought it used for $40 back then but it had a sail attachment that I never used). I don't have a clue how many miles or hours I've racked up in that thing since getting it. If you try to use it with just one person, you have to sit in the front seat but turned around facing the rear and still make sure you have plenty of weight in the back (which is the front now). It's almost impossible to fish from the rear seat unless you have a person in the front or you add about 1/2 your weight in the front. If you don't, the front goes up at about a 30 degree angle and only wants to go around in circles. However, needless to say, I still luv my canoe, after all, I've held on to it for 50 years. I have a little 1996, 4hp merc I put on the back, (which is scary fast on the thing and you have to be very careful). Until a forest fire back in 95 got the shed it was in, I had an early 60's 3hp johnson I use on it and it and you still had to slow down turning.

I personnaly would not care for a canoe any smaller without stabalizer's or outriggers on it. Back in 85, a neighbors kid that had been with me a number of times in mine, got him one of those cheap, 15' plastic canoes and I was going to show him the does and don'ts of using one. With the two of us in it, it was so unstable, it was down right scary. Even with just me in it, I didn't like it, ungodly unstable. He tried it by himself, rolled it three times in less than five minutes, load it back up and took it back and swapped it for a better 17' fiberglass.

Unless you have some seat time in one, I would strongly recommend you find one you can use before buying one, they are not for everybody.

[Jim McC]

Thanks guys. Webertime, I was asking if it's hard to turn my body(canoe stability wise) and tilt motor up and down, with a square stern canoe? Some guys claim it's easier to use a side motor mount on a canoe. I don't know. And putting on stabilizers every time I go out sounds like a real PITA.

[A-Jay]

I fish from a Old Town Predator square back canoe, I think it's just under 16 ft.

Been in it for 5 seasons now. Suits me perfectly.

Has a 40 inch beam and I stand to fish all day and night.

I cart it around on a trailer - It's THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

Launching and recover could not be any easier, especially when it's a one man show.

It does fish my wife and I quite comfortably.

A few modifications here and there and I'm good to go.

A-Jay

 

 

[Jim McC]

A-Jay, that canoe would be my first choice I think. It's just too expensive, unless I can find one used. What type and size trailer do you use?

[A-Jay]

A-Jay, that canoe would be my first choice I think. It's just too expensive, unless I can find one used. What type and size trailer do you use?

I'm dragging a CastleCraft trailer - it comes in a box and you assemble it yourself.

I took my time and I think it was a couple of days start to finish.

I was unable to locate a suitable trailer locally so I was very glad to find this on line.

This trailer has been trouble free and I'm pleased with it.

Here's the link - btw - they don't exactly give them away . . . .

A-Jay

http://www.castlecra...noe_trailer.htm

[BKeith]

I'm not an advocate of hanging one on the side. I know two people that have lost there motors in the river doing that. The current pushed them against a tree limb and the next thing they saw was their motor going out of sight. I do that with my TM (have to if running a gas on the stern) and have knocked it off a couple of times but I have a safety rope on it and don't have it on the side when traveling in the river. Both of those I'm talking about loosing theirs thought they had theirs secured but the current tore them loose.

Yes, it can get uncomfortable having the reach back for a motor on the stern. I have arthritis in my neck and back and it bothers me a lot at time reaching around like that. On my jon boats, I use a seat that you can slide to one side when using the motor but that's not possible with a canoe.

If you have a Norther Tools close buy, you can buy one of their cheap trailer kits and just extend the tongue. I see them a lot of times for less than $300

[Jim McC]

Yes, I do have a Northern Tool near me. I assume when you guys tow your canoes, you don't have your battery in there?

[BKeith]

Mine is ready to fish. The only thing not in it is stuff the might blow out, and I don't think a battery is going to blow out. That's why you run a long tongue, the wheels and support is near the back of the canoe. Now, if you have one of those molded plastic looking canoes, all bets are off, some of those things I've seen don't look strong enough to support their own weight, much less motor's, (TM and Gas) battery, cooler and other stuff you have.

I guess I should revise one part of that, my TM is laying in the canoe until I get to the lake, then I hang it on the mount. I don't leave it hanging off the side of the boat to take a chance of it coming off. My mount is one of those temporary style that you just clamp onto the rails and it does get loose at times, so I have to snugg the wing nuts from time to time.

[Jim McC]

Mine is ready to fish. The only thing not in it is stuff the might blow out, and I don't think a battery is going to blow out. That's why you run a long tongue, the wheels and support is near the back of the canoe. Now, if you have one of those molded plastic looking canoes, all bets are off, some of those things I've seen don't look strong enough to support their own weight, much less motor's, (TM and Gas) battery, cooler and other stuff you have.

I guess I should revise one part of that, my TM is laying in the canoe until I get to the lake, then I hang it on the mount. I don't leave it hanging off the side of the boat to take a chance of it coming off. My mount is one of those temporary style that you just clamp onto the rails and it does get loose at times, so I have to snugg the wing nuts from time to time.

I assumed the battery would be bouncing around when towing, and that's not good. There's no way to secure a battery in a canoe is there?

[BKeith]

You have a point there, but I took care of that many moons ago and didn't think about it. I had plate installed in mine that I anchor the battery down on. If you don't have it anchored and roll the canoe, the battery could be gone, and take the TM with it. Anything you don't want to replace and won't float, you had better have some type of a safety device that will keep it anchored to the canoe, or make it float.

[Jim McC]

I had plate installed in mine that I anchor the battery down on.

Exactly how is the plate installed? Do you have a pic? Thanks.

[BKeith]

Mine's aluminum and it has support ribs, the plate is mounted across two of the ribs like a floor plate in your standard aluminum boat. I just fastened two battery box hold down loops and strap it down. Picture is not possible. For the past couple of years I've been leaving it at the farm and using it on the farm ponds, that's 90 miles from me. My wife fell in the water getting in it a couple years ago so she will not get near it now, so I've just been keeping my 14' jon at the house and using it in the river and the few ponds I fish here.

[Jim McC]

Thanks

[Aluma-Bass]

I have a gheenoe and love it!

[webertime]

Thanks guys. Webertime, I was asking if it's hard to turn my body(canoe stability wise) and tilt motor up and down, with a square stern canoe? Some guys claim it's easier to use a side motor mount on a canoe. I don't know. And putting on stabilizers every time I go out sounds like a real PITA.

I'd agree that it is easier to tilt the motor with a side mount, my previous canoe was set up that way.

[BKeith]

Well, talking about square stern canoe's, I guess somebody got a good deal on a 17' footer and a 12' jon. My brother called me tonight and asked if I got mine, which I hadn't. He went down to the pond that I've been leaving at it at to fish some, and the canoe was gone. He goes to the other two ponds where the jon boat stays and it was gone. He called me to see if I had gotten them. Both were on our land that's completely finced and a long way from the property line so we figure it had to be someone that knew they were there. The pisser of it, for the price scrap aluminum is getting, I wouldn't be suprised if they didn't get them just to sell for scrape

[axeslinger70]

I don't know if you got something yet but I bought the Old Town Square stern saranac 15.4 long canoe from Dicks and is working out great. Is very stable even with 3 people though we normally only fish with 2 and a dog. I added some swivel seats on removable mounts, a 55 lb thrust Minn Kota and transport on my roof rack

[Fishing Rhino]

I fish from a Old Town Predator square back canoe, I think it's just under 16 ft.

Been in it for 5 seasons now. Suits me perfectly.

Has a 40 inch beam and I stand to fish all day and night.

I cart it around on a trailer - It's THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

Launching and recover could not be any easier, especially when it's a one man show.

It does fish my wife and I quite comfortably.

A few modifications here and there and I'm good to go.

A-Jay

That looks to be the same as my square stern. I think they weigh about ninety pounds, and I have stood in mine without a problem, but knowing me, I'm not one to tempt fate. I'd find some way do end up in the drink. It is a great canoe for two people. I added these folding seats on on a piece of half inch plywood with a swivel sandwiched between The seats are much better than the folding canvas type, and the swivel works splendidly.

[A-Jay]

That looks to be the same as my square stern. I think they weigh about ninety pounds, and I have stood in mine without a problem, but knowing me, I'm not one to tempt fate. I'd find some way do end up in the drink. It is a great canoe for two people. I added these folding seats on on a piece of half inch plywood with a swivel sandwiched between The seats are much better than the folding canvas type, and the swivel works splendidly.

My 15' 3" Old Town Predator square back weighs in at 113 - bare hull.

They rate it at being able to carry 1700lbs people & gear - I've never actually weighed all my gear but it supports the load well and stability has never been a concern. Gear includes - 2 mod 29 batteries, 55lb thrust minn kota, cement block at bow for ballast (when alone) and way too much tackle and rods. (plastic baits really weight a ton)

A-Jay

[will83]

I have the same sportsman as fishing Rhino, I'm 160lbs and fish standing up all the time, it's the only way I fish. I also have a friend about the same weight and we can both stand and fish, I'm actually wondering how that looks from shore. I have also had someone as large as 350 lbs in the front I swear the seat was going to snap but it held up! I have a tone of gear usually bring 6 rods, one battery and a 55 lb trolling motor.

[basshole8190]

I fish from a Old Town Predator square back canoe, I think it's just under 16 ft.

Been in it for 5 seasons now. Suits me perfectly.

Has a 40 inch beam and I stand to fish all day and night.

I cart it around on a trailer - It's THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

Launching and recover could not be any easier, especially when it's a one man show.

It does fish my wife and I quite comfortably.

A few modifications here and there and I'm good to go.

A-Jay

that was my first fishing vessel i loved it

fished small creeks all the way to 20,000 acre resovoirs in it and landed plenty of fish

loading and unloading by myself wasnt very difficult

fit 3 people at one time and was very stable

i'd suggest an old down square stern for the price of $500 (ballpark) and a decent 40 lb thrust tm you cant beat it