My earliest fishing was done in an aluminum canoe. It was all I had, and it worked, but there were downsides, mostly noise and catching on rocks in shallow streams. Or sometimes lakes when I just didn’t see that barely submerged piece of granite.
The Raddisons and Sportspals I’ve seen all use VERY thin aluminum, no way I’d take one down a shallow bony stream, or wedge the stern ashore in a fishing hole.
A plastic (Royalex or poly) canoe in the 14 – 16 foot range would be more suitable. A flat bottom needn’t be 38” to 40” wide to manage standing, even by unbalanced me. Something flat bottomed 36”-ish wide, depending on length, would paddle better than a pumpkinseed “sport” canoe.
I recently converted a Royalex Old Town Pathfinder (14’ 10” x 36”max beam, 57lbs) to a dedicated fishing canoe. Bought used for less cash than my monthly beer expenses it is damn near perfect for my needs.
1995 hull, the Royalex and vinyl gunwales were sound, but stored on the ground for too many years all of the brightwork, seats and yoke, were rotted to hell. Six months later, post conversion, dirt is still falling out from under the inwales. But the brightwork was an easy fix, and since I wanted a solo fishing canoe I could install things exactly where I wanted them.
PC130013 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
That canoe now sports assorted fishing geegaws; rod holder storage clips, Scotty base for trolling rod holder, even a measuring scale stamped in 2” increments across the utility thwart.
PC200038 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
The utility thwart has one weird feature that have proven invaluable for fumble fingered me when it comes to managing hooks and lures; a narrow wedge of minicel contact cemented to the thwart as hook keeper. I do not like loose hooks and lures, especially dropped “Oops, where did it go?” in the bilge, and that simple scrap has proven a valuable fishing accessory.
PC260035 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
I can’t leave well enough alone when it comes to comfort, so, as usual, foot braces, knee bumpers, heel pads, strap yoke, and pad eyes for a back band.
PC300017 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
The now-badged “Fishfinder” is 31 ½” wide at the inwale edges, so I needed wide knee bumpers (yoga blocks) to hit my preferred 23” knee braced spread when seated, and if I stand a bit bowlegged I can press my calves against those cushions. I am not a frequent stander, but having two extra points of contact, not just my feet, has been a stability help.
Fully “dressed” the converted FishFinder is a very functional fishing canoe
P1010015 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
And if I want to put up a simple downwind sail and troll that Scotty base mount serves other purposes.
P1010011 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
I really can’t leave well enough alone, and there are some things I want on all of our open canoes; partial spray covers, no-sewing DIY’ed from heat sealable Packcloth, for a less open sheerline in wind and rain.
P3250015 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
There are dozens kayaks and SOTs designed and cunningly OEM outfitted for fishing. There are not many (any?) canoes with factory fishing accessories and outfitting. Like the old saying “You don’t buy a Jeep, you BUILD a Jeep” I think the same holds true for outfitting a fishing canoe.
The Pathfinder was a pocket tandem. Something like the identical design flat bottomed Old Town Camper (16’ x 36”, 59lbs) would work as either a tandem or bow backwards solo. Some of OT’s poly Discovery canoes are similarly flat bottomed, which makes standing easier. The Disco 158 is 15’ 8” x 35 ½” and flat bottomed. And weighed 80 freaking pounds, and oil canned notoriously. Ya can’t have everything, but I wouldn’t want one of those; wide flat bottoms and poly didn’t mix well.
No idea what might be more commonly available in flat bottomed RX/Poly canoe in Canada, must be something.
And easy alternative to installing a permanent utility fishing thwart in any canoe with a reachable thwart is as easy as buying two thick plastic cutting boards. Not my design, but this is clever as hell and simply wing nuts around a thwart when needed. The couple friends that use them catch plenty of fish.
PA040044 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
The “secret” to that KISS design is making the bottom rod handle slot narrower than the top, so the rod is held at a / angle off either side.
Bottom looks like this.
PA040043 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
Still learning, I may drill a hole for needle nose or hemostats in my utility fishing thwart.