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Thread: What about a rookie and a canoe?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Lafayette, Tennessee
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    Question What about a rookie and a canoe?

    I am brand new at flyfishing, as most of you probably know from all of the questions I have been asking. I still have a 2 man canoe that me and my Dad fished in when I was a kid. There is a small watershed nearby, that was full of bluegill and crappie when I was a kid and I have been thinking of going there this spring and trying it out. But as I haven't tried this, I was wondering if I should start practicing casting sitting down or something like that? I still can't cast very far, only about 30 ft. or so, but I keep practicing every chance I get and I'm hoping for maybe 40 to 50 ft by spring. I thought if I could stay in the canoe, out in the middle of the water, then maybe I can stay out of that ?@!#! tree. Anyway, that is my idea, any thoughts from you guys?

    As far as the canoe goes, I have made many trips down the creeks and rivers around here. I'm no expert or anything, but I am not worried about the canoe as much as I am casting out of the canoe. Mostly, I just want to stay out of that tree.

    Thanks,
    Jason
    "If we lie to the government, it's called a felony, when they lie to us, it's called politics." Bill Murray

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Coeur d'Alene, ID
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    Default

    Jason;
    Practice casting sitting down is not a bad idea. One of the "Contests" at the Michigan Fish-In is casting while sitting at hula hoops about 30' away. This would also help with your accuracy. Another one of the "Contests" was hitting a hula hoop that was placed under a tree. That was easy, it was just like fishing in Tennessee!
    It sounds like you have some experiance with a canoe so fly fishing from one should come along well. Just remember the PFD

  3. #3

    Default casting and canoes

    Jason,

    If you are trying to get a away from the trees being in the canoe is certainly a good plan. I have flyfished from a canoe several times and found it to be a very productive and enjoyable experience. That being said, there are several things that you must consider. First, you should be able to cast sitting or kneeling. This shouldn't be much of a problem if you have a decent casting technique, but you will need to practice. I would personally reccomend that you practice while sitting on the most unstable chair that you can find. this will help you to learn to keep your body centered and stable as opposed to throwing your weight back and forth. It's easier to get up off the ground than it is to get out of the water. Second, I would suggest that you stop worrying about casting for distance and concentrate more on being able to cast accurately. If you can learn to cast 30 feet accurately from a canoe, then you have a very good shot at catching fish. Also, if you concentrate on accuracy and casting properly then distance will come on it's own. Finally, I would reccomend that you devise a method to secure all your gear so that if you should have the misfortune of tipping you can recover your gear without diving to the bottom of the pond.

    Fish

    P.S.- Always wear a PFD!
    Wet wadin' hillbilly extraordinaire

    Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.

    Heraclitus

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    In the warm water and pan fish forums there are many stories on fishing from a canoe, with a lot of good advice.

    A quick tip is you will need anchors, one fore one aft. to keep you in place over the good water.

    Have fun with it.

    Eric
    "Complexity is easy; Simplicity is difficult."
    Georgy Shragin
    Designer of ppsh41 sub machine gun

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Modoc Country.... Extreme N.E. California high desert
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    Quote Originally Posted by hugefish_80 View Post
    Jason,
    Finally, I would reccomend that you devise a method to secure all your gear so that if you should have the misfortune of tipping you can recover your gear without diving to the bottom of the pond.
    Fish
    There's the real jewel, along with don't stand up in yer canoe............ModocDan

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Lafayette, Tennessee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by modocdan View Post
    There's the real jewel, along with don't stand up in yer canoe............ModocDan
    Don't take my wife with you in the canoe is another jewel. We made a trip on a river nearby once. It was our first, last, and only trip. I am not sure which of us would survive if we tried to make another one.

    Thanks for all the help,
    Jason
    "If we lie to the government, it's called a felony, when they lie to us, it's called politics." Bill Murray

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    quitecorner,ct.
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    2,554

    Default

    I fish while standing in my canoe all the time
    No big thing
    The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
    --- Horace Kephart

  8. #8

    Default Canoe Fishing

    My wife and I fish all the time from our canoe. She chucks spoons from the bow and I fly fish from the stern. It's the only way to go.

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