Bass fishing is exciting and challenging, and many anglers prefer fishing for bass to any other fish. Few fish are as exhilarating to catch as bass, and there are several ways to execute a successful bass fishing trip, including using boats to travel out into the water. This leaves many anglers wondering if canoes are suitable bass fishing vessels.
You can bass fish from a canoe. A canoe with a wide bottom, keel, and high sides is excellent for bass fishing. It is highly stable, easy to fish from, can go anywhere in freshwater, and is very easy to use and control, especially for beginner paddlers.
There are many vessels that can be used for bass fishing, but the traditional options are kayaks, Jon boats, and certain other small, motorized vessels like fan boats. Can you use a canoe rather than these tried and true fishing vessels for bass fishing? Let’s find out!
Can You Bass Fish From A Canoe?
Bass fishing is done in many different types of freshwater and requires a good amount of skill and patience. Sometimes bass fishing also requires a boat of some kind to reach areas where the best fish are likely to be. For this reason, can you use a canoe when bass fishing?
You can bass fish from a canoe. Canoes are highly versatile vessels that are very easy to control, cheap to rent, and suited for the types of water in which bass are known to be found.
Canoes also have a good weight capacity, so they can handle multiple people and fishing gear and can even be used for longer fishing excursions. Canoes are reliable, and because of this, they make very good bass fishing vessels.
Bass fishing is typically done from kayaks and motorized fishing boats, as these vessels are quick and easy to move in the water. A canoe is another excellent option, especially for inexperienced paddlers or for anglers who want to be out on the water for longer.
Canoes are very stable, which means they are great for casting from, they have high walls, which enables pole clips and other useful accessories to be clipped onto them easily, and they can be very large, which means plenty of room for fishing from a canoe.
These vessels can travel to any area of freshwater and can even handle some light rapids if necessary. Canoes are quiet and float on the current. This means they can move in very shallow water for fishing and allow access to even the most inaccessible areas of rivers and lakes.
If you want to explore bass fishing from a different perspective or use different methods, or if you have never used a boat for bass fishing before, using a canoe is an excellent option.
Canoes can make great bass fishing vessels as they are not motorized and therefore are not very fast fishing vessels. They are best used when you are not in a hurry and have time to relax and enjoy the experience.
Are Canoes As Good As Other Boats For Bass Fishing?
Bass fishing typically uses kayaks, Jon boats, small fishing boats, airboats, and other vessels. Fishermen usually enjoy these vessels for bass fishing because they are easily motorized, quick on the water, and very stable. How do canoes compare with these fishing vessels?
Canoes are not usually the first vessel most bass anglers think of, but the reality is that these boats are very well suited for bass fishing, especially if you want to reduce the cost of your trip and if you do not mind paddling.
Canoes have many advantages for bass fishing and perform as well as most other boats that can be used for this type of fishing. Canoes do well on rivers, dams, and lakes, and they can reach any area that the common bass fishing boats can.
Compared to other bass fishing vessels, the only drawback of canoes is that they are slower and much more cumbersome to maneuver.
However, if you do not mind taking things at a slower pace, a canoe can make an ideal bass fishing boat, and you can have a very successful bass fishing outing using a canoe.
Which Canoes Work Best For Bass Fishing?
There are several types of canoes on the market, and many available for bass fishing, so which canoe should you use for fishing bass?
Any canoe can be used for bass fishing. The best options, especially for anglers who are inexperienced paddlers, are medium or large-size canoes with a keel, high sides, good stability, good width, and plenty of storage.
A good bass fishing canoe should be longer than 13′ long. Most anglers prefer using a 16′ canoe for bass fishing, as this length provides a good mix of maneuverability and stability.
A wide bottom with a keel maximizes stability, and high sides make the vessel feel safer to use, make the vessel more comfortable, and provide a place for clip-on accessories.
Larger canoes can accommodate many people and plenty of gear, which is another reason to use a canoe longer than 13′.
Aluminum canoes are typically less expensive than wooden canoes but require more maintenance and are slightly more difficult to manage.
Canoes can be very expensive to buy, so it is important that you choose the ideal vessel for your purposes. Otherwise, you will always feel disappointed with your purchase.
If you are an experienced paddler, you can use almost any canoe for bass fishing. These vessels are also extremely versatile, which means you can use them for much more than just fishing if you can use them well.
Finding the ideal canoe for your bass fishing needs can be challenging, but finding the right boat can take your fishing trips to a whole new level.
Advantages Of Using A Canoe For Bass Fishing
Canoes can be excellent bass fishing vessels. If you know how to use them well and have a few paddling skills, this may be the best bass fishing boat for you.
There are several advantages to using a canoe for bass fishing, and there are many reasons these vessels are so good for this purpose.
Let’s explore some of the significant advantages of using a canoe for bass fishing, to help you determine if this vessel is right for your next fishing trip.
Canoes Can Take You To Inaccessible Places
The biggest advantage of using a canoe for bass fishing is that you can reach far more places when using a boat. Canoes make areas inaccessible on foot or by land perfectly viable for fishing.
Bass tend to live in difficult-to-reach places, especially when spawning, making them very difficult to catch without a boat.
Using a canoe allows you to reach every potential fishing location with ease. These boats are easy to move in the water, and they can get to any section of a lake, damn, or river with very little effort.
Canoes Have High Weight Capacity
Canoes have a larger weight capacity than similar vessels, such as kayaks. You can carry much more gear and people in a canoe than in any other small fishing boat.
If you have a lot of gear, if you want to go fishing with a buddy, or if you want to take a multi-day fishing trip with camping and outdoor gear in tow, a canoe is among the very best options.
Canoes have a weight capacity that is more than enough to handle you, your gear, and all the bass you can catch without becoming unstable or difficult to control.
If you expect to catch a lot of bass and need adequate storage for them, a canoe can provide that for you without compromising the vessel and exceeding the boat’s weight limit.
Canoes Are Easy To Control
A major advantage of using a canoe compared to other fishing vessels is that they are very easy to control in the water. No experience is required to use a canoe, especially a canoe with a wide bottom and high walls.
Canoes are among the easiest paddle vessels to maneuver in the water. Anyone can confidently paddle and steer a canoe, navigating to where they want to be, and fish with minimal effort and without any difficulty.
A canoe is an ideal option if you have never used a vessel for bass fishing before and want to try it with something easy.
Canoes Are Inexpensive To Rent
Canoes can be very expensive to buy, but they are very cheap to rent. Almost every lake and river that is managed well will have a facility to rent a canoe for a very low price. This makes it very easy to try bass fishing from a canoe for yourself and to try a canoe before you buy one.
Canoes are much cheaper to use than kayaks and other boats and significantly easier to maintain, which means they are far easier to rent out for a lower cost.
Renting a canoe is an ideal option for anyone who wants to try this boat for bass fishing without first buying one.
Canoes Are Quiet
A major advantage to using a canoe over other types of fishing vessels is that they are very quiet, especially when drifting or paddling gently.
Very few canoes have outboard motors, and most are made for use with paddles. This means that even when you are moving through the water, there is very little sound to disturb the environment and the fish you are trying to catch.
Loud motors disturb the water and chase away bass, but using a canoe allows you to paddle quietly into an area where fish may be and begin fishing without causing any major disturbances.
Using this aspect of the canoe to your advantage is an excellent way to make the best of the boat and catch as many bass as possible.
Canoes Can Be Used Anywhere
Canoes are not limited to the type of freshwater they can be used on. These boats are ideal for rivers, lakes, streams, and dams and can handle the quietest and still waters and the most intense rapids if the boat is well-made.
This means that you can take a canoe anywhere for bass fishing without being concerned that it cannot handle certain types of water or specific areas.
If you have the skills for it, you can confidently take your canoe into any water and into any section of water. You can also use it in the calmest water and know you will feel safe and stable even if you move around.
Canoes Are Highly Stable
The last advantage we will cover here is that canoes are highly stable.
Bass fishing often requires a lot of casting and reeling, which is best done while standing. There are very few other small fishing boats you can stand in while casting and reeling repeatedly without causing stability issues. This is not an issue for canoes.
Wide-bottom canoes are immensely stable and more capable of staying upright while you stand and repeatedly cast, even if you have to cast very far and rock the boat significantly. It is very difficult to capsize a canoe on flat water.
Disadvantages Of Using A Canoe For Bass Fishing
While there are several advantages that come with bass fishing in a canoe, there are some disadvantages to consider as well.
Bass fishing is very challenging, and the type of vessel that you choose to use for bass fishing makes a big difference in how successful you can be.
Here are some of the most important disadvantages of using a canoe for bass fishing that must be considered before you choose to use this type of vessel.
Canoes Are Very Large
Bass fishing often requires moving your vessel in and out of the water and portaging overland if you need to move to a new area. This is part of the challenge of bass fishing, which is why many bass anglers prefer kayaks.
Canoes are very large, which makes them very difficult to move over land. Canoes can even be difficult to carry with two people, especially if you are carrying a lot of gear with you.
This means that canoes are only ideal for bass fishing if you never have to remove the boat from the water.
Canoes Are Best Used With Two People
Large canoes are not ideal for use with one person. This may seem untrue, but the reality is that handling a large canoe in the water or moving it off and onto trailers is very difficult if you are on your own.
If you enjoy bass fishing without anyone with you, choosing a vessel that is easier to move with one person is better.
Canoes Drift Very Easily
If you want to stay in one area of a lake or river while fishing in a canoe, you will need to either paddle constantly or drop an anchor, as canoes drift very easily and can drift long distances without you noticing.
This is not an issue in boats with motors that can keep them in one place or with vessels such as kayaks that can face the current and stay in one place if you have a pedal propeller.
This can be a deal-breaker for some fishermen, as fishing for bass requires the most control over the vessel and requires the vessel to remain still on a moment’s notice when a fish hits your lure.
Canoes Are Not Good In Bad Weather
Canoes can be challenging to use in rainy or cold weather. These boats collect water in the bottom, making it difficult to keep your gear dry when it rains, and they can feel choppy when winds churn up the water.
These boats do not do very well when the water is choppy. They can handle currents, flows, and rapids but feel very unstable in small waves and unpredictable water.
This can be an issue for bass fishing because bass often bites very well in rainy weather or cold and windy days. If you want to use a canoe on days like this, it is important that you pay close attention to your technique and what you are doing and try to get as much practice beforehand as possible.
Canoes Can Capsize
The biggest disadvantage of using a canoe rather than boats like Jon boats and kayaks is that they can easily capsize in poor conditions. Unlike a capsized kayak, all your tackle, gear, and anything else you have with you will end up in the water.
This is quite rare, and it is unlikely to happen if you are careful on the water, but it can happen, and it is something to consider before going out bass fishing in a canoe.
Conclusion
Canoes are good for bass fishing, and if you use them right, they can be the best vessel for bass fishing, especially for beginners. Canoes have a great weight capacity, are easy to use, are very stable, and can be used for bass fishing anywhere.
If you want to use a canoe for bass fishing, the easiest option is to rent a canoe. Try this vessel for yourself, and you will surely find it ideal for bass fishing, especially if you want to be as comfortable and stable as possible on the water.
Hi, I’m Tommy Bull. I can safely say that this was one of the best days of my adult life. The weather was perfect, not too hot or too cold, the lake was peaceful and still, and my bounty was impeccable.
This day is what started my love of fishing. Since then, I’ve been traveling around different lakes to see if I can match the magic of Irvine lake. No luck yet, but I remain hopeful. Until then, I can always count on Irvine lake to remind me of that feeling.
Anyway, I created Irvine Lake to teach people how to fish so that they feel more confident to go out and find their own fishing spot to embrace that feeling.
From then on, the site has grown to encompass my love of all things camping and outdoors too.
