Solo Canoe Or Kayak For Small Lakes

[BassMaster#1]

Looking into buying either a solo canoe Old Town Guide 119 Canoe or a Ascend™ FS12T Sit On Top Angler Kayak for fishing small lakes. Has anyone had any experience with either of these two. I'm curious if the canoe would get blown around by the wind more than the kayak.

http://www.dicksspor...box&003=3933188

http://www.basspro.c...10213830/118791

[dcorp]

You will get blown around in both. I don't take my kayak out if its really windy, but I hate fishing in the wind in general. My buddy has that kayak and it is nice for the price. I would go with the kayak, it's probably a lot lighter and easyer to handle.

[Hi Salenity]

I vote Kayak.

[J Francho]

That kayak is a great starter boat. I much prefer a SOT to a canoe.

[Goose52]

I fish out of an 11'6" canoe in my local small lakes (from 3 to 201 acres). My canoe floats like a cork and catches wind like a sail... Don't have a 'yak so I can't compare the wind effect between the two.

Besides wind, there are lots of differences between the canoe and yak. You might want to consider some of the differences and determine if any swing your decision one way or the other.

In general, the yak is probably more stable and easier to paddle. However, you have to handle fish in your lap and you may get a bit wetter in the yak compared to the canoe (assuming you don't roll the canoe!). Less inboard storage room in the yak and easier to drop stuff overboard. Yaks are often heavier than the canoe if that is an issue. If you are going to cartop - you usually will need a rack for the yak, just some inexpensive foam cushions for the canoe.

Canoes are generally less stable, and the shorter the canoe, the more prone it is to roll. When you're fishing, you really need to move around, lean over the gunwale to bring in fish, etc. - stability is something to consider. However, canoes have more inboard storage room, you can handle fish on the deck in front of you. The more upright seating position may be more comfortable if you have back issues. Many canoes will be lighter if that's important (my canoe is only 34 pounds). A canoe is generally easier to cartop, but if you have a truck, it's mostly a wash on transportablility.

That's a few things that come to mind. I think both have certain advantages over the other (with the yak perhaps having more than the canoe for some folks). At some point, I might have both - a small yak for my very small lakes, and my canoe (which is motorized, has outriggers for stability, and is pimped out like a mini-bass boat) for my bigger lakes.

[Fishing Rhino]

Try both. See which you prefer.

There's no need to lean over the side to land fish from a canoe. Your arms should be long enough to reach over the gunnel without leaning.

Having said that, I have ended up in the drink twice, once in each of my two fishing canoes. The first time was from my paddlin' canoe in the middle of summer, because I foolishly leaned over the canoe. The second was in my trolling motor powered canoe. The first time I fought falling over the side and ended up in the drink regardless, swamping the canoe in the process.

The second time was in early spring with hip boots and rain gear on. That time I made the snap decision to just fall. Good choice, I did not swamp the canoe. But, I couldn't kick my legs to propel me to shore wearing hip boots.

What to do, what to do? Only a hundred feet from shore but in water over my head.

Then it hit me. I reached the control handle of the trolling motor and powered my way to shore. Water temps were cold, but the air was warm. Got the hip boots off, dumped the water out of them. Took off the rain gear, (the sun had come out), and continued fishing. An hour later, I was dry.

[alexofoakton]

For several years I fished from a featherlite 9.5 angler, which was set up for fishing with three rod holders and an anchor that you can raise and lower from the seat. I had good luck with it and enjoyed fishing even in the most shallow arms of lakes. I bought it because it only weighs 38 lbs, which was the most that I could lift onto my roof-top carrier (I am not a young man). I gave it up for a bass boat partly because I couldn't take sitting down with my legs extended for long periods of time. Lessons learned: get a sit-on-top regardless of weight, plan on getting a really nice Fish Finder with SI, and plan on getting a trolling motor. If I had done all 3 of these things, I might still be fishing from a kayak!

[Marty]

I've never been in a kayak, but I'm a canoe owner. In general, kayaks get blown around less because the center of gravity is lower. A recent Bassmaster had an article about small craft for rivers and one of the things they said was, in general, the canoe is the way to go if you like to carry a lot of stuff, but a kayak may be right for you if you're more of a minimalist.

That canoe isn't very wide and might be on the unstable side. I suspect the kayak would be more stable. Whatever you get, it's great to get out on the water and go where you want if shore is your only option now. I do see more people fishing from kayaks than canoes.