same as solopaddler the items that concern me the most are the lifejackets and the whistles ...
other than the items required by law/regs, you might want also want to look into some other things like:
1) canoe seats - it is tough to stand and fish with two people so you might end up with sore backs after a full day of paddling and fishing
2) rod holders - allow you to troll slowly while your hands are busy paddling
as far as "pimping up your ride", i think you should talk to jediangler, his canoe is "fully loaded" lol
good luck and i can't wait for your first canoe report!
p.s. bungee cords are great for tying up canoe on the top of the car ... much faster than tying knots everytime