You should be alright in the river with you 14' I have done it many times, the freighters run only in the shipping channel which is near the middle/US waters, stick to the Canadian shoreline you will be fine, Drift/troll downstream with harness' and 2oz bottom bouncers just fast enough that your harness blade is spinning. You should pick up some walleyes, dropshot or drag tubes for bass, there are monsters in the river! Also jigging or casting musky is an option.. Sit on the dock with a worm or minnow, and you have a chance at hooking all different species, sturgeon, sheephead, perch, salmon, trout you neme it
Running to the lake would be too far with a small boat, lots of good fishing in the river.