Roadtrip, yes it was a 133K Old Town Discovery.

1) lessons
2) pfd & wear it!
3) tie everything in the canoe down or to something that floats, you will flip sooner or later (see #2!)
4) rod leash (see #3!)
5) flotation bags for the canoe (fore and aft)
6) hand operated pump
7) sun block, water bottles, sun glasses, hat with wide brim
8) practice practice practice righting and rentering the canoe after it gets swamped... do this in a swimming pool if possible and with an assistant; the flotation bags will help...
9) stay very close to shore until you have mastered #8
10) cell phone in dry bag/dry can
11) bailer/dry box/first aid kit (seals water tight & can hold phone, keys wallet and has a lanyard to attach to canoe or to cushion)
12) good knife & pliers (lots of abandoned set lines to deal with on occasion)
13) short homemade gaff (use to flip snakes out of boat or snag a stickup
14) carpenters spring clamp to clamp onto stickups and lily pads
15) carabiners to attach gear to boat

Fishing from a canoe, kayak or float tube is a whole different experience compared to bank or power boat fishing. You can get up in the brush where they can't go.

oh yeah +1 on learn the J-stroke, also learn the sculling stroke (to move sideways)

I dont like the double bladed kayak paddles for canoeing. Your hands stay wet all the time. If you are kayaking down a river for fun, you wear neoprene gloves and it is not a problem, but for fishing, you want your hands bare.

I am 60 years old and still enjoy the canoe trips. This past week My bro and I took a trip about 20 miles around the Wilderness Lakes of Northern Michigan. we camped in the extream boonies. Had a lot of gear and everything was tied down. and everything was packed in waterproof bags. The fishing was not great but the canoe trip was. I took the canoe out for a bit by self, High winds made it a lil rough with just one person.But it was fun. My bro is an avid kayaker who frequents Isle royal National Park in the middle of Lake Superior by him self. Lake Superior can get rough very fast but he meets the challange. Had lots of practice, wind snow ice rain sun all part of a good trip. In augest he will paddle the Island for 20 days. Practice your canoe in a safe place and find a good partner for canoe enjoyment.

Thanks for the info all, I've been out a few times, and have done ok so far with the advice given. Just need more practice when its not so hot