Wild Northerner Magazine Fall 2018 | Page 18

Rock solid

A lot of canoes are tippy or have a tippy feeling, especially when the dynamics of fishing are involved. Standing up suddenly can cause panic to people in canoes. For good reason. I’ve seen it many times. Heck, I’m sure every time I go out with someone to this day, there is at least one moment when I, or the other person, think the canoe just might flip. LOL. It usually always produces a faint but distinct noise from one or both people in the canoe. I can say the Quetico 17 I own is as stable as a canoe gets for fishing thanks to it’s flat bottom design. Two people can chuck lures in opposite directions while standing at the same time with not one bit of wobble or feeling of impending doom. I’ve done this many times with good buddies, even with waves and winds kicking up. It’s also a good vessel for tripping. Again, all canoes are not created equal.

A 10 to 15-pound anchor is more the enough to keep most canoes situated on a particular spot in conditions with less than 20-km winds. The heavier you go, the more awkward it is to haul in over the side of a canoe. I have found 10 pounds to be the best fit. Strong wind gusts can still bump your canoe out of place, but for almost all conditions, a 10-pound round weightlifting plate is an excellent choice, and is what I use. It rarely gets snagged on bottom or on structure. It holds firm as well. I know people who have cut a rope and left an anchor in the water as they couldn’t get it loose while canoe fishing. It can be hard to get the right leverage to free a snagged anchor from a canoe. If you know conditions will be rough, bring a 15-pound anchor.

Anchor away