# Canoe vs Kayak



## BG Slayer (Feb 17, 2013)

Hey i've been thinking about getting a canoe or a kayak for fishing lakes what do you guys prefer??? Also, do you know any good brands of each?


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

I can see this one going off the deep end, LOL

I have only been into kayaks for a year and I have only been in a few canoes over the years so I can't help much. I have research kayaks a lot in the last year and the one thing I can say is that there is almost as much variation in just kayaks or just canoes as there is between the two. If canoe is A and Kayak is Z, there is a lot of "stuff" in the middle. I would guess that if you can picture what you want in your head then someone makes it.

What Price range are you looking for, your size, solo or tandem, how do you plan to hull it, do you plan to take a lot of gear or do you pack light. These are so things that might help these guys give you some ideas.


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## Bon3s (Sep 4, 2012)

How much are you looking to spend? That really dictates brand


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## BG Slayer (Feb 17, 2013)

Ill spend a couple hundred nothing too expensive like $1000 but ill be solo fishing.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

BG Slayer said:


> Ill spend a couple hundred nothing too expensive like $1000 but ill be solo fishing.


If your staying solo.. I'd go to dicks and get a yak.. Won't break the bank(300 ..ish) or maybe you could find one cheaper on eBay or Craigslist . Honestly, $200 won't get you very far at all .. Even the crap kayaks are at least 250 in most stores


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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

BG Slayer,
Welcome to OGF! 

Stay away from Pelican kayaks/canoes, as their plastics are too brittle (lots of cracks) and a general poor hull design. 

Kayaks are more stable than canoes...or there are more angling kayaks that offer more stability than there are angling canoes with equal stability. 

Stores: Dick's, Dunham Sports, MC Sports and Gander Mtn. (when they have a sale).
Brands: Old Town, Perception, Field & Stream (exclusive to Dick's) and Future Beach. All of these kayaks are going to be $280 to $400.

If you're fishing lakes, ponds, etc. you're going to want something with a good keel for good tracking. 

Bowhunter57


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## kdubb (Feb 12, 2013)

I have a 14 6" old town saranac canoe in like brand new condition 500.00 check them out old town.com 740-602-0705

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## kdubb (Feb 12, 2013)

I fished this canoe with three adults before and was very stable and was thinking of mounting a trolling motor on it,just bought a boat and haven't used it much in last 2 years always kept inside on wall of garage.seats are comfy also...

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## cfioritto (Mar 25, 2012)

I bought a canoe last year, but I was also wondering canoe or kayak. I decided on a canoe with a square stern to put a trolling motor on. I know you can put trolling motors on yaks also. Although my canoe is heavier than a kayak I opted for it because I like to take the kids out and be able to haul a little gear and have room for a cooler and other items as well. I am able to load my canoe on top of my car by myself with a little more effort than a yak. It is about 95lbs versus a kayak which is around 40lbs depending on what you get. Overall in my case I like the room to put a little more onboard and not have to worry so much as finding a place for everything. I can just put fishing gear on my canoe an go. Everybody has different needs and reasons for one or the other, but this was what I decided on.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Stucky has a really nice canoe he picked up last year, and he knows yaks too, he's the guy I'd want to hear from. 


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

I think a couple hundred bucks will probably get you farther in a used canoe rather than a used kayak.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

If you could only have one boat, for lakes, canoe would probably be the most versatile. You can add a little outboard, paddle it solo, take kids, hunt out of it, etc...

It also has the potential to be a much larger pain in the arse if you solo. Wind man...wind is NOT the friend of the canoe.
Stucky and I have similar canoes, turn them around and solo them, and we like to take our dogs along. Let me tell you, soloing a canoe, with a dog, while fishing, in the wind...can make a guy get pretty redass pretty quickly.

It really depends on what you want to do out of it. If you just want to paddle alone and fish, consider a kayak.


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## cfioritto (Mar 25, 2012)

I couldn't agree with you more Bubbagon about the wind. If you're not paying attention you will be on shore before you know it. You definitely need a small anchor in the wind to stay in one place.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Many years ago I was in the stump field on Knox Lake in my Gruman when the wind kicked up really bad. I'll tell you, when the wind blows your canoe on top of a stickup, it will get your heart started. I was sitting in the back and couldn't move to the middle because of the conditions. I had to paddle into the wind to get back, and ended up having to paddle backwards because I couldn't take a stroke without the wind spinning me like a compass needle.


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## jlieder (Jul 23, 2010)

I love my canoe, but I have to admit that wind is a larger problem in the canoe than in the kayak. I am going to go to rowing the canoe this year and see if that can mitigate some of the issue.


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## BG Slayer (Feb 17, 2013)

I think i might get a kayak do they tip over easily?


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Years ago I used a canoe to fish from. As others have said the wind is a major problem. But for most situations it is a better option. A canoe can carry huge loads. Took a 17ft. canoe on a 2 day float down the Licking River with 2 fat guys, 250lbs. plus each, a huge fat Lab that liked to bite at fish and lures as they came out of the water, complete camping gear, fishin equipment,pistols, rifles and beer. It was a scary load at first but we got used to it. I took a solo 3 day trip on the Licking with a similar load. I used a 30lb. trolling motor and used 2 deep cycle batteries in the nose for ballast. I changed batteries at the midway point at about 15 miles using the motor on the long still water portions. I had a side motor mount attached near my left hip. Some rapids scared the crap out of me, but I made it in one piece.


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## dstiner86 (Jun 5, 2012)

I can't really throw in to much input..but for Christmas i got a kayak from dicks and 370 it the future beach trophy 126 a 10' model.. Haven't had it out yet but i read reviews and got real good ones.. I fished from a cheaper walmart kayak a little last summer and compared to a canoe i felt loads more stable .... Which is a plus.. And going solo mostly i think a kayak would be ur better option..typically lighter and easier to navigate solo...either way happy fishing! i personally can't wait til warmer weather so i can finally hit the water in mine!!
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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

Bowhunter57 said:


> Kayaks are more stable than canoes...or there are more angling kayaks that offer more stability than there are angling canoes with equal stability.





BG Slayer said:


> I think i might get a kayak do they tip over easily?


No! See the above reply. 

Bowhunter57


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## BG Slayer (Feb 17, 2013)

Bowhunter57 said:


> No! See the above reply.
> 
> Bowhunter57


oops! forgot you posted that


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Bowhunter57 said:


> No! See the above reply.
> 
> Bowhunter57


No argument here, I've lost count of the number of times I've dunked a canoe. Only once in a SOT kayak. 


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

"Tippyness" is a function of hull design. There are kayaks that flip very easily, and the same for canoes. There are super stable kayaks and super stable canoes.
Most recreational canoes are REALLY easy to stand in....REALLY easy. By design they are typically have a wide, flat bottom. And your center of gravity, while standing, is lower in a canoe than on a sit on top kayak.

My point? Don't make your choice thinking one is going to be more stable than the other. Figure out if you want a kayak or canoe, then find the most stable in that category.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

Okay, I am with the canoe votes. Weight is the only drawback. I use an old Grumman sport boat / canoe. We camp out of it and it hauls an awesome 1000+# payload. Flat back transom carries a 4.5hp yamaha and it will cruise around 10mph loaded. It has oarlocks for rowing, it paddles well, and tracks awesome thanks to the keel. They are hard to find but worth the hunt! The boat is 15.5 ft long, and about 100# empty. You can literally stand up and not get wet. It it truly the swiss army knife of the small boats.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Not much to add, just got home from 4 day pool tourney, haven't had time to look here.

What he said ! I've said this a million times, hull shape is the most important factor, decide where you're going to use it most, moving or flat, then look canoe or kayak, like bubba said, you can't compare kayak to canoe for stability, it's hull! Wind sucks in the canoe, badly.it's never at your back, always in your face the last two miles, always from the side when trying to fish. But a absolutely love mine! It fits a purpose, bring a bunch of gear, overnight, bring the lab, much more like traveling in style. If I want to fish moving water, can't beat a kayak, or the coosa. Both I can stand, do class 3 white water, but aren't nearly at home on flat water, both have more rocker than most boats, big sails equal no fun...

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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

I had a mad river 14 and I loved it. I rigged a trolling motor mount, ran a 40lb thrust or a 2hp evinrude off it. That rig caught me alot of fish and took me into places Ive never been before. I should have never sold it. Now, I just bought a ocean kayak trident 11 angler recently. This is my first yak so I cant comment on it yet. Hope it lives up to the hype since it was double the price of the mad river canoe.


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

I have an Old Town and I love it.
When I am trying to fish in a yak I feel way too confined. I like having all my gear and at least one of my kids along for a float. I also like sitting up and out of the water. it just feels better. Wind can suck. I have only tipped over a kayak.

These are my personal feelings and if a yak guy would tell me why they prefer a yak I would completely respect their opinion because everyone is different...


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