I'll start by saying it has been many years since I've had or ran a trap line. I had a small hobby line for a year or so back in my early 20's, but the last real line I ran was back in my middle school and high school years. I'm pushing 51 now, and I guess this could be my mid-life crisis or perhaps just wanting to reconnect with the outdoors after 20 years of driving truck and just seeing life pass by through the window.
But anyways, I've been buying up traps from some folks getting out of the hobby, and ordering some new along the way. I have started considering with some local marshes and swamps being so close, that buying a canoe and going after some of the local beaver, mink, and muskrat might be a good idea. Originally I had only been planning on predator trapping for a couple of farmers I know; but after reading on another forum about this fellow asking for advise on getting into water trapping this way and coming up dry on the responses started me thinking.
Does anyone here use a canoe for their trapline? If so, what kind? What length? And what material is it made out of? I'm to go look at a older 16' aluminum canoe on Saturday. I grew up with the 17' Smokey's and other aluminum canoes and had always heard they were the most durable. Thoughts on this? Also I had thought about a small john boat, but decided a canoe would be easier for me to load and unload by myself since I will be using a older minivan for my line. I know a 4x4 truck would make it easier, but I have the van sitting there not being used so it'll be my fur wagon for now.
Anyway, anyone with experience with this, that's willing to share advice, stories, or just little tips I would be appreciative.

I use several canoes when trapping fur and nuisance.
14 ft fibreglass for the river and a 12 ft fibreglass for the back of the truck when doing nuisance beaver work
The small canoe also goes on top of my 4 wheeler boat rack for hauling in to ponds or for crossing ditches to break dams etc.I also have a couple sportspals stashed on the line that I use once in a while.
There are many canoes you can choose from to suit different requirements ,
To me it sounds like a 12 or 14 ft sportspal would suit you for trapping out of a mini van(roof rack),it is light and easy to throw in and out of small water several times a day and it is fairly stable for setting out of and can take a fair load,Drawbacks to the sportspal is small size if you are on bigger water,and not great maneuverability for long distance travel if trapping on a river.

If you can get that 16 ft. for a good price I'd buy it and use it. There are other options of course, but that one will get the job done.

The most Durable ...Aluminum or Poly Coleman Ram-X would be my choices

Years ago Dave Vinke had videos on here of his Super stable marsh rat boat he used.

I use an old Grumman 17 ft aluminum canoe. Yes it is big but I like it and you can pretty much bounce it off anything with it. I run by myself most of the time so I just spin it around sit on front seat facing the back of the canoe. Works very well this way.

Scott canoes out of Canada.They are awesome and come in all different sizes.Mine is the Macobe.So stable you can stand right up in them.Made of fiberglass.

Love my Scott...for fishing.

A wee bit big for portage

if you have private property to trap and you will only be trapping a couple at a time , consider aluminum and cashing them, also small jon boats

my neighbor has an 8-9 foot flat bottom he just slides in his truck

trailers are also something to consider , with water trapping you can often start a few yards off the road , if your van can pull a little trailer then you can just slide the boat off and on

lifting it over your head gets old it will depend where you need to drive and turn around but a trailer might be a good option set it all up with your supplies and get the canoe down one side room to hold your catch.

light canoes are $$$ you pay by the pound you don't carry . heavy and old canoes can paddle well and be had for a song.
so if you can cash or trailer it can save a lot of loading on the roof.
I swear they always weight 10 pounds more wet , which makes sense there is water clinging to the canoe so now a 63# is more like a 73#

Aluminum Is cheaper, VERY NOISY and get's very cold in the winter.

I have a few I have used and found aluminum to be the best because it's tougher. I have 2 right now. One is a 15 ft fiberglass cheapo that's 30 years old. It's cracked and leaks from a hundred cracks. When they get too big I duct tape them. It's light but I have to pull over every 15 minutes and dump it out. It's tippy too. My other one is a 17 ft canoe. I think my wife and I could stand up and walk past each other in this one if we wanted to. It's stable and easy- waxing the bottom helps it through the water. One very good thing about a canoe is they can haul a lot with little effort. Trapping beaver and coon on creeks with one is nice. This aluminum one I have now I got 4 years ago for $100.00 at a garage sale.
Some of the most interesting times I trapped have bee from a canoe at night. The creeks we have here are teaming with fish and game. While paddling up I set down but while gong down I usually stand. I have a light on my head and look in the water. You can see a rat or beaver hole a mile away like this. I have seen many rats and beaver swim along side me and under me while in the canoe.
Get a paddle with ''hooks'' to you can grab things like limbs. Tie a good 3/8'' nylon rope about 15 feet long on the back end so you can get out and tie it off. I set the fur on top of the front seat or on stakes across the bow to dry. get a piece of rubber mat and put it under you so your knees don't get wet or cold. Your catch is cleaner trapping out of a canoe because you can wash it easier. If it is windy put your heavy things in the front so you can steer and don't get blown around as much.
Carol Black had an article on his canoe one time. I forget all he did but he had it decked out with a trolling motor and padding to keep quiet.
I leave mine at a pond for a few days them move when I have the fur I want caught. I hope to another one and do it again till the ice is a bother. Mine goes either in the truck bed or over the top of the topper.

I like canoe trapping on the creeks here. They are big enough you don't have to drag it through the shallow water but small enough you don't have to put up with motor boats.