How the Old Town 119 Discovery Canoe became common in North Carolina and the South

 This is how I seem to have persuaded many many people into getting an Old Town 119 Discovery Canoe.

I have had one since the 90's and have been river fishing out of canoes since 1977 growing up on the Haw River.  My First Solo Canoe was a Mowhawk Pack and then a bigger tamdem Old town 158  and then I aquired 2 Old Town 119's and for sure they are the best Solo River Canoe.   

Here is my Youtube video on the Old Town 119

In the early 2000's I was a member of the now defunct fishing forum Georgia River Fishing.  Through that forum I have met and fished with many great fishermen in Georgia one of them being Bill Prince. 

 Bill went by "Blackwater Bill" on this forum ( unfortunately he passed during covid) and at one time he was very disatisified with the fishing kayaks out there so I told him he should try  out an Old town 119  which he did.  

Now back up a little bit as I know for sure I have gotten many many North Carolinians in them,  may be pushing 100 or more. 

Here is the story of Blackwater Bill and the 119 he posted on the forum......

" Troy before the 119 Was cool, there was Mack from NC. When I got into the kayak ownership I started with a Dagger Blackwater 12 sit inside, couldn't get out of it the first time I tried it out. It was a gift from my wife. At the same time Cullfisher got an Old Town sit inside, and he didn't like it either. I never took the sit inside to the river, I sold it to Getthenet and bought a T 120 from Drew and it was maybe 3rd hand then. Cullfisher sold the sit inside and bought a P13. I didn't like the T 120 because I was too heavy for it and it threw me out or I bailed out nearly every trip. I sold it to Braveswin and bought a Drifter. Cullfisher sold the P13 and bought a Caper so he could stand up and fish. I could stand in the Drifter in those days. I went through 3 or 4 Drifters usually owning two at any given time. Because MacBass, Rockworm1 and Bassman1 all swore by their electric powered canoes Cullfisher and I got one of them each. We still have them and use them for long trips and camping and so forth where their freight hauling and comfort is an advantage. Then came the Ultimate’s as the flavor of the month. I sold my Drifters and got a U 12 which I hated immediately. After two weeks I put it for sale and a man gave me a sot kayak and enough money to buy a 119 for the U12. I won't call his name because he may regret that deal. I later traded that sot he gave me for a new Drifter which I still have and I won't call the man's name that made that trade either.

  

For about a year I had stuck in the back of my mind was the fact that Mack from NC said the best river boat he ever had was an Old Town 119. If you look at his signature he lists his watercraft and he has 2 Old Town 119s. I have always been impressed with Mack's "walking around sense". Therefore I checked out the 119 and found that Old Town was making the Disco 119 for Dicks and calling it a Kaynoe so I bought one with the boot that I got for the U12. MacBass thought I was crazy when I showed up at Juliette with that boat. I tested it that day for draft, stability and so forth and declared it to exceed my expectations. macbass watched me and then wanted to test it. Just below half way shoals going toward Poep's Juliette, MacBass got in it and stood and paddled around then tried to push it over and couldn't, then paddled in water where his Drifter would get stuck an the 119 floated right on. I then wrote an essay on how good I thought that bought was. Other than Mack's 2 thats the only one I knew of that anybody had. Now the rest is history. Since I wrote that essay, I could name maybe 2 or 3 dozen people who have gotten out of the Kayak usage and converted to 119s and can't think of anybody that has been disappointed. The 119 is the solo canoe par excellence"

He says above that he has got maybe 3 dozen in them which is because of me and I listed maybe a hundred for me but it maybe more.  

Anyway, if you want a great solo boat the Old 119 is it. 

Mack

#oldtown

#oldtown119

#discoverycanoe

Canoeing Juniper Springs Run in an Old Town 119 Canoe

Canoeing Juniper Run 

February of 2021  I made a trip to Florida to Canoe a spring fed creek that I have wanted to Canoe for YEARS.   I first read about this Creek in The Book  FABULOUS FOLBOT HOLIDAYS years ago.   This creek is listed in the top 25 of  River/creeks to canoe in the United States.  

Here is the book(still available on ebay and other sources) and the page where the article On Juniper Run and Alexander Springs are noted. 

This book though old is a must read for awesome Canoe trips.  

So,  I finally  made it down there and the parks shuttle service is closed because of Covid.  I then put my Old Town 119 Canoe in at the take out at Juniper Wayside on Hwy 19  and paddled up .  I caught Bass, redbreast sunfish, Spotted sunfish and the creek was loaded with mullet!   I also had an encounter with an 8' plus Gator that you can see in the video.   I paddled a few miles up well past Sweetwater Springs(private) and then floated back down.  This day was a very fun float/paddle  and one I will never forget.   

Check out my YouTube Video of my float/canoe trip  of Juniper Run. 

#juniperspringsrun

#junipersprings

#Juniperwayside

old town 119

My OLD TOWN 119 Modifications

My Old Town 119 Modifications

This is a  Video of my Modifications to my Old Town 119.  This is my favorite solo River boat by far and a good Lake canoe. If you have any questions please ask either here or on you tube.  Don't forget to subscribe to both!!!

Thanks Mack

#oldtown119canoe

#oldtown

#canoe

#oldtowncanoe

#riverfishing

#canoeing

Simple / Easy Drag Chain for Canoes

                              Simple / Easy Drag Chain for Canoes

I have been reluctant to drill holes in my canoe for a drag chain. Still,  I wanted my chain to work correctly and not be on the side so as I wouldn't tip over in fast water. One of the quickest ways to flip a canoe is to throw out an anchor or drag chain connected to the side(vs the bow or stern) . Well,  after my trip to the flint river I copied BlackwaterBills drag chain design as to how it is attached at the Bow or stern.....They copied my use of the Old Town 119 so hey I will copy their drag chain. lol.... This is one of the best modifications I have done to my Old Town 119 . This Design is simple and easy. Blackwaterbill and SeminoleSteve both use this design and have nothing but praise for it. First you need a Chain...18 inches or so of the heaviest stuff u can find, some rope, a cleat, 2 caribeaners, and some electrical ties......Most of the guys using this design also wrap the chain in duct tape and then put an old inner tube over the chain but I have chosen to leave it bare.  Note: They use a dog leash to spool the line and hold it but i chose to use the cam cleat.
Here are some pics.

I purchased this cleat at West Marine. You pull the rope up and to the inside and it unlocks the rope. You then pull it up and to the right and release the rope and the cleat bites down on the rope. Simple.  This cleat is mounted to the right and just ahead of my seat. I attached it to the gunnel with 2 stainless steel sheet metal screws.

Buy the above products here 

HARKEN Cam Cleat  https://amzn.to/3rRtBA1

Harken Flair lead https://amzn.to/3sKQowF

You also have to install a Black electrical tie around the handle in the stern and/or bow.

One caribeaner is attached to the electrical tie and the other is attached to the rope. You just run the rope through the other caribeaner. With this system you can have an electrical tie on the bow and stern handle . If you paddle up from the put in attach the rope and chain to the bow so when you come up to a hole you wish to fish you let the chain down. Then when you turn around and head back downstream, just stop and switch the rope and chain to the stern.  It is a very nice system, and you dont have to drill holes in your bow and stern.....Mack

**********you can see how well  this works is this video here on my YouTube Channel  

#oldtowncanoe

#dragchain

#canoe

#riverfishing

Canoes that I use For River Fishing......and videos on their Mods for fishing

 This Blog post is on the 5 Canoes I use for fishing.

  BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEOS I HAVE LINKED IN THIS ARTICLE on my YouTube Channel

1.  The Canoe that Started my River fishing lifestyle.
     Mowhawk Pack Canoe  that my dad purchased for me in 1977.

She isn't that purty but she has seen a lot of water.  10 feet and made of fiberglass I use her now only sparingly as the Old town 119's are bigger and do a better job but, this is an excellent boat for an experienced paddler that is light and portable. I can throw this canoe on my shoulder and walk a mile through the woods with it. She was originally red , then blue , then several shades of green/brown.

2. Coleman Scanoe. 

This is a fishing boat. This is my "mule" for a boat. I mainly  use this canoe for Catfish, Stripers or anytime I am in "bigwater".  I can either paddle the Scanoe, use a trolling motor or use one of the 2 Gas engines that I Have. 

Click on this link and you can see what a  Coleman Scanoe can do with a 2.5 hp motor on her.

tp://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/rockfish-capital.html 

She is extremly fast with the 7.0 hp motor, and it has been several years since I have been brave enough to put the 7.0 on her!

Here is a video of how well this Canoe works when Trolling for Crappie

3. Old Town 158.  This canoe doesn't do anything great. Then why do I have it? well, because it is just a great all around canoe. Granted is doesn't do anything great but it does a lot of things good. If I just could only have 1 canoe it would probaly be the 158.

She paddles good , holds alot of weight and can be motored. I caught my biggest catfish out of this canoe.

How many canoes do you know  that you can standup  and hold a 46 lb blue cat at the same time???

Here is a video I made on the Old Town 158 and the modofications I have made to use it for fishing.

 Canoes 4 and 5.  Old Town 119's.

These are the best all around solo boats on the market.  PERIOD.  The best fishing solo canoe for the money.

The Canoe Cart above makes rolling this boat around easy.

My son a few years ago showing off by standing in his OT 119

Above is Jeff (Fishwhisperer) in his  Old Town 119

To see the mods I have made to the 119 here is my video on it  .....A must see

Here is what Blackwaterbill said about me and the 119.

" Troy

before the 119 Was cool, there was Mack from NC. When I got into the kayak ownership I started with a Dagger Blackwater 12 sit inside, couldn't get out of it the first time I tried it out. It wasa gift from my wife. At the same time Cullfisher got an Old Town sit inside, and he disn't like it either. I never took the sit inside to the river, I sold it to Getthenet and bought a T 120 from Drew and it was maybe 3rd hand then. Cullfisher sold teh sit inside and bought a P13. I didn't like the T 120 because I was too heavy for it and it threw me out or I bailed out nearly every trip. I sold it to Braveswin and bought a Drifter. Cullfisher sold the P13 an dbought a Caper so he could stand up and fish. I could stand in teh Drifter in those days. I went through 3 or 4 Drifters usually owning two at any given time. Because MacBass, Rockworm1 and Bassman1 all swore by their electric powered canoes Cullfisher and i got one of them each. We still have them and use them for long trips an dcamping and so forth where their frieght hauling and comfort is an advantage. Then came the Ulimates as the flavor of the month. I sold my Drifters and got a U 12 which I hated immediately. After two weeks I put it for sale and a man gave me a sot kayak and enough money to buy a 119 for the U12. I won't call his name because he may regret that deal. I later traded that sot he gave me for a new Drifter which I still have and I won't call the man's name that made that trade either.


For about a year I had stuck in the back of my mind was the fact that Mack from NC said the best river boat he ever had was an Old Town 119. If you look at his signature he lists his watercraft and he has 2 Old Town 119s. I have always been impressed with Mack's "walking around sense". Therefore I checked out the 119 and found that Old Town was making the Disco 119 for Dicks and calling it a Kaynoe so I bought one with the boot that I got for the U12. MacBass thought I was crazy when I showed up at Juliette with that boat. I tested it that day for draft, stability and so forth and declared it to exceed my expectations. macbass watched me and then wanted to test it. Just below half way shoals going toward Poep's Juliette, MacBass got in it and stood and paddled around then tried to push it over and couldn't, then paddled in water where his DRifter would get stuck an dthe 119 floated right on. I then wrote an essay on how good I thought that bought was. Other than Mack's 2 thats the only one I knew of that anybody had. Now the rest is history. Since I wrote that essay, I could name maybe 2 or 3 dozen people who have gotten out of teh Kayak usage and converted to 119s and can't think of anybody that has been disappointed. The 119 is the solo canoe par excellance"

Unfortunatly the Geogia River fishiing site is no longer available. 

Here are all 5 of my canoes -4 are plastic canoes (polyethelene) and the Mowhawk is fiberglass. I would really like a good ole aluminum square stern .

From top to bottom- Coleman Scanoe, Old Town 158, Oldtown 119, Old Town Kay-noe (119) actually my son's, Mowhawk Pack.

Mack 

#canoemodifications

#riverfishing

#oldtowncanoe

#colemanscanoe

#scanoe