Outdoor adventure: Tips for canoeing in Missouri

The Caplinger Woods campgrounds was a popular place for groups of canoers last weekend as some celebrated birthdays, family outings, and friends getting together. (Photo by Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

Now that the dog days of summer are here, having fun in the outdoors means being on or in the water. More and more people are finding fun in a canoe or kayak.

Tom Pitts uses his canoe much more than his bass boat. He said, "A lot of my friends have kayaks, but I still use my canoe. I think it is the most versatile small craft available today. It's well adapted to travel the inland waters and can function in the open water as well.

"The canoe is unmatched for wilderness travel like a vacation in the outback. It is light, so it makes a good car-top craft for a fisherman."

Bob Sullivan, Rolla, is a veteran canoeist who bought his first canoe more than 20 years ago. He said, "It was the best investment I have ever made," adding, that he has used his canoe for fishing, hunting, camping, photography and just floating in an Ozark stream.

Sullivan noted, "When I started out with a canoe years ago, I was a real novice. I didn't know much about canoeing, except it looked like a lot of fun. I started slow by launching it in a small pond, until I got the hang of handling it.

"Since then, I have used it for duck hunting and even turkey and squirrel hunting, as well as fishing trips in the north country and Ozark streams. My four kids took to canoeing and now they all have their own canoes. Canoeing is a big part of our summers."

For first time canoers, Sullivan offers a few tips. He pointed out that when selecting a canoe, the size you choose should be determined by the work you want it to do. Should you be planning a trip to a wilderness stream up north, keep the canoe light and trim like a 15 footer.

This size should carry all the gear you need and still be light enough for paddling and portaging. If you want the canoe to be a knock-around utility craft that the entire family can use and enjoy, think about a larger model.

Selecting the right canoe will add immeasurably to your appreciation of this amazing craft. Any canoe is bound to be a disappointment if you don't have the right paddles. Paddles with straight wood-grain like some good spruce are a favorite. They are light, have some give, and feel good to the touch.

Canoeing down the Sac River on a summer afternoon. (Photo by Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

A rule of thumb is to pick a bow handle that reaches from the ground to your shoulders while a stern paddle should reach up to your eyes. The person in the stern is the one who controls the direction so they have the advantage of a longer paddle.

Today's canoes are better because of their versatility. Fiberglass is the sturdiest material that canoes are made with, but aluminum is more popular and practical.

Many canoers are also campers so picking a canoe is very important. Stow your gear, including children, between the thwarts and always pack the heaviest equipment first. This keeps the center of gravity low in the canoe and acts as a deterrent to tipping.

When everything is in, cover all your gear with a tarp and lash it down well. In the event you do roll over, your gear might get wet, but at least it will be in one place instead of strung along the bank a mile downstream.

Canoeing in Missouri, especially in the Ozarks, is growing fast. There are canoe clubs to help newcomers get started and many Ozark streams are filled with weekend canoers.

Also, choosing a canoe to float and fish a quiet stream can offer you solitude or serenity like no other experience in the outdoors. There is a peaceful connection with nature you can have while listening to the paddles pulling through the steady sound of moving water.