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Any kayak fishermen?

Rancocas said:
I'm an old man. Getting down into and especially out of a kayak requires major effort on my part. I bought the kayak a couple of years ago. I have had canoes all my life. I prefer my canoes. If you don't have weak knees, creaky joints, or arthritis then a kayak should be fine.
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I have both and my kayak is much easier to enter and exit than my canoe. My kayak is also more stable, I can stand on it or whatever. The seat is about the same height as a canoe seat. Sounds like you had a "sit in" instead of a "sit on top". You don't get down into a sit on top, you get on it and sit high and comfy. Or at least with a good one, the ones from the cheap chain stores don't count.
 
Catchdawg said;
Rancocas said:
I'm an old man. Getting down into and especially out of a kayak requires major effort on my part. I bought the kayak a couple of years ago. I have had canoes all my life. I prefer my canoes. If you don't have weak knees, creaky joints, or arthritis then a kayak should be fine.
Click to expand...
I have both and my kayak is much easier to enter and exit than my canoe. My kayak is also more stable, I can stand on it or whatever. The seat is about the same height as a canoe seat. Sounds like you had a "sit in" instead of a "sit on top". You don't get down into a sit on top, you get on it and sit high and comfy. Or at least with a good one, the ones from the cheap chain stores don't count.

Nope. I continue to stand by my first statement. For me, a canoe is easier.
I currently have two kayaks, both a sit-in and a sit-on. I also have four canoes, each designed for a different specific purpose. One of them I built myself from wood strips and epoxy. It is a great tripper canoe and can also handle up to about Class III whitewater, such as the upper Hiwassee River. I also have a specific whitewater canoe that can go down the Class IV rapids of the Ocoee River.
I have a lot of experience in canoes going back over 60 years. I have canoed remote wilderness in Canada and some places here in the US. I have canoed whitewater, and flatwater. Granted, my experience with kayaks only goes back a relatively few years, but for most situations I much prefer a canoe over a kayak. With one exception; saltwater. I have kayaked some along the Florida coast. For that I prefer a kayak.
There are many styles of kayak and canoes, each designed for different purposes. There are canoes that you can stand up in. I have stood and used a pole to push my canoe up shallow streams. I used to regularly duck hunt out of a canoe. I mainly bought my sit-in kayak for that purpose, and it does work well for that, but so does my canoe. Each has their good and bad points. I have hung a tiny 1 1/2 h.p. gas outboard motor on a canoe, also at times an electric trolling motor. I have even sailed a canoe. Outriggers can be easily attached if you need extra stability.
I just prefer a canoe for most use, but to each their own.
 
Right now I'm pretty sold on an old town sportsman kayak. Now I gotta learn what length rods to use on the rivers and what size spinning reels. Then, I gotta figure out whether to use straight braid, straight fluoro, braid with fluoro leader, etc…..
 
They are definitely an individual thing. I've had several...each time I upgraded to what I felt best suited my needs and still never found one anywhere close to perfect. There was always something major that made me want something different....if you start with a paddle, you'll want a pedal drive. Depending on which pedal drive you actually get, you'll always be curious about the other type. Then you'll probably eventually get to where you just want electric powered trolling motor, etc. I was at the point of buying a Old Town with the trolling motor and spotlock but thankfully came to my senses and bought a jonboat with trailer instead. Now I can fish the same exact places I was fishing with the kayak and it didn't cost me $4,000 to get an electric AND gas motor. The best part is...I don't have to put my cooler behind me. I have dropped too many fish back in the water by trying to reach behind me to put them in the cooler lol. It gets awkward reaching behind you for everything (rod crates, cooler, etc). Some don't have a problem with it but I did...my fix is simply having everything in front of me.
 
Rancocas said:
One of them I built myself from wood strips and epoxy. It is a great tripper canoe and can also handle up to about Class III whitewater, such as the upper Hiwassee River. I also have a specific whitewater canoe that can go down the Class IV rapids of the Ocoee River.
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If you have any photos and don't mind to post them I would love to see the canoe. Most I've seen are like works of art almost.
 
Sorry, I have no current photos. Right now the canoe is up on a rack in my barn and my health won't let me lift the weight to bring it down.
Besides, being practically computer illiterate, I don't know how to post pictures anyway.
However;
1. In the May/June 2006 issue of "The Backwoodsman" magazine is my article "An Indepth Look at Canoe Types". There is a picture of me and three of my canoes, including my homebuilt one.
2. In the May/June 2007 issue of "The Backwoodsman" magazine is my story "Whitewater", but that one is not specifically about canoes.
3. There was an article about me and my canoe in the Chattanooga Free Press on Sunday, June 10, 2007 with a picture of me and the canoe.
4. In the July/August 2009 issue of "The Backwoodsman" magazine is my story about my four day trip down the Conasauga River beginning here in TN and going down into GA. I used my homebuilt canoe for that short voyage. I cut the trip short because I was seeing too much pollution in the river. My picture in that canoe appears in full color on the cover of that magazine for that issue.
 
There's a copy of the July/Aug issue on eBay with a pic of the cover. That's awesome.

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Yep that's me and my canoe on the upper Conasauga River before entering Georgia.
Thanks Buzzard Breath.
Going down the Conasauga I encountered several small rapids. They were a test for my wood and epoxy canoe. Scraping rocks did put some gouges in the canoe bottom, but they were easily filled with more epoxy. Near Dalton, Ga. I unexpectedly encountered a small dam. Luckily I heard the roar of falling water before I reached the crest of the dam. I portaged around it. Below the dam was a nice, deep pool. I considered jumping in there to take a much needed bath. However, when I saw a 4 foot long gar swimming there, I decided against it. ():>)
 
Rancocas said:
Yep that's me and my canoe on the upper Conasauga River before entering Georgia.
Thanks Buzzard Breath.
Going down the Conasauga I encountered several small rapids. They were a test for my wood and epoxy canoe. Scraping rocks did put some gouges in the canoe bottom, but they were easily filled with more epoxy. Near Dalton, Ga. I unexpectedly encountered a small dam. Luckily I heard the roar of falling water before I reached the crest of the dam. I portaged around it. Below the dam was a nice, deep pool. I considered jumping in there to take a much needed bath. However, when I saw a 4 foot long gar swimming there, I decided against it. ():>)
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My favorite local river by far is the Conasauga. Back in the day, it was for extreme stupid stuff from on the upper upper from Chicken Coop gap down to Jacks River. Nowadays it's from 411 to Carlton Petty road. Nothing but pure untamed water and a huge diversity in fish. Super clean water UNTIL you start getting close to Dalton. Supposedly, they are working on cleaning it up that far downstream.
 

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