Kayak vs Canoe Fishing | Which One Is Best?

What is different between kayak and canoe?

Firstly, a kayak is used mostly on rapids for adrenaline rushing purposes. For this, they mainly come with a double bladed paddle and either a single or double seating system- depending on the size of the kayak itself. Kayaks can either be made of strong and sturdy wooden materials, or of inflatable synthetic or plastic material.

A canoe on the other hand prompts the rider to kneel forward in order to propel the canoe with a single bladed paddle. A canoe is made of wood.

However, a key similarity between the two is that both can be used for fishing purposes. More often than not, you will see plenty of youngsters and seniors alike jumping onto their canoes and/or kayaks and head to the canals for a good fishing session.

But which one is best?

Well, to clear your doubts here, we are going to talk about all the things you need to know about kayaks and canoes in detail. By the end of this article we are sure you will be able to choose one as your winner.

Also don’t forget to read this article…Are Inflatable Kayaks Safe?

 

Kayak VS Canoe Fishing Comparison

• Comfort

Let us start off with comparing the level of comfort you might receive from our above mentioned contenders.

For starters, canoe users might argue that this crafty boat is much easier to get into, and we do acknowledge their claim. Due to the open top design of a canoe, it is generally much easier and faster to get yourself into the boat.

On top of that, the side railings of a canoe are much sturdier than that of a kayak, thus allowing riders to have some sort of leverage to hold onto while stepping onto the boat. You cannot exactly balance yourself on a kayak, therefore making the entire process of stepping into one a tad bit difficult.

However, kayaking enthusiasts also argue that a kayak is much more comfortable to sit inside, unlike a canoe. This is because the inside of a kayak is known to provide a much more snug fit to the user.

On top of that, kayaks also have better leg room, hence allowing you to feel more comfortable for long periods of time. Kayaks also come with adjustable backrests on the seats, which is obviously a plus point for riders.

• Moving around

While kayaks provide a better and snugger fit to users inside it, it is quite impossible for the rider to move about now and then. A kayak features a cockpit-like sitting area, which usually works to constrict the rider from moving about time to time. It does indeed help to maintain the overall balance and stability of the craft itself, however mobility is obstructed to an extent.

Whereas on the other hand, a canoe might not have as comfortable of a sitting area as a kayak, but it does allow riders to move around freely. Due to this, moving around in a canoe is much more comfortable than trying to move around inside a kayak.

• Weight and Capacity

The competition is neck and neck when it comes to determining which craft is lighter or heavier. A kayak is usually appropriate for one to two persons only, which is why this craft is lighter than a canoe. This also makes them easier to transport from one place to another.

Most of the times, you will get a carry bag or back pack with the purchase of a kayak in order to store it away when it is not in use. However, a kayak is not capable of withstanding too much weight at once. The highest amount of weight a kayak can hold is up to 400-500 pounds only.

On the other hand, a canoe is much more stable and can easily withstand up to 600-800 pounds with complete ease. But this high weight capacity almost means a canoe is much heavier than a kayak, which makes portability an issue for many.

However, even though a canoe can carry a much larger amount of weight than a kayak, the number of equipment’s or gears that you can carry in this vessel is limited. This is because a canoe does not necessarily come with external storage systems, unlike that of a kayak.

Continue reading this article as we will be covering the storage section below.

Also Read: What Muscles Does Kayaking Work

• Staying put

When it comes to staying put and stationary in rushing water, a canoe will do much better than a kayak. Even though the heaviness of a canoe can be a con for portability, it is an advantage for staying put in one place.

A canoe is constructed in a way that will keep the riders inside in one place, with complete balance and stability at all times.

However, a kayak is not meant for staying put in one area, which makes it vulnerable in rough water.

• Fishing techniques

Knowing how to fish from either of these two crafts, and which techniques to make use of can be a bit confusing to many. However, you do not have to worry about that any longer as we are going to discuss the differences clearly below.

Unlike in a boat, you are generally much lower and closer to the water when on a kayak or canoe. Due to this, you actually do not have to cast too far or high with your rod in order to score a prize.

As a general rule of thumb, you should only use rods about 6 feet in length when fishing on kayaks and canoes. This length is perfect for such crafts as it will allow you to evenly distribute the weight without necessarily tipping the vessel over.

You would not really need longer rods anyways as you will be closer to the water body yourself. This length of rod will ensure you accuracy and precision for every cast.

• Propulsion

The propulsion for both of these two vessels vary quite a lot. When it comes to canoes, you can only make use of a single bladed paddle. A single bladed paddle does not make too much of a difference in weight distribution and propulsion as it is not too heavy itself in the first place.

This is why you can simply just keep the paddle down when it is not in use without having to do anything extra in order to stabilize the vessel.

However, a kayak makes use of a double bladed paddle, which in general is quite heavy itself. So in order to keep yourself from falling over the vessel when coming to a halt, you need to balance out the paddle on the cockpit in order to keep yourself and the kayak itself safe from tipping over.

The amount of propulsion will also depend on the number of gears and equipment’s you carry with yourself on either of these two vessels. If you prefer riding a canoe but want to carry tons of gears at the same time, you will have to compromise on having a slower pace than your fellow competitors.

In that case, we would suggest you go for a kayak as a kayak allows storage space and will let you ride fast on water regardless of the weight capacity.

• Capsizing

Generally speaking, a kayak is actually much more susceptible to capsizing than a canoe. Kayaks are much lighter in comparison to a canoe, which makes them more vulnerable to tipping over as they lack the necessary balance to stay afloat.

However, a kayak is great even if it capsizes as it is quick in retrieving its form back, soon after tipping over.

A canoe on the other hand might not be prone to capsizing as much as a kayak might be, however once they do, it can be quite difficult for you to get back on the vessel.

But in an overall sense, the chances of being in the middle of a capsized craft is much less when on a canoe than when on a kayak.

• Storage

Even though canoes are much bigger and wider in size than kayaks, they do not come with much storage space as compared to the latter craft.

On top of that, personal belongings and other gears might tend to get wetter more in a canoe than in a kayak. This is because of a canoes open cockpit design, which does not really prevent water from splashing in. Due to this kind of design, a rider will also be open to sunlight, wind and water sprays more often.

A kayak in this case is much more reliable, in terms of both, storage and dryness. Kayaks also tend to “cover” riders sitting inside the cockpit from sunlight, water splashes and of course, wind. This makes a kayak way more ideal than canoes on rough water.

• Speed

Fishing usually will require you to stay in one place for a substantial period of time. In this case, a canoe will be of much better use. However, in order to reach high speeds and glide through the water like a race car, a kayak is your go-to craft.

The lightweight built and structure of a kayak allows it to move through the water and reach great speeds within a short time, which a canoe is not unfortunately able to do.

A kayak will also allow you to turn around hard corners and tight spaces with better mobility- this is something a canoe, no matter how light weight, will not be able to offer.

• Price

When it comes to price, both of these two crafts can be expensive or cheap. The price tag attached to a canoe or kayak actually depends on the built, size, quality and of course brand of it. This is why we cannot really pinpoint which vessel is cheaper or pricier than the other.

However, since the material used for construction in a canoe is more or less always high quality wood, the price will also be a tad bit higher than that of a kayak.

We would recommend you to not put too much thought into the price of a kayak or canoe because price is subjective here. Instead, what you should be doing is considering other factors which will determine how safe and fun your fishing experience will be.

You may also like to know that What To Wear Kayaking?

Final Thoughts About Kayak vs Canoe Fishing

Both of the above mentioned crafts are amazing in their own rights and come with the best features. However, which one fits your description the best depends solely on your preferences. Pay less attention to the price of the vessel and more to the features they present.

Go for canoes if you prefer staying in one place for a good amount of time instead of constantly being on the move. On the other hand, we recommend you to go for a kayak if adrenaline rush is the sole enjoyment you are seeking.

Whichever craft that you may choose in the end, all we suggest you to do is pay good attention to the features of it and purchase something that is of high quality and strong.

You should also keep in mind the type of water you want to be riding on with either your kayak or canoe. A great canoe or kayak is not one that is large in size or built, but one that keeps you afloat and brings you back to shore, safe and sound.

We really hope you enjoyed going through this article and that it cleared all your doubts regarding the differences between kayaks and canoes. Make sure to maintain proper caution and safety measures at all times while out on the water, and wear all the necessary safety equipment’s beforehand! Thank you for sticking around till the very end with us!