Has anyone ever fished for striped bass from a canoe?

[Swamp Girl]

The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world's saltwater. This means we're seeing more and more striped bass in our Maine rivers. I'm thinking about fishing for them in canoe. I've caught a couple in the ocean with saltwater gear and they are powerhouses. Do you think it's feasible in a canoe?

[TnRiver46]

Been one or two end up in my canoe 

[Swamp Girl]

Given their power, do they tow you in your canoe? Did you ever feel that you, like in Jaws, needed a bigger boat? 

[TnRiver46]

49 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Given their power, do they tow you in your canoe? Did you ever feel that you, like in Jaws, needed a bigger boat? 

Indeed. I’ve got some more footage from that fight that isn’t so family friendly haha. A barge came around the bend right toward us and we were just getting dragged around by the fish. I had to paddle backwards for all I had to get out of the way while my buddy kept reeling. Seems like we had a similar thread not long ago, my cousin got a 42 lb in a kayak 

[Swamp Girl]

7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Indeed. I’ve got some more footage from that fight that isn’t so family friendly haha. A barge came around the bend right toward us and we were just getting dragged around by the fish. I had to paddle backwards for all I had to get out of the way while my buddy kept reeling. Seems like we had a similar thread not long ago, my cousin got a 42 lb in a kayak 

I am both thrilled and intimidated by the prospect of hooking one of these powerhouses in a bitty boat.

[Eric 26]

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@ol'crickety If anyone has the moxie to pull it off it’s you. I say go for it and post some pictures when you’re done ?

[Swamp Girl]

I'm going to try it, but I do have, as the medical community would say, a mild to moderate case of fraidy cat. 

 

[padlin]

I've had 4 lb pickerel scare me in my solo canoe when it did an unexpected bee line under me from one side of the canoe to the other, sucked the rod tight to the hull, feels like it's going to pull the boat over. I can't imagine what a 20+ lb fish could do. Might be a good time to think about outriggers, Yak Gear makes a nice set that works on both yaks and canoes.

 

 

[gim]

On 10/26/2022 at 8:14 PM, ol'crickety said:

Given their power, do they tow you in your canoe? Did you ever feel that you, like in Jaws, needed a bigger boat? 

[TnRiver46]

Here’s that 42 my cousin caught They might die of exhaustion but I would imagine a Maine  striper is top notch table fare . My buddy caught a 39 lb on a drop shot in summer and it died when he landed it 

[gim]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

it died when he landed it 

Not familiar with these things. Is it normal for them do die after you catch them?

[VolFan]

I caught one over 30 below Ft Loudon dam when I was a college kid in a kayak.  It towed me about a mile downriver once it drug me into the current. I was a smaller kid in a smaller kayak back then…

[TnRiver46]

11 hours ago, gimruis said:

Not familiar with these things. Is it normal for them do die after you catch them?

In summer it unfortunately happens fairly often. Especially if you pull them up from deeper waters. You can release them fairly well in winter and early spring. When they grab onto light tackle they will fight themselves to exhaustion. I’ve seen a lot of people toss them into the water head first like a torpedo, apparently that gets them headed back deep and an oxygen rush 

 

luckily, they are delicious 

11 hours ago, VolFan said:

I caught one over 30 below Ft Loudon dam when I was a college kid in a kayak.  It towed me about a mile downriver once it drug me into the current. I was a smaller kid in a smaller kayak back then…

You are a brave man haha. I’ll striper fish in small craft but not there 

[VolFan]

Eh, it was a hybrid sit-in and I had a spray skirt. I could Eskimo roll it. I could…I didn’t say I liked it. You could paddle up river right and sit in the slack water while the screws were turning, if something pulled you into the fast water you just rode it downstream until you eddy’d out. Great place to fish though

[TnRiver46]

15 hours ago, VolFan said:

Eh, it was a hybrid sit-in and I had a spray skirt. I could Eskimo roll it. I could…I didn’t say I liked it. You could paddle up river right and sit in the slack water while the screws were turning, if something pulled you into the fast water you just rode it downstream until you eddy’d out. Great place to fish though

Yeah I’ve caught a pile of fish below that dam. Lots of striper mostly all on topwater, big LM and SM, walleye, catfish, etc

 

 

I’ve got one other buddy that kayak fishes there and I’ve seen many others, I guess you’re not totally crazy….. hahaha

 

If striper fishing in canoe I would definitely keep the drag loose so the sudden runs don’t rock the boat. Just go along for the ride like mentioned above I guess 

[Swamp Girl]

Quote

If striper fishing in canoe I would definitely keep the drag loose so the sudden runs don’t rock the boat.

Great tip. Thanks!