STAY WHERE YOU BELONG — On the Inside of Small Craft!

My buddy at the other end of the canoe stood up to cast, both feet on the midline of the bottom. Not a good idea. Without a firm stance, he started to wobble, the canoe lurching side to side.

He jumped over the side before the canoe could overturn and dump both of us, our tackle and our cameras.

In another similar case, a buddy had beached his kayak and gotten his feet tangled up and fell both into and out of his kayak several times before he could completely extricate himself.

Small boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats require special care when getting in and out, standing, sitting and fishing. Small craft are tippy and require careful moves. For example, as we both knew and my buddy temporarily forgot, getting up in a canoe or kayak requires first spreading both feet to the side of the craft and then with equal pressure on each foot, rising to a standing position.

It is important to stay that way when fishing while standing, since a wide stance gives you the required stability. Using a wide stance on quiet rivers, I used to float a canoe downstream while standing up fly casting. Not recommended, and definitely not suggested if there are rocks or riffles in the river.

The reverse is true if getting into a floating canoe or kayak. For this, step on the center line to avoid tipping or wobbling and grab the thwarts with both hands (one on each side). Once in the craft, immediately sit down and then adjust your feet to a wide stance for any subsequent movement.

In a canoe, I find it best to crouch and hold the gunwales on both sides when moving forward or back. This stabilizes the canoe and also allows you to make instant adjustments in position from a low crouching position if required. Anchor ropes and locations are also important, since a position too far to one side can cause a canoe to capsize.

To anchor my aluminum canoe with aluminum fore and aft decks (the triangular pieces at the ends of the canoe), I added a snubber in the center of each deck. I use a sailing cam lock (cam cleat) with a fairlead, available at boating and sailing stores. This consists of two spring-loaded toothed snubbers to grab the rope ahead of an inverted “U” shaped opening for the anchor line. This makes it easy to remove the line to shorten or lengthen it or drop the line in place with one hand to lock it down. Kayaks and other small craft can use the same accessory to easily anchor. In addition to a large anchor on my jon boat, I use these with small anchors when drifting a river.

Simple precautions of getting in and out and moving around small craft along with a few accessories can add a lot more fun and a margin of safety with any small boat freshwater fishing. Remember – think first, and then move.

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