Took a canoe trip w/ a couple church buddies this weekend. Floated halfway to take out spot and stayed overnight. Cold front came in and we had a deep freeze overnight, snow in the morning.

Front made for slow fishing but I caught a decent brown right by camp and tossed him in the cast iron.








Got a wonderfully secluded little site on Nat’l Forest where we’ve camped for years. Stone fire ring, log benches, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, palliated woodpeckers, nice brown trout, still silence….






Believe it or not but I had a brand new Neoair sleeping pad and a 22 year old Coleman PeakOne 15 degree bag and slept as well as I would have at home.

Pretty grateful to get out and enjoy some peaceful nature time life has been hectic!

You are a lucky man ! I sure wish I had a river like that.

What is the closer canoe? I've owned several canoes through life and dearly love canoeing the back country.

That’s my Golden Hawk canoe, a semi-custom one built in Wisconsin with duck hunters and small stream paddlers in mind.

I tried to link their website here but what came up didn’t look like their site.

There is a hard core Muskie fisherman from Kentucky here on the ‘fire who has one as well.

I raised 5 kids paddling that thing; it was a “providential” find for me, as I bought it from a client of mine who owned a marine storage facility and was liquidating his client’s store age container after the guy, who was a big waterfowler, moved down south.

I can lift that thing off the ground and put it on my roof rack all by myself, and it has enough space for 2 people and gear for a couple nights in the backcountry. It’s short and has a pronounced keel that makes it very maneuverable in small streams but crossing big lakes it zigs & zags.

Beautiful Ernie !!

But, ....... you need a bigger pan, Fella !!

Honestly man I never catch trout that big I was so grateful to have that “problem”!!!!!

Nice thread, enjoyed it. We do some kayak camping here in the Ozark National Scenic Waterways. Our stretch of the river may show us elk, and there are always deer, turkeys, otters, eagles, and such critters around. A year ago as we sat around a fire on the gravel bar a black bear walked opposite from us along the other bank. Probably smelled the steaks grilling. Usually have a good serenade from a coyote or two sometime in the night. Good times.

This was what we paddled back in.

I cannot describe the serenity of this float! Everything was perfectly quiet. Just amazing tranquility!

What are the details on your tent?

Mine is the tannish-gray & orange one in the foreground. It’s a Kelty Mesa 2 I got on EBay in 2014 when preparing for a backpacking/camping trip in the Big Horns with my oldest son. I got it for $40 because a fiber glass pole was broken. Before bidding I called Kelty and they said I could get aluminum poles (it’s a classic “X” pattern with two poles crossed… simple & durable) for $35.

So I got it for $75 and have used it on countless trips. It isn’t light weight (5 lbs all up?) but it’s a true 2-person and has a big vestibule as well as a ceiling vent.

I’ll check them out thanks!

Definitely looks like you guys had a time. I have an old beat up 15' Grumman that I enjoy using. It can handle 2 and gear but it is a great 1 man outfit.mb