The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I would like to get a canoe for FF lakes and ponds with my son. I don't think we would use it for Rivers. There are many makes and price ranges. I will buy a used one so my selections will be limited. I would appreciate any recommendations for a Canoe to be used for Fly Fishing.

Thanks,

Jet

I have a Coleman that I bought many years ago in the late '80s. I don't know what they are made of. Some kind of rubberized stuff, but the second year after I bought it, I crashed into a tree in some fast water, bent it almost in half and it sank. About 2 minutes later it popped to the surface. I got in and straightened it out with my legs and continued on down the river. Years and years of lakes and rivers later, I still have it. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Though 2 people make it easier, it's still light enough for me to get it up on top of the Blazer by myself.

One suggestion, Get the aluminum paddles with the wide plastic paddles on the end. Those wooden fancy paddles aren't that great. I wrapped the aluminum paddle with duct tape, otherwise the wet aluminum discolors your hands. Oh yeah, and they float too!

By the way, mine is the "Scanoe" model with the flat transom back for a small (up to 5 hp) motor. Great for putting around lakes.

Beerfly

I fished with afriend last year that had one of these http://www....com/AIRE/traveler.shtml It was pretty sweet.

I picked up a used coleman 15' as well. Someone was basically giving it away for a bill (canoe, oars and 2 vests). A little tough to get on the top of the truck on my own but I can manage it. Haven't had it on a river. I'd feel much more comforable with an inflatable something in rapids.

On a side note, some people are not canoe people. A quick tip <har har har>... if they seem a little skittish, try a paddle before you load up gear. Trust me on this one.

That flat back that Beerfly has sounds nice.

Jet,

I would recommend a plastic canoe over aluminum. The aluminum models just make a lot of noise on the water and are not as "stealthy" as the plastic models.

One thing to look for if you want to use it on a lake, and particularly with any type of motor (more on that below), is some type of keel on the bottom. A whitewater canoe will have a smooth bottom to provide quick maneuverability, but on a lake, it is better for the canoe to have the ability to "track" on a straight line, and the keel will provide you with that. On a plastic canoe, the keel is usually a rounded hump along the centerline of the boat from bow to stern. That being said, if you find a nice one without a keel, you will be OK. A keel just makes things a little easier.

If you can find a used Old Town or Mad River canoe in your price range, go with those. They are extremely well made and will last a lifetime. The hulls are laminated with ~5 layers of a variety of plastics, and the gunwales (the strips along the top edges of the sides of the boat) are usually oak (nicer models) or high impact plastic. Most (not all) of the older Coleman canoes were very cheap and won't stand up to much abuse. The thing to avoid on these is a tubular aluminum internal frame, with one tube running the length of the canoe in the center bottom. If it has this frame, don't buy it.

Using a motor on a canoe is a great help on a lake. There are some nice little outboards that work really well, but an electric trolling motor works great too, as you can set up with the battery behind your seat and out of your way. They are much quieter, too. You do not have to get a canoe with a flat stern to be able to use a motor. They make motor mounts for canoes that mount across the gunwales behind the rear seat and allow you to mount a motor on the right or left side of the canoe.

Here are a couple of examples:

LL Bean Motor Mount

Cabela's Motor Mount

Spring Creek Outfitters "Flipper" motor mount

If you do go with a motor, remember that you need to register your boat with the DMV. If you just use paddles this is not necessary.

I second Beerfly's comment on the paddles. The wood paddles just won't hold up over the years. Get a pair of good quality aluminum/plastic paddles. I have Cabela's 1000 series paddles and could not be happier. The shafts are plastic clad aluminum, so there is no aluminum residue on your hands. The 400 series has the bare aluminum shaft, but they do have a protective casing above the blade to keep your hand clean.

Cabela's Paddles

If you can get over to the Roseville REI, take some time to learn about the different features of the various canoes they carry. They have some good literature that compares the various features.

Oh, don't forget life the vests!


Hope that helps,

Buzz

Jet, there is an old town listed in the classified section of NCFFB. You really can't go wrong with an old town. I worked in a rental shop in montana and our old towns took a beating and performed flawlessly. Check the local craigslist adds too. I see canoes on there quite often. I will keep an eye out for you up here in Chico, If I see a good one for sale i will let you know.

Been studying to make the same move, and have found the Scanoe type boats are advertised as being more stable, are wider in beam, and unfortunately heavier. I think the Coleman is about 85 lbs, where their 16' double end canoes are probably 50-60lbs.

Joe,
Here's some more canoe chewing for ya ......
http://www...b/showthread.php?t=19966
I DO like my Old Town 17'.
.....lee s.

There are several 16-17' canoes in the Modesto, Sacramento, and Bayarea craigslists. I've got 3 canoes that I flyfish from. I don't know what your price range is but there's an inverse relationship between price and weight. Think about how you're going to get your canoe to the water. It's easy to hoist a 40-50lb kevlar canoe over your head and walk to the water. Royalex and rotomolded canoes are a lot heavier and less efficient in the water. Aluminum is hot and noisy. Any 16-17' tandem will make a good fishing platform. Some names to look for:

Mad River explorer (nice kevlar model in the SAC craigslist)
Dagger (Nice 17' venturet in the SF BA craigslist)
Wenonah Adirondack (16' royalex in Danville on SF BA craigslist)
Old Town Camper (16' wide royalex on Modesto craigslist)
Old Town Discovery (16' royalex -- more efficient/a little less stable than camper on Stockton's craigslist

Also check California Canoe and Kayak's used boat list:

http://www...om/forsale_list_full.cfm

They have a store at Jack London square and you can try the boats before you make a decision. If you can swing it the Mad River Kevlar Explorer would be a great boat to put an offer on. Canoes like this aren't available in our area very often as NorCal is mostly kayak country I think. The Kevlar boat is going to be light, quiet, and efficient. While not as collision proof as royalex or plastic, you're not looking for a river boat and kevlar is very tough and easy to repair. The guy wants $1500 with $200 worth of paddles and accessories. Make him an offer if you think that bout will fit your needs and your budget.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I think I want to keep the cost around $300 or less and see if this is something we are going to use or will it sit and gather dust. If we get into it and gain experience we will upgrade to something nicer. I've been checking Craigs list and they seem to go fast in the $300 or less range. I guess I'll keep looking but if you happen across a good deal close to my range let me know.

Thanks,

Jet

Hey Buzz,
The coleman I have is on the cheaper side I think. No problems with the material yet. I keep it hung from the rafters in my garage, but I'm sure UV has the potential to weaken it. It does have the tube frame (central tube along the bottom may be a couple pieces). What's the concern with the tube frame (so I can avoid it)? That the tubes can bend permanently? When strapping to the roof my main ties are on the bow and stern, but use the cross members to keep it centered.

On a side note, has anyone used slightly shorter? 15' seems nice for two, but can be a little unwieldy solo so I've been watching for a slightly smaller one.

I've noticed when wind drifting that the speed can get out of control, do you ever use a drogue to slow up?

Thanks, Eric

EricW wrote:
On a side note, has anyone used slightly shorter? 15' seems nice for two, but can be a little unwieldy solo so I've been watching for a slightly smaller one.

I've noticed when wind drifting that the speed can get out of control, do you ever use a drogue to slow up?

Thanks, Eric

I noticed the same thing with my canoe. With 2 people it's great, but solo is a bit tough without loading up the front with some rocks for ballast to keep the bow down. so, I got a kayak for when I go out solo and it works really well.

As far as drift, I got a coffee can and filled it with concrete with a large eye-bolt on it to tie a rope to. Makes a great little anchor. I like to row up to an inlet and drop anchor and drift in front where all the fish like to eat.

Beerfly