What's the best, most stable Kevlar or carbon 17 or plus foot canoe for fishing?

I have a MNII, Bell prospector, a Magic solo, a Spirit II - none are as stable as I would like. They all seem like they want to roll on you when handling a fish over the side.

The most stable canoe I ever used was a Alumcraft 17 foot one could stand on the sides and it wouldn't tip. But at 90lbs it was a heavy beast.

Your thoughts please.

Wenonah Champlain???

Souris River Quetico 17, followed closely by Northstar Northwind

I could stand up and fish out of my SR quetico 17.

Wenonah Boundary Waters is fairly wide for a tandem.

schweady: "Souris River Quetico 17, followed closely by Northstar Northwind
"

+1, all day. Own the SR Q17, and rented a NN 4P last year. Both have fantastic primary stability and very respectable secondary stability.

campnfish: "I could stand up and fish out of my SR quetico 17."

Could, and have.

Good question, but there are many variables involved. My most stable fishing canoe over the years is a Mad River Royalex Revelation at 17’. That said, I have the Bell 17 Northwind and find it stable, but when unloaded you need to keep aware of your surroundings and have a good canoe sense. To me, good canoe sense involves not running parallel to waves, always center your body weight in the canoe, avoid jerky movements, try to always go with the wind not against it, when productive fish lee shores, learn to understand safe wind conditions, always keep your canoe slightly moving, and very importantly, know your canoe partner and his or her canoeing/fishing skills and abilities. I have found rookies to make jerky movements, to not center their weight, to fish erratically, and to be unaware of their potential mistakes. They are also almost always in my bow, etc. My point is that even a stable 17’ Kevlar canoe like the Northwind, or SR 17 needs some canoe sense. There is not absoIutely safe or stable fishing canoe, but some are better than others. I also have a 16’ Bluewater Kevlar prospector and find that it fishes fine as well. To me, all of these canoes have good initial stability and solid secondary. I second the Wenonah Boundary Water’s canoe from what I have heard about it. Jerry G.

Bell Northwind works pretty good. My understanding is that the Northstar Northwind 17 is basically the same hull (w/o the tumblehome), so it should be ok too. As noted above, some "canoe sense" is required in any event. That said, I fish regularly from my Bell Magic.

Dooger: "Wenonah Champlain???"

I have a Champlain and it is super stable, the kids can bounce around and it doesn't upset the canoe much.

I have fished out of a Mad River Journey, Northwind, Grumman Lightweight and they all were fine.

The Wenonah Boundary Waters (17') is a foot shorter than the Champlain and also very stable.

I guess I have about as much canoe sense as anybody.

I been using canoes of all types of well over 50 years for hunting, fishing, trapping.

Some designs are just more stable then others.

I guess I tired of having to worry about setting the hook dipping the net and having the feeling that she is rocking, rolling and about to go over.

Keep the ideas coming.

Thanks

I owned the 17' Mad River Revelation and I agree, it was a great boat for fishing. But, 78lbs until I added those seat back brackets (for fishing) and then it topped 80lbs. When I was younger, no problem, but now, no way!

And the Wenonah Champlain, I had a friend who had one. I paddled it a couple times and it would have been stable handling a big fish. There's a place in northern WI that sells "Blem" Wenonahs. You may check them out and test paddle that Champlain?

If you're paddling solo, if you can find a Bell Morningstar it makes a really nice, stable solo for fishing too. As a matter of fact, I think maybe that Morningstar would be a PERFECT TRADE for your kevlar Bell Prospector (LOL)?

Hurley Outfitters

Souris River Quetico 18 1/2 footer , most stable I have found.

"And the Wenonah Champlain, I had a friend who had one. I paddled it a couple times and it would have been stable handling a big fish. There's a place in northern WI that sells "Blem" Wenonahs. You may check them out and test paddle that Champlain?"

Hayward Outfitters not Hurley Outfitters Jim Montag is the guy to talk to up there.

Here's another whole idea for you. You mentioned reaching over the side and wanting something rock solid. I was lucky enough to find a set of these for $50 bucks on Craigslist last summer and I bought them because sometimes I have a lot of money in camera gear in the canoe with me. With these on the canoe you can stand up and move around without issue. I wouldn't want to portage them but if you're just talking fishing and not fishing the BWCA you can't get more stable than this:
Link.
And you don't need a new canoe (of course, maybe that's against the point).

nooneuno: ""And the Wenonah Champlain, I had a friend who had one. I paddled it a couple times and it would have been stable handling a big fish. There's a place in northern WI that sells "Blem" Wenonahs. You may check them out and test paddle that Champlain?"


Hayward Outfitters not Hurley Outfitters Jim Montag is the guy to talk to up there."

I noticed they also have the Kingfisher. Never paddled one, but flat, wide hull should have a lot of stability? You could test paddle it there.

Dooger: "Wenonah Champlain???"

+1 I just bought my second one. All canoes are a compromise of stability, speed, capacity, weight, seaworthiness, maneuverability, etc.... We are fishermen that travel and base camp. For our purposes the Champlain in Kevlar UL layup works great. Great initial stability for fishing loaded and unloaded. IMO much better paddling canoe than the Boundary Waters model.

I have a pair of stabilizers they work great but are real PITA to portage.

I live in Hayward and when we become ice free I well go test paddle some.

riverrunner: "I have a pair of stabilizers they work great but are real PITA to portage.
I live in Hayward and when we become ice free I well go test paddle some."

I had them on my royalex Adirondack back in the '90's for Duck hunting with a lively Lab. They were also a PITA to paddle with them on, too. I used a trolling motor, but sometimes you do have to paddle.

The most stable fishing canoes are flat bottom like your aluminum canoe. Get a lighter aluminum canoe. I have Kevlar, royalex and aluminum canoes. My Kevlar and royalex canoes were not designed for highest initial stability and I love them and fish out of them and have no problem. They definitely feel tippy compared to the aluminum canoes. The Grumman, Aluma craft and Mitch craft aluminum canoes have high initial stability and are fine fishing canoes. I have never had a problem fishing from aluminum canoes. I don't bang paddles and drop things in the canoe which might scare fish. I have not told you anything that you didn't already know. I will fish from a canoe today. Do I chose my Nova Craft Pal or a Grumman?

I love my Sprit II, Royalex.

Have never experienced the instability you mention. I have fished out of it on 9 different week-long BWCA/Quetico trips.

Long time ago fishing from a wenonah ww2. Not a super stable canoe but loaded with gear it was fine.

I purchased a Wenonah Boundary Waters canoe with fishing in mind. It's a very stable canoe but I don't know that it's made me any better a fisherman.

I've owned a SR 17 and currently own a Northstar Northwind 17. Both were much more stable than other canoes I've paddled. However, with stability you definitely sacrifice speed. Both are what I'd consider 'terribly slow.' We don't mind as we don't travel 10 miles every day. It's a sacrifice we were happy to make.

I've owned a SR 17 and currently own a Northstar Northwind 17. Both were much more stable than other canoes I've paddled. However, with stability you definitely sacrifice speed. Both are what I'd consider 'terribly slow.' We don't mind as we don't travel 10 miles every day. It's a sacrifice we were happy to make.

I don't see anywhere whether you are looking to fish with two people or with one person in a two man boat or what. Aluminum is stable but noisy. Don't care how quiet you try to be you will drop or bang something. If you want to get some idea what a fish hears put your head under water while someone is fishing from an aluminum canoe. I own both a 1935 Old Town and a Bell Northwind. The OT is more stable, but obviously heavier. When I want maximum stability I will put weight in the canoe. On the river where I live I use a concrete block. In the BWCA I usually dig a rock off the bottom at each portage.

My original Chesapeake bay retriever back around 1980 made any canoe stable. She'd offset any tipping that happened. You could not tip a boat with her in it.
90 Pounds sounds kinda heavy. Lots of patching. I had a fleet of the heavier alumacrafts. They were 75 pounds apiece. Grumman makes a nice 65 pounder .
Souris boats are good. Champlain and Spirit ll can be trouble in the wind in my thinking. Some like the solo plus...
Of course a good heavy option is the sport boat.

I have a Coleman Scanoe out on the rack, very stable, and if it does tip you can swim to shore, let it sink, and pretend you were just out for a swim.....