I have caught numerous muskies from a canoe, in both lakes and rivers. It is harder to land them, no doubt. The key is giving yourself as many advantages as you can. These guys were all using large floating lures with multiple trebles. That spells trouble for both the fish and the angler. These are aggressive fish, esp. the river muskies. They will bite on smaller lures, such as a 5 inch fluke with just one hook in it. Having fewer hooks makes them easier and safer to land.  Johnson spoons and other one hook top water types will get bites. You could also use a boga grip for release rather than a net.  That all said, these guys have a system down that seems to work for them and who can argue with the results.  Sarge