Have you ever wanted to navigate hard-to-access creeks and channels? Canoe poling is the perfect way to sneak into shallow waterways when the water levels are just too low.

It’s easy to learn and it’s a fast and efficient way to travel, even through creeks and rivers that are only 6-8 inches deep. To get into canoe poling you can take a course or start-off with these seven tips and tricks from Jack Mountian Bushcraft & Guide Services.

In no time, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying great fly-fishing or exploring creeks that were once inaccessible to you.

1. Grab a Pole. Traditionally poles were made from black spruce, which is strong, stiff, and light. You can also find poles made from ash, and some people swear by using aircraft aluminum. Regardless of what material you use, you will want something about 12 feet long and roughly between 1-1/4 and 2 inches in diameter at the base, and 1 to 2 Inches in diameter at the top. Traditional poles are outfitted with a metal shoe, which helps you grip the bottom, but if you are fishing, a wooden tip will be much quieter. If you are fishing over a muddy bottom, you will want a special expandable tip that doesn't sink into the mud.

2. Get your legs. Poling a canoe is all about balance. Find a quiet spot of water without any current that has a solid bottom, and is one to three feet deep. Get in your boat alone and stand near the center of the boat with your feet spread shoulder-width apart. Now bend your knees and shift your weight from one foot to the other, while keeping your center of gravity directly over the centerline of the canoe. Rock back and forth until you get some decent movement. After doing this for a while, you are ready to move on to the next exercise. Move your feet to the center of the boat. If there were a line going down the center of the canoe, you would keep each foot directly over this line, and slowly walk to the far end of the canoe and touch the deck plate. Then pivot and walk to the other end of the canoe and touch the deck plate, before moving back to the center. You will find out that if your weight is not over the centerline of the canoe, then you cannot pick up a foot without losing your balance.

3. Push off straight. Like paddling, you will want to travel in a straight line while keeping the pole on one side. The way to do this is plant the pole on the bottom and push parallel to the centerline of the canoe. If your push is not parallel with the center of the boat, you will not go straight.

4. Learn to turn. There are many ways to turn a canoe when poling. A simple way to turn toward the side you are poling on, is to drag the pole in the water after pushing off and doing a slight pry by bracing the pole against your hip and pulling with your hands. To turn away from the side you are poling on, paddle a sweep (as if you had a paddle in your hands) after the pole stroke.

5. Paddle with the pole. If you are poling and the water starts getting deeper, use your pole like a kayak paddle by taking alternate strokes on each side of the boat.

6. Trim for wind and current. Wind and currents can work against you tirelessly and relentlessly, making your boat act like a weathervane. Instead of fighting them, work with them by adjusting the load (gear and passengers) in your boat. Since the wind wants to push the light end of your boat around, always trim your boat so the upwind end is the heaviest. Currents have the same weathervane effect, so make sure the downstream end of your boat is trimmed heavy, whether you are headed downstream or up.

7. Carry some ballast. Having some weight in the canoe makes it less tipsy, especially if you are just getting your legs. It can also help with getting the correct trim. I use large plastic water jugs (5 - 8 gallons) as they are cheap and easy to transport when empty. Fresh water weighs around 8 pounds per gallon, so a large jug or two adds a significant amount of weight to the boat and decreases its initial instability.

Jack Mountian Bushcraft & Guide Services offer a variety of outdoor and canoe courses throughout the spring and summer months, including a mid-summer course for this niche skill. For more information, visit www.jackmtn.com