Trimming small canoe to face down river

[Doogie]

Hello,

I fish from a small solo canoe, usually in a small and slow moving but moderately deep river (6'-12' deep).

How can I trim with my stuff so the current positions me facing downriver while I am fishing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gamma1214]

I'm not sure you'll be able to manage that with trim alone. On float trips, I used to use a short piece of heavy(ish) chain tied to the boat with a slip knot. A float on the line made recovery possible when it snagged and I could cut the chain loose, get turned around, paddle back upstream to recover the line and then continue upstream until the chain came free. As one might imagine, I was unhooking my chain as often as I was unhooking fish so it was a short-lived experiment for me.

I've had more luck casting upstream or diagonally across the current (still upstream) so I'll either float randomly now or tuck into an eddy (hopefully not the same one the fish is using) and cast from there. Truthfully, most of my canoe fishing is done casting into the base of a rapids below a portage and that can usually be done from the bank.

Sorry if that's not terribly helpful.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I haven't found anything that works, and frankly, I've stopped trying. Part of the problem is that even on a calm day, your movement with the current creates "apparent wind" that tends to turn your canoe. Then there's the real wind and variations in the river current.

I use the same tactics Gamma mentions above. Also sometimes catching and parking in an eddy to fish. I know some kayak fishers use an anchor on the bow and fish facing upstream. I've considered trying that but haven't yet. I know there are potential problems with that.

 

[Doogie]

Thanks for the replies, I'll try the chain dragging technique. Sometimes I'll anchor but usually by the time I have the anchor where I want it the current or wind changes everything so I've pretty much given up on that unless I need to re-tie or something and don't want to float past the next section.

 

[Gamma1214]

I'm not sure how gnarly your river is but be sure you're tied on with an easily released slip knot and have a float attached to the line so you can recover the chain when it snags (and it will... probably quite often) Without the float, the system might be hard (or impossible) to recover and the rope can cause issues for others and, of course, the inability to get loose from the snagged chain can cause issues for yourself. Plan well and be safe.