Which is more stable, canoes or SOT kayaks? Looking to buy one and don't want to fall in in cold weather.

A personal pontoon is a lot more stable than any canoe or kayak.

I would say the SOT kayaks designed for standing in would be more stable than a canoe. Plus, they can't be swamped by a wave. 

Take a look at SOT Kayaks that are designed for standing. I fish out of a Wilderness Systems Ride 115 (stable enough to stand, cast, set the hook and land fish).

I fish cold weather in a Jackson Big Rig. Extremely stable. 

The dealer put one in the pool and tried to flip it. He stood on the edge and it would not flip.

Now loosing your balance is different, but that can happen on any boat.

There are very stable options in both SOT and canoes, it is the combination of all the things that you want to do in your watercraft that will ultimately decide what you want.

How are you transporting? Will you be able to lift and load a 90lb kayak if you are car-topping?

Do you want to take people with you?

How much junk are you going to want to put in the boat?

How much do you want to spend?

Both crafts are capable for fishing and both can be very stable, but as Tracker22 said, losing your balance can happen and you will get wet on both types if that happens.

This ones hard to flip, easy to Transport, Launch & Recover solo, can easily fish two humans, carries quite a bit of junk and it was cheaper than some & perhaps more expensive than others.

A-Jay

 

It depends on the canoe and SOT.  Some SOTs are so stable that you can stand in them. So are some canoes. I guess SOTs have an advantage because you can just crawl back on if you do go over. Getting back into a canoe takes practice.  It's something I did a lot as a kid. I'd dump the canoe on purpose and  get back in. It's not hard if you try it a few times in warm water.   That said, I've never accidentally dumped a canoe while fishing in over 40 years of using them.

I think that the right tandem canoe is a more versatile  fishing machine under most conditions. You have plenty of room to move around, you don't have to unhook your catch in your lap and you have room for a cooler, your dog or a friend and you can pack it to the gills for a fishing/camping trip. Check out something like the Old Town Next or the Mad River Serenade for the best of both worlds if you are going solo..

Is the old town saranac 146 a stable canoe? If not, what are some stable canoes around 600?