Thanks to my brother-in-law, I'm in need of a new water trapping rig. I'm sure it has been discussed before, but what does everyone prefer? This will be used on a river for the most part.

Flat bottom ok. A sport canoe is much more stable then a canoe; plus it can handle a motor. Depending on your situation, some of the new fiberglass duck boats might work.

Just my opinion, if you are using it on a river of good size, that being if you can't wind up and throw a rock across it you will be better served by a 16 foot or bigger flat bottomed boat.
Cricks as we call them here are better served by a light outfit you can portage around the numerous log jams.

Zim

SkyeDancer,

Grumann Sport Boat is a SUPER trapping boat. All I used for my waterline on the Croux, before the Feds stole it. It flys with a 6 HP on the back. Not a lot of people know about these boats except the folks that have one of want one. Had two, but gave one to my brother.

If you get one, unbolt the 4 oarlocks and it will slip right in between the reeds/cat tails.

Not made anymore... My granddad told me, "If you like something, buy two of them, because if it's any good they'll stop making them." I bought 'em cheap and made money when I sold them.

Canoe is a broad term ranging from flat bottomed to full round, heavy rocker to flat, keeled or not, long and narrow to short and fat, transom or not. Then there's pirogues which in many cases are superior to canoes. Also consider the hybrid designs like the gheenoe/riverhawk and sport boats. Generally I'd steer you away from canoes in general and towards a flatbottomed jon or riverhawk unless you commit to learning the handling of a canoe. If jon go for as wide a beam as possible and no shorter than 12, 14 better.

I need something I can load/unload myself and will fit in the box of my pickup. Not a huge river, no rapids or anything. I also want something stable for safety reasons. If a canoe, I would want it to be a wide one with a square stern for a trolling motor. I know canoes can carry more weight, so that is a plus. I was looking at a "Radisson" canoe, but they want more than I can spend.

I had a Grumman 19' square stern. I loved that thing. Used it in large rivers, small cricks, and some pretty hairy water. Never had a problem. It was pretty much flat with a keel. Very stable. I've had two of us and a moose and a half plus gear and never felt over loaded. I think it weighed about 114 pounds. Used it with a 6hp or a 9.9.

You couldn't get me in a jon boat less than 18 '

Look at the McKenzie sport 18 ....square stern canoe....

I have a Grumman square stern. Duck hunted and trapped out of it. Carries a lot and stable in rough water.

I have used both and they each have there positives and negatives. I have used a 17' aluminum canoe with a side mount 55 lbs trolling motor and also just paddled. If money is a concern, a used 17' aluminum canoe can be had on craigslist for 2-300 bucks most anywhere in Michigan. I have hauled 30+ coon with that size canoe and had no problems besides the fact once you get going it doesn't want to slow down. A jon boat with a 4-10 hp motor is quite a bit safer and faster. If you have to portage the canoe saves a lot of work compared to the jon. There is some value in quietly paddling down the river checking traps, it can't be beat!

Questions arise.

1. Will you be working sets downstream, then head back upstream to the vehicle/trailer?

2. Average depth of river? Width of river?

3. Can you run a standard outboard on this river without hitting rocks, stumps, gravel bars, etc?

4. Length of trapline on this river?

5. Access to the river: landing, rough landing, launch off a bank, what?

6. How strong is the current? Can you easily paddle back upstream?

7. Probably doesn't have much to do with choice of rig, but what are the fluctuations in water level like? Quite a bit? Or maybe an inch drop every other day or so without any rain?

8. How many traps do you plan on checking on a run up/down the river?

There's a start.

Keep an eye on those weekly swap and sell magazines if you have one in your area. Ours is normally riddled with all types of watercraft this time of year and they are usually going cheap.

10-12ft flat bottom with a mount trolling motor on the back to push you up and down the river/creek. Easy to load and unload, plus stable in the water.

Muskrat-
#1- no. Setting from upstream, downward. I don't have an outboard motor.
#2- average depth= 4'-6'. Average width= 50'(?)
#3- yes, but I don't have one.
#4- about 7 miles on average (on the water. River has many sharp curves/bends)
#5- I park on the road, have to carry the boat and all my gear down the bank and launch from there. I come out of the water in a similar way.
#6- not terribly strong, but could not paddle upstream very far.
#7- not much fluctuation without rain/major snow melt.
#8- quite a few. Mostly rat, mink and coon sets. A few beaver and fox/coyote sets thrown in.
Hope that helps.

The boat my brother-in-law sunk for me was a 10' flat bottom. It worked great, wished it would hold a bit more weight though. Just not sure if that's what I should get again.

Coleman scanoe. 86lbs I think an just under 14ft.

Keep your eye on those Craigslist adds for a used sportspal canoe if you can find a square back one you have hit gold I have a 13 foot and a 16 both bought used one for 350 and the other for 400

I don’t think you could tell rn one over except on purpose or through sheer stupidity

I had a Radisson, didn't like it on a lake, you blow like a leaf on a pond, too light. On the river the aluminum is too thin and can puncture pretty easily. Next boat for me is a short flat boat that fits in my tacoma

Pirogue, French for flat bottom canoe. I have had a 10 footer for 25 years and a 12 footer for 15. Me, Traps, and a 100 pound dog and we cruise. Mine is very similar to this model.

http://bayourapidesfiberglass.com/Products_Critter_getter_pirogue_duck_hunting_alexandria_La.html

Ok ask yourself this . If a 12 yr old kid had to go across a river in dead of winter which would you put him in. Flat bottom boat 100% of the time. Think about safety . Which one are you more likely to dunk with......

I remember the original post where your in law sunk the boat. Heck of a bad day!

And I am the wrong one to ask. I have paddled hundreds, maybe thousands of miles in a canoe, through rapids, flat water, large waves...all depends on how you trap, and what the area is like.

#1 - So we assume somebody is meeting you downstream or you're leaving a vehicle downstream and someone is giving you a ride upstream to the start of the line.

#2 - That's a nice size river, probably have others on it too?

#3 - That narrows the options.

#4 - That's a decent stretch.

#5 - No landing. So that should limit competition. But also limits what you can launch.

#6 - Okay, so it's a one-way shot.

#7 - That's nice. Some rivers you can count on dropping slowly without rain, others seem to have a mind of their own, and some are regulated by dams downstream.

#8 - Smorgasbord. That means lots of gear.

So you've got the transportation worked out? When you finish the line there's somebody waiting for you or you've already taken your vehicle downstream with the help of someone else? An option I did many years ago was to offload gear at starting point, including canoe, then drive the vehicle to the pickup point, then pull my bicycle out of the vehicle and bike back up to the starting point and stash the bike in the weeds. Seven miles on average with lots of bends, I assume the road runs along the river? How do you have this part worked out?

So you're hauling your boat up and down a bank. That rules out any big flat bottom boat. I've skidded 14' jon boats up and down banks, but they were very light and narrow. I even laid PVC pipes in the ground parallel to the river and made my own "ramp" that way on private property. But you're hauling this boat back up the bank at the downstream end of the run. A 14' jon boat would get old hauling back up the bank.

I'd say you're in the market for a canoe. I wouldn't buy a new one. I'd pick Dave Plueger's mind and inquire what he uses. Experience of his caliber is gold. Might even give you some ideas you hadn't thought of yet.

Best keep a secure dry box on board with spare clothes and a click style propane torch for starting a fire to warm up. Spare pair of hip boots in a dry bag secured inside too. Sooner or later you're going to roll that canoe and you'll want to be dry and warm and soon as possible.

Ok, so based on my tripping experience, this all depends entirely on the canoe. A seventeen foot nova craft prospector is rated for 1000 lbs. It also can be easily paddled, portaged and carried by one person.

They are quite stable. Heck, we ran them down class three rapids some timesz and with a bit of skill they are extremely safe.

Not all canoes are the same. Get a real one and you will love it. I habe several ex tripping canoes I use. They work well.

I run an 18' modified V on big water
14' Jon with 6hsp on small lakes and flowages
12' 9" Golden Hawk on streams and small lakes

14' Jon is the best bet for stability but hard to load and unload yourself

The 12' 9" Golden Hawk weighs 65lbs has a 750 lb carrying capacity and you can put up to a 4hsp motor with a reinforced transom. I just ordered my second one.
I love the stability, you won't win any canoe races, but it's not like paddling a bath tub either, it handles well with the current keel design,

I had a fifteen foot Old Town square stern with a two horse Honda short shaft outboard on it. Me and a buddy baited bear with it often. Two guys, bait barrels, bait, tree stands jammed in there. You would have to intentionally want to flip it to get it to go over.

I've done a lot of hunting out of watercraft, but no trapping. I wouldn't hesitate to trap out of my kayak if I had an area handy to do so. I've gone on solo hunting trips with my tent, sleeping bag, rifle and tree stand piled on top of this and never for a minute felt like I was in danger. It has a waterproof bulkhead for storage, is incredibly stable and will smoke any canoe on the water. Paddles upstream as effortlessly as it does down, requires about three inches of water to float it and weights around forty pounds. You might be able to make out my climbing tree stand, bow and pack on the rear deck. So stable I never bothered to tie them down.

People buy these things with the best of intentions. They wind up in the garage unused and then for sale for a fraction of what they paid new.

Anyone used the Osage Missourian?

What was The boat Vinky used to show on here? I always wanted one of those.

I use a 12' fiberglass pirogue. Weight about 40-50 lbs. However i use it in calm water.